Plazas de soberanía (literally meaning "places of sovereignty") is the term that has been historically given to the Spanish possessions in North Africa (as opposed to what was previously part of the Spanish protectorate over the north of Morocco).

There are five plazas de soberanía, comprising two plazas mayores ("big places"):

• Ceuta
• Melilla and three plazas menores ("small places"):
  • Islas Chafarinas,
  • Peñón de Alhucemas,
  • Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera,

  Apart from those, Isla Perejil, a small unhinhabited islet close to Ceuta that was the subject of a confrontation with Morocco in 2002, has been lately defined as an extra Plaza de soberanía. However, it is not a Plaza de soberanía in itself, but rather no-man's land.

  The "big places", Ceuta and Melilla, are now autonomous cities (a kind of autonomous community), and have more powers than regular city councils (they can produce regulations to execute acts, with higher regulation competencies than regular city councils) but fewer than autonomous communities (as they do not have autonomous legislative powers). Therefore, the term "plaza de soberanía" is nowadays hardly used when talking about both cities.

  The "small places" are small islets near the coast of Morocco, and have no civilian population. They are administered directly by the Spanish Government.

  They are part of the European Union as part of Spain. Their currency is the euro. They have a combined population of 145,336. This is roughly divided half and half between Ceuta and Melilla, although Ceuta is marginally the more populous.

  When Spain relinquished the protectorate over the North of Morocco and recognized its independence in 1956, it did not give over the "plazas de soberanía" since Spain has held them since the 15th and 16th centuries and were part of Spain, not a part of the protectorate.

  All of these places are part of the Greater Morocco claimed by nationalist movements in Morocco.

  External links

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  • Map of Spain possesions in Northern Africa

  Mediterranean | Geography of Spain | Islands of Spain | Plazas de soberanía

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