Ceuta facts: 83,567 people and 6.4 km of border

Ceuta facts are a quick way to place this Spanish autonomous city on the map: it sits on the North African coast, bordered by Morocco, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Its story runs from Phoenician settlement to Portuguese conquest, then to Spanish sovereignty.

Where is Ceuta, and what kind of place is it?

Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. It shares a 6.4 km land border with Morocco, and its position between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean has made it a strategic place for centuries.

The city became an autonomous city in March 1995, and since then it has been one of the two autonomous cities of Spain. It is also part of the territory of the European Union. Spanish is the official language of Ceuta.

What is the origin of Ceuta’s name?

The name Ceuta comes through clipped forms such as Septem, Sebta, and Sabtah. Those older forms point to a long history attached to a small but important coastal place.

Long before the modern city took its present political shape, Phoenicians founded a settlement on the La Almina Peninsula. That early settlement marks the beginning of Ceuta’s recorded urban history in the area.

Who conquered Ceuta in 1415?

In 1415, King John I of Portugal conquered Ceuta in a surprise assault. That Portuguese conquest marked Portugal’s first hold in the strategic area of the Strait of Gibraltar.

Ceuta was then recognized as a Portuguese possession by the Treaty of Alcáçovas and the Treaty of Tordesillas. Later, in 1668, Ceuta was ceded by Portugal to Spain, fixing the city’s place under Spanish rule.

How many people live in Ceuta?

As of 2025, Ceuta’s population was 83,567. In the same year, 69.4% of the population was born in Ceuta.

Ceuta has a maritime-influenced Mediterranean climate, which fits a coastal city shaped by the sea on both sides and by a border with Morocco just a few kilometers long. Its geography, languages, and political history all come together in a place that has moved between empires and remained distinct.

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