Melilla (Spanish pronunciation: [meˈliʎa])
is a Spanish city and an
exclave located on the north coast of
Africa,
sharing a border with
Morocco with an area of 12.3 square kilometers (4.7 sq mi).
Melilla, along with
Ceuta,
is one of two permanently inhabited Spanish cities in mainland
Africa. It was part of
Málaga province until 14 March 1995, when the city's
Statute of Autonomy was passed.
Melilla, like Ceuta, was a free port before Spain joined the European Union. As of 2011 it had a population of 78,476 made up of Christians, Muslims (chiefly Riffians), and a small number of Jews. Both Spanish and Riffian are widely spoken, with Spanish as the only official language.
