Where is Ceuta, why does it belong to Spain and how far is it from Morocco?

AROUND 60,000 migrants swam from Morocco and entered the EU territory of Ceuta on Thursday, July 30. Between 34 to 41 people are confirmed to have died while trying to swim to the Spanish enclave. But where is it located and how far is it from Morocco? 60,000 migrants entered the EU territory of Ceuta on Thursday Credit: AFP At least 34 people died while trying to make the swim across Credit: AP Where is Ceuta and why does it belong to Spain? Ceuta is a small Spanish enclave located on the northern coast of North Africa, lying along the Mediterranean Sea and sharing a land border with Morocco. The autonomous city belongs to Spain and has done so for centuries due to a series of European conquests. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! It originally dates back to when Portugal conquered Ceuta from North African rulers in 1415. Then, between 1580-1640, both Portugal and Spain were united under one crown, with many Spanish people settling in the city during this period. Portugal secured independence in 1668, with Ceuta choosing to stay with Spain under the Treaty of Lisbon; it has remained under Spanish sovereignty ever since, and currently has a population of around 84,000. The Spanish Army has been mobilised alongside border security to help manage the crowds, while also providing crucial humanitarian support—treating injured individuals, distributing aid, and managing logistics.” Ceuta is a small Spanish enclave located on the northern coast of North Africa Credit: Alamy It lies along the Mediterranean Sea and shares a land border with Morocco Estimates from Ceuta’s regional president, Juan Jesus Vivas, place the number of arrivals around 60,000, while Spain’s Interior Ministry estimated 50,000. Speaking on the current circumstances, Vivas said: “The situation that Ceuta is going through is absolutely unsustainable.” Most read in The Sun How far is Ceuta from Morocco? A Spanish Supreme Court ruling on July 8 found that migrants who arrive by sea should not be subject to immediate expulsion as they are not crossing a physical land border. Spanish authorities attribute the surge largely to trafficking networks exploiting the decision and misleading young people. A ruling stated that migrants who arrive by sea should not be subject to immediate expulsion Credit: AP Migrants have been making the swim from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, which is three miles from the Spanish territory Credit: Reuters To reach Ceuta, many swam from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, which is three miles from the Spanish territory. Others attempted the crossing from the nearby town of Belyounech, which is shorter than the three miles from Fnideq. Upon swimming the distance, most headed straight into the city, where the situation has been reported as a “chaotic humanitarian crisis”. Thousands of migrants, including many unaccompanied minors, were left sleeping on pavements and in public parks, with “roughly half” voluntarily returning to Morocco due to dire conditions. Comment now