Spain is a transcontinental state, which holds sovereignty over some places in North Africa, including the Canarian Archipelago. These are remnants of its past as a colonial empire, which encompassed at its peak possessions in Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
What cities do Spain own in Africa?
The tiny Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla sit on the northern shores of Morocco's Mediterranean coast. Together they form the European Union's only land borders with Africa.
What is the gap between Spain and Africa called?
The Strait of GibraltarAn astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured this photograph of the Strait of Gibraltar, a natural water channel connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. At the strait's narrowest point, Spain is only 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the coast of Morocco.