Ceuta is situated on the site of ancient Abila, which is thought by scholars to be one of the two Pillars of Hercules. Positioned on a headland consisting of seven peaks, the city lies at the end of a narrow isthmus. Melilla is located slightly more than 150 nautical miles east of Ceuta and stands on a large cape which extends some 15 miles out from the coast. Melilla is administered by the Spanish province of Malaga. The cities enjoy a mild Mediterranean subtropical climate.
Winter is the rainy season while summer tends to be dry.
Ceuta and Melilla have about 80,000 residents each. Most of the Spanish residents adhere to the Roman Catholic faith while most of the Moroccans are Muslim. Both Spanish and Moroccan are widely spoken, however, Spanish is the predominate language of business and government. Ceuta's port, especially, is often filled with pleasure craft. History and Government Ceuta and Melilla have a long history.