Kenitra was originally named as "Port Lyautey", and was renamed as Kenitra when Morocco gained independence in the year 1956. The city of Kenitra has two railway stations viz. Kenitra- Medina and Kenitra- Ville.
Kenitra was initially a fort and was used for the purpose of port and settlement. It was built when Mershal L.H.G. Lyautey gave the orders at 1913. Kenitra is a shipping center of the country and is also a major agricultural producer. The city produces mainly fruits. There are zinc and lead ores in the city.
In the year 1970, a naval base was built in Kenitra and was shared by both Morocco and United States of America. In 1991, the American military leave the base of Kenitra. The industries of the city produce fertilizers, textiles, cigarettes etc.
The major attraction of Kenitra is that it is having many night clubs. There are good hotels in the city ranging from moderate to good hotels. In the southern fringes of the city there is also a camp site. The other parts of Morocco are well connected with Kenitra by bus and train. There are also shared taxis, which the people can avail.
