Tangier or Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco. It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. It is the capital of the Tangier-Tétouan Region and of the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture within that region. The history of Tangier is very rich due to the historical presence of many civilizations and cultures starting from the 5th century BC.