The plazas de soberanía (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈplaθas ðe soβeɾaˈni.a], lit. "strongholds of sovereignty")[3] is a term describing a series of Spanish overseas minor territories scattered along the Mediterranean coast bordering Morocco or that are closer to Africa than Europe. This term is used for those territories that have been a part of Spain since the formation of the modern country (1492–1556), as opposed to African territories acquired by Spain during the 19th and early 20th centuries in the Scramble for Africa.
Historically, a distinction was made between the so-called "major places of sovereignty", comprising the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, and the "minor places of sovereignty", referring to a number of islands (and a small peninsula) along the coast. In the present, the term refers mainly to the latter.
During the Reconquista and mainly following the conquest of Granada in 1492, forces of the Castilian and Portuguese kingdoms conquered and maintained numerous posts in North Africa for trade and as a defence against Barbary piracy.
In 1848, Spanish troops conquered the Islas Chafarinas. In the late 19th century, after the so-called Scramble for Africa, European nations had taken over colonial control of most of the African continent. The Treaty of Fez (signed on 30 March 1912) made most of Morocco a protectorate of France, while Spain assumed the role of protecting power over the northern part, Spanish Morocco.[5]
When Spain relinquished its protectorate and recognized Morocco's independence in 1956, it did not give up these minor territories, as Spain had held them well before the establishment of its protectorate.
On 11 July 2002, Morocco stationed six gendarmes on Perejil Island, which was at the time a source of complaint by Spain. The Spanish Armed Forces responded by launching a military operation code-named Operation Romeo-Sierra. The operation was carried out by Spanish commandos of Grupo de Operaciones Especiales. The Spanish Navy and Spanish Air Force provided support; the six Moroccan navy cadets did not offer any resistance and were captured and evicted from the island. It has since been evacuated by both countries.[6]
Apart from these, there are two other islands usually considered within the plazas de soberanía.[citation needed] The disputed Perejil Island (Isla Perejil), a small uninhabited islet close to Ceuta, is considered by Spain to be a part of Ceuta and not a territory in its own right.[7]Alboran Island (Isla de Alborán), another small island in the western Mediterranean, about 50 kilometres (31.05 miles) from the African coast and 90 kilometres (55.92 miles) from Europe, is administered as part of the municipality of Almería on the Iberian Peninsula.
Political geography
The plazas de soberanía are small islands and a peninsula off the coast of Morocco (the only peninsula, Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, was an island until a 1934 storm formed a sand bridge with the mainland). They are guarded by military garrisons and administered directly by the Spanish central government.
Like Ceuta and Melilla, they are a part of Spain, therefore also part of the European Union, and their currency is the euro.
Territorial dispute with Morocco
Morocco claims sovereignty over the plazas de soberanía, including Ceuta and Melilla.
^del Valle, Alejandro (20 December 2011). "Ceuta, Melilla, Chafarinas, Vélez y Alhucemas: tomar la iniciativa (ARI)". Real Instituto Elcano (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^Mariñas Otero, Eugenio (1998). "Las Plazas Menores de soberanía española en África". MILITARIA. Revista de Cultura Militar. (in Spanish). No. 12. Madrid: UCM. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ASALE, RAE-; RAE. "plaza #3 | Diccionario de la lengua española". «Diccionario de la lengua española» - Edición del Tricentenario (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
^da Silva, Rui A. M. "Treaties Galore". Olivença - Portugal Livre.
^"Treaty Between France and Spain Regarding Morocco". The American Journal of International Law. 7 (2): 81–99. April 1913. doi:10.2307/2212275. JSTOR 2212275. S2CID 246007581.
^Ceberia Belaza, Monica; Ignacio Cembrero and Miguel González (17 September 2012). "The last remains of the empire". El Pais in English. Madrid. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
^Tremlett, Giles (13 July 2002). "Moroccans seize Parsley Island and leave a bitter taste in Spanish mouths". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 May 2014. When officers from Spain's civil guard police force arrived on a small patrol boat from the nearby Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta three miles away and to which the islet nominally belongs...
January 06, 2023
plazas, soberanía, plazas, soberanía, spanish, pronunciation, ˈplaθas, soβeɾaˈni, strongholds, sovereignty, term, describing, series, spanish, overseas, minor, territories, scattered, along, mediterranean, coast, bordering, morocco, that, closer, africa, than,. The plazas de soberania Spanish pronunciation ˈpla8as de sobeɾaˈni a lit strongholds of sovereignty 3 is a term describing a series of Spanish overseas minor territories scattered along the Mediterranean coast bordering Morocco or that are closer to Africa than Europe This term is used for those territories that have been a part of Spain since the formation of the modern country 1492 1556 as opposed to African territories acquired by Spain during the 19th and early 20th centuries in the Scramble for Africa Plazas de soberaniaThe plazas de soberania plus Ceuta with Perejil Island and Melilla on the mainland and Alboran Island 50 km north of the coastCountrySpainGovernment TypeAutonomous cities major plazas de soberania De facto unincorporated area 1 under the administration of the Ministry of Defence 2 minor plazas de soberania Area Total0 59 km2 0 23 sq mi Time zoneUTC 01 00 CET Summer DST UTC 02 00 CEST Historically a distinction was made between the so called major places of sovereignty comprising the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and the minor places of sovereignty referring to a number of islands and a small peninsula along the coast In the present the term refers mainly to the latter Contents 1 History 2 Physical geography 3 Political geography 3 1 Territorial dispute with Morocco 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesHistory Edit Aerial view of the Penon de Alhucemas c 1925 During the Reconquista and mainly following the conquest of Granada in 1492 forces of the Castilian and Portuguese kingdoms conquered and maintained numerous posts in North Africa for trade and as a defence against Barbary piracy In August 1415 the Portuguese conquered the city of Ceuta In 1481 the Papal bull Aeterni regis had granted all land south of the Canary Islands to Portugal Only this archipelago and the possessions of Santa Cruz de la Mar Pequena 1476 1524 Melilla conquered by Pedro de Estopinan in 1497 Villa Cisneros founded in 1502 in current Western Sahara Mazalquivir 1505 Penon de Velez de la Gomera 1508 Oran 1509 1708 1732 1792 Algiers 1510 1529 Bugia 1510 1554 Tripoli 1511 1551 and Tunis 1535 1569 remained as Spanish territory in Africa Finally following the independence of Portugal after the end of the Spanish led Iberian Union Ceuta was ceded by Portugal to Spain in 1668 4 In 1848 Spanish troops conquered the Islas Chafarinas In the late 19th century after the so called Scramble for Africa European nations had taken over colonial control of most of the African continent The Treaty of Fez signed on 30 March 1912 made most of Morocco a protectorate of France while Spain assumed the role of protecting power over the northern part Spanish Morocco 5 When Spain relinquished its protectorate and recognized Morocco s independence in 1956 it did not give up these minor territories as Spain had held them well before the establishment of its protectorate On 11 July 2002 Morocco stationed six gendarmes on Perejil Island which was at the time a source of complaint by Spain The Spanish Armed Forces responded by launching a military operation code named Operation Romeo Sierra The operation was carried out by Spanish commandos of Grupo de Operaciones Especiales The Spanish Navy and Spanish Air Force provided support the six Moroccan navy cadets did not offer any resistance and were captured and evicted from the island It has since been evacuated by both countries 6 Physical geography Edit Penon de Velez de la Gomera seen from the Moroccan coast 2007 In addition to Ceuta and Melilla there are historically three minor plazas de soberania Territory a Coordinates Area ha Alhucemas Islands 35 12 54 N 3 53 47 W 35 21500 N 3 89639 W 35 21500 3 89639 4 6 Isla de Mar 35 13 3 65 N 3 54 2 69 W 35 2176806 N 3 9007472 W 35 2176806 3 9007472 1 4 Isla de Tierra 35 12 55 83 N 3 54 8 10 W 35 2155083 N 3 9022500 W 35 2155083 3 9022500 1 7 Penon de Alhucemas 35 12 48 N 3 53 21 W 35 21333 N 3 88917 W 35 21333 3 88917 1 5Chafarinas Islands 35 11 N 2 26 W 35 183 N 2 433 W 35 183 2 433 52 5 Isla de Isabel II 35 10 55 77 N 2 25 46 90 W 35 1821583 N 2 4296944 W 35 1821583 2 4296944 15 3 Isla del Rey 35 10 51 72 N 2 25 24 96 W 35 1810333 N 2 4236000 W 35 1810333 2 4236000 11 6 Isla del Congreso 35 10 43 90 N 2 26 28 31 W 35 1788611 N 2 4411972 W 35 1788611 2 4411972 25 6Penon de Velez de la Gomera 35 10 21 29 N 4 18 2 89 W 35 1725806 N 4 3008028 W 35 1725806 4 3008028 1 9Apart from these there are two other islands usually considered within the plazas de soberania citation needed The disputed Perejil Island Isla Perejil a small uninhabited islet close to Ceuta is considered by Spain to be a part of Ceuta and not a territory in its own right 7 Alboran Island Isla de Alboran another small island in the western Mediterranean about 50 kilometres 31 05 miles from the African coast and 90 kilometres 55 92 miles from Europe is administered as part of the municipality of Almeria on the Iberian Peninsula Political geography EditThe plazas de soberania are small islands and a peninsula off the coast of Morocco the only peninsula Penon de Velez de la Gomera was an island until a 1934 storm formed a sand bridge with the mainland They are guarded by military garrisons and administered directly by the Spanish central government Like Ceuta and Melilla they are a part of Spain therefore also part of the European Union and their currency is the euro Territorial dispute with Morocco Edit Morocco claims sovereignty over the plazas de soberania including Ceuta and Melilla See also EditList of islands of Spain List of Spanish colonial wars in Morocco Morocco Spain border Nadim al Maghrebi Spanish protectorate in MoroccoNotes Edit In order from north to south References Edit del Valle Alejandro 20 December 2011 Ceuta Melilla Chafarinas Velez y Alhucemas tomar la iniciativa ARI Real Instituto Elcano in Spanish Retrieved 25 March 2020 Marinas Otero Eugenio 1998 Las Plazas Menores de soberania espanola en Africa MILITARIA Revista de Cultura Militar in Spanish No 12 Madrid UCM Retrieved 25 March 2020 ASALE RAE RAE plaza 3 Diccionario de la lengua espanola Diccionario de la lengua espanola Edicion del Tricentenario in Spanish Retrieved 6 May 2020 da Silva Rui A M Treaties Galore Olivenca Portugal Livre Treaty Between France and Spain Regarding Morocco The American Journal of International Law 7 2 81 99 April 1913 doi 10 2307 2212275 JSTOR 2212275 S2CID 246007581 Ceberia Belaza Monica Ignacio Cembrero and Miguel Gonzalez 17 September 2012 The last remains of the empire El Pais in English Madrid Retrieved 24 September 2012 Tremlett Giles 13 July 2002 Moroccans seize Parsley Island and leave a bitter taste in Spanish mouths The Guardian London Retrieved 19 May 2014 When officers from Spain s civil guard police force arrived on a small patrol boat from the nearby Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta three miles away and to which the islet nominally belongs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Plazas de soberania amp oldid 1126270876, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
