Spain’s autonomous city of Ceuta

18 November 2011 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

Ceuta map © Omar-Toons

Ceuta map © Omar-Toons

Ceuta is a 18.5 square kilometres (7.1 sq mi) autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish exclave Melilla are the only Spanish territories located in mainland Africa. It was regarded as a part of Cadiz province prior to 14 March 1995, when the city’s Statute of Autonomy was passed. Ceuta (like Melilla) was a free port before Spain joined the European Union. As of 2008 it has a population of 75,276. Its population consists of Christians, Muslims (chiefly Moroccan Arabic speakers), and small minorities of Jews and Hindus. Spanish is the official language. Ceuta (and Melilla) have declared the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha or Feast of the Sacrifice, as an official public holiday from 2010 onwards. It is the first time a non-Christian religious festival is officially celebrated in Spain since the Reconquista.   read more…

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