Spain and Morocco: Ceuta and Melilla Are Spanish, Not Moroccan

Spain does not control any part of Morocco. However, it administers two autonomous cities on the North African coast that Morocco claims:

Ceuta and Melilla

• Ceuta (18.5 km², 85,000 people) – On the Strait of Gibraltar, 14 km from Spain
• Melilla (12.3 km², 87,000 people) – 200 km east, near Cape Three Forks

Status

• Spanish sovereign territory since 15th–16th centuries (Ceuta 1415, Melilla 1497)
• Autonomous cities with own governments, EU members (special status), euro currency
• Not part of Morocco—Morocco claims them as occupied territory; Spain views them as integral national territory
• Border fences (6–10 m high, sensor-equipped) separate them from Morocco

Other Spanish Territories Near Morocco

• Canary Islands – 100 km off coast, fully Spanish autonomous community
• Plazas de soberanía – Tiny islets (Chafarinas, Peñón de Vélez, Alhucemas) garrisoned by Spain

Diplomatic Tension

Morocco periodically pressures Spain (2021 migrant surge, 2022 Western Sahara shift). Spain maintains sovereignty; EU supports Spain's territorial integrity. Residents overwhelmingly identify as Spanish.