Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera

Geographical location

Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera (Spanish Peñón means rock ) is a Spanish exclave in Morocco's Mediterranean coast and Plaza de soberanía.

Consisting of a 77 m high rock peninsula is located about 120 kilometers southeast of Ceuta and 125 km west of Melilla. With the mainland it is connected by a narrow isthmus since 1934. The enclave has an area of about 19,000 square meters and a height of up to 87 meters above sea level. The only settlement is a small military station, with around 60 military personnel.

The peninsula was left at the dismissal of Morocco 's independence on the grounds that she had also previously not part of Morocco in Spanish possession.

In fact, this piece of land was occupied on July 23, 1508 by Spaniards, as a ship under the direction of Pedro Navarro fought pirates, who defended this island. 1522 took Muley Mohamed, the Lord of the area ( Badis ), where the rock lies, betrayal by those in possession. Finally, García de Toledo conquered him on September 6, 1564 back on the orders of Philip II of Spain.

Vélez de la Gomera was besieged several times and should be destroyed in 1871 by blowing up because of the almost untenable position. As on other islands is also stationed at Vélez de la Gomera now a garrison.

Today's Peninsula was originally an island (a second island or with the Rock on a narrow rock ledge connected peninsula of La Isleta was 40 meters to the east ), and 1934 through massive storm large amounts were rinsed sand in the narrow channel between the islands and the continent of Africa. Since then, the Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera is a peninsula (or consists of two peninsulas ) and Morocco are separated by the shortest land border with 85 meters of earth.

Maps

Plazas de Soberanía, with Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera

Sketch map