10 Countries Where The Capital Isn’t The City That You’d Expect

Thanks to the trade opportunities provided by its close proximity to Europe, Morocco has long been one of Africa’s most prosperous and stable states, having only briefly been ruled by colonial powers between 1912 and 1956 after almost the entirety of the rest of the continent was divvied up between the British, Belgian, French, Germas, Spanish and Portuguese Empires a few decades beforehand.

The best-known city in the country is perhaps Tangier. Located on the northern tip of the country at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, its focus has shifted from trade to tourism, but the nearby Tanger-Med remains the busiest port in Africa. Casablanca is also renowned, thanks in part to its association with the classic 1942 film of the same name (even though it was entirely shot in Los Angeles) but also for the fact that it is the most populous and economically prestigious settlement in the nation.

Elsewhere, Marrakesh is a popular tourism destination and Fez is known for its historical and religious landmarks. Both have been the capitals of several dynasties in the past, but it is Rabat that has held the title since 1912. The seventh largest city in the country, it was chosen because the French administrators feared the rebellious nature of Fez’s people after their occupation commenced.

Since independence, none of the three Kings that have reigned on the Moroccan throne have seen fit to change it back, facilitating the quiet development of Rabat as a political centre and little else.