Spain’s autonomous city of Ceuta:
Spain’s autonomous city of Ceuta witnessed a major migration crisis in July 2026, as nearly 60,000 migrants attempted to enter the Spanish enclave from Morocco.
- Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain located on the northern coast of Africa, bordering Morocco and facing the Strait of Gibraltar. It covers an area of about 18.5 sq. km and is situated on the Mediterranean coast.
- Ceuta, Melilla and the Plazas de Soberanía (comprising the Chafarinas Islands, Alhucemas Islands and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera) are the only European territories on the African mainland.
- While Spain exercises sovereignty over them, Morocco has disputed their status and sought their return since gaining independence in 1956.
- It lies at the eastern entrance of the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
- It constitutes one of the European Union’s (EU) only two land borders with Africa (the other being Melilla).
- Its strategic location makes it important for maritime security, trade and migration management.
- It is one of the shortest entry routes into Europe for migrants from Africa and West Asia.
- Ceuta remains a major hotspot for irregular migration, human trafficking and humanitarian crises, frequently triggering dangerous border crossings into the European Union.
- It also fuels Spain–Morocco diplomatic tensions, highlighting the challenge of balancing border security with international refugee and human rights obligations.
