View source for Melilla

{{Short description|Spanish autonomous city on the north-west coast of Africa}}
{{Other uses|Melilla (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Melilla
| other_name         =
| settlement_type    = [[Autonomous communities of Spain#Autonomous cities|Autonomous city]]
| image_skyline      = {{Multiple image
  | perrow = 1/2
  | border = infobox
  | total_width = 280 
  | caption_align = center
  | image1 = (Melilla) Aterrizando en Melilla (16668390111).jpg
  | caption1 = Aerial view
  | image2 = Puerta de la Marina, Melilla.jpg
  | caption2 = [[Melilla la Vieja|Old city]]
  | image3 = EDIFICIO DEL ANTIGÜA REDACCIÓN EL TELEGRAMA DEL RIF.jpg
  | caption3 = [[Modernisme|Modernist]] buildings
 }}
| image_flag         = Flag of Melilla.svg
| flag_size          = 125
| flag_alt           = Flag of Melilla
| image_shield       = Coat of Arms of Melilla.svg
| shield_size        = 75
| shield_alt         = Coat-of-arms of Melilla
| image_map          = Localización de Melilla.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Melilla in Spain
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-frame-height = 300
| mapframe-stroke-width = 1
| coordinates        = {{Coord|35|17|32|N|2|56|27|W|region:ES-ML_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{Flag|Spain}}
| leader_party       = [[People's Party (Spain)|PP]]
| leader_title       = [[Mayor-President of Melilla|Mayor-President]]
| leader_name        = [[Juan José Imbroda]]
| area_total_km2     = 12.3
| area_rank          = [[Ranked lists of Spanish autonomous communities|19th]]
| population_as_of   = 2024
| population_footnotes = <ref name=population2024>{{cite web |url=https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Datos.htm?t=67988 |title=Annual population census 2021-2024 |language=en |website=[[National Statistics Institute (Spain)]] |date=2024-12-19 |access-date=2025-01-29 }}</ref>
| population_total   = 85,985
| population_rank    = [[Ranked lists of Spanish autonomous communities|18th]]
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_density     = 
| population_density_rank = [[Ranked lists of Spanish autonomous communities|1st]]
| population_blank1_title = % of Spain
| population_blank1  = 0.16%
| population_demonyms = Melillan
<!-- GDP  --------------->
| demographics_type2 = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web | url=https://ine.es/prensa/cre_2022.pdf | title=Contabilidad Regional de España|website=www.ine.es}}</ref>
| demographics2_title1 = Total
| demographics2_info1 = €1.750 billion (2023)
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita
| demographics2_info2 = €20,479 (2023)
| timezone1          = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1        = +01:00
| timezone1_DST      = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST    = +02:00
| postal_code_type   = [[ISO 3166|ISO 3166 code]]
| postal_code        = ES-ML
| blank_name_sec1    = [[Official language]]s
| blank_info_sec1    = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| blank1_name_sec1   = Statute of Autonomy
| blank1_info_sec1   = 14 March 1995
| blank_name_sec2    = Currency
| blank_info_sec2    = [[Euro]] ([[Euro sign|€]]) ([[ISO 4217|EUR]])
| blank1_name_sec2   = 
| blank1_info_sec2   = 
| website            = {{URL|https://www.melilla.es/melillaPortal/index.jsp|melilla.es}}
| blank2_name_sec2   = 
| blank2_info_sec2   = 
| module             = 
| blank2_info_sec1   = [[Assembly of Melilla]]
| blank2_name_sec1   = Parliament
| blank3_info_sec1   = 1 deputy (of 350)
| blank4_info_sec1   = 2 senators (of 264)
| blank3_name_sec1   = [[Congress of Deputies (Spain)|Congress]]
| blank4_name_sec1   = [[Spanish Senate|Senate]]
| blank3_name_sec2   = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2022)
| blank3_info_sec2   = 0.867<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/ESP/?levels=1+4&years=2022&interpolation=0&extrapolation=0|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2025-01-28}}</ref><br/>{{color|darkgreen|very high}} · [[List of Spanish autonomous communities by Human Development Index|18th]]
}}

'''Melilla''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ɛ|ˈ|l|iː|j|ə}}, {{IPA|es|meˈliʝa|lang|Pronunciation_of_Melilla_in_Spanish.ogg|}}; {{langx|rif-Latn|Mřič}}) is an [[Autonomous communities of Spain#Autonomous cities|autonomous city]] of [[Spain]] on the [[North Africa]]n coast. It lies on the eastern side of the [[Cape Three Forks]], [[Morocco–Spain border|bordering Morocco]] and facing the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. It has an area of {{cvt|12.3|km2}}. It was part of the [[Province of Málaga]] until 14 March 1995, when the [[Statute of Autonomy of Melilla]] was passed.

Melilla is one of the [[special territories of members of the European Economic Area|special territories of the member states of the European Union]]. Movements to and from the rest of the EU and Melilla are subject to specific rules, provided for ''inter alia'' in the Accession Agreement of Spain to the [[Schengen Convention]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/30055/qc0414838enn.pdf|title=The Schengen Area|year=2015|publisher=[[Council of the European Union]]|isbn= 978-92-824-4586-0|doi=10.2860/48294|author1=Council of the European Union}}</ref>

As of 2019, Melilla had a population of 86,487.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Tabla.htm?t=2853&L=0|title=Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero|publisher=[[Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain)|Instituto Nacional de Estadística]]|access-date=2020-06-26}}</ref> The population is chiefly divided between people of Iberian and [[Riffian people|Riffian]] extraction.{{Sfn|Trinidad|2012|p=962}} There are also small numbers of [[Sephardic Jews]] and [[Sindhi Hindus]]. Melilla features a [[diglossia]] between the official Spanish and [[Tarifit]].{{Sfn|Sánchez Suárez|2003|p=190}}

Like the autonomous city of [[Ceuta]] and Spain's other territories in Africa, Melilla is subject to an [[Irredentism|irredentist claim]] by Morocco.{{Sfn|Trinidad|2012|pp=961–975}}

{{anchor|Names|Etymology|Toponymy}}

== Name==
{{see also|Rusadir#Name}}
[[Borrowing (linguistics)|Borrowed]] from [[Spanish language|Spanish]], the [[English language|English]] name ''{{linktext|Melilla}}'' is pronounced {{IPAc-en|m|ɛ|ˈ|l|iː|j|ə}}<ref name=lex>{{Cite dictionary |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Melilla |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322182054/https://www.lexico.com/definition/melilla |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-03-22 |title=Melilla |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref> or {{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|l|iː|j|ə}}<ref name=mw>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|Melilla|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> to approximate the sound of the [[elle (letter)|Spanish double L]], properly {{IPA|es|meˈliʝa|}} in most standard [[Spanish dialects]]. The name is attested from the 9th century,{{Sfn|Lara Peinado|1998|p=25}} deriving from [[Arabic language|Arabic]] {{translit|ar|Malīlya}} ({{lang|ar|مَلِيلْيَة}}, {{IPA|ar|maˈliːlja|}}) of uncertain etymology. The name has been related to [[honey]] ({{langx|es|miel}}; {{langx|la|mel}}; {{langx|grc|μέλι}}, {{translit|grc|méli}}) since Melilla was a notable site for [[beekeeping]] in antiquity,{{Sfn|Lara Peinado|1998|p=25}} a [[bee]] appearing prominently on the city's [[bronze coin]]age under [[Mauretania]]n rule.{{sfnp|Head & al.|1911|p=889}} Alternatively, it has been taken from words meaning "discord", "fever", or a medieval [[Arab people|Arab]] figure.{{Sfn|Lara Peinado|1998|p=25}}{{which|date=April 2024}}<!--which words in which language? what "Arab personality"?--> The placename perhaps comes from the Amazigh root M·L (meaning 'white'), producing the Amazigh ''mlilet'' and which results in the local {{translit|rif|Mrič}} ({{IPA|ber|mrɪtʃ|}}) via /l/→ [r] and /lt/ → [č] changes.<ref name=":1">{{cite book|last=Yahia|first=Jahfar Hassan|year=2014|title=Curso de lengua tamazight, nivel elemental. Caminando en la didáctica de la lengua rifeña|language=es,rif|location=Melilla|publisher=GEEPP Ed.}}</ref>{{sfn|Tilmatine|2011|p=25}}

== History ==
=== Antiquity and Middle Ages ===
{{main|Rusadir}}
Melilla was a [[Phoenicia]]n and later [[Punic]] trade establishment under variations of the name '''[[Rusadir]]''' ({{langx|xpu|𐤓‬𐤔𐤀𐤃𐤓‬}}, {{smallcaps|ršʾdr}}),{{sfnp|Head & al.|1911|p=889}} taken from the [[Phoenician language|Phoenician]] name of the nearby [[Cape Three Forks]].{{Sfn|López Pardo|2015|pp=137}} After [[Carthaginian Empire|Carthage]]'s defeat in the [[Punic Wars]], the city fell under the control of the [[Roman Republic|Roman]] [[client state]] [[Mauretania]]. After its annexation under [[Caligula]], [[Claudius]] organized it as part of the [[Roman province|province]] of [[Mauretania Tingitana]]. [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] mentions it as a [[oppidum|native hillfort]] and port ({{langx|la|oppidum et portus}}).<ref>[[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]], ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Nat. Hist.]]'', Book V, Ch. 18.</ref> It was made a [[Roman colony]] in {{nowrap|AD 46}}, after which it was sometimes referenced as '''Flavia'''. Rusaddir was said to have once been the seat of a bishop, but there is no record of any bishop of the purported see<ref name=CE>[[s:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Rusaddir|Sophrone Pétridès, "Rusaddir" in ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' (New York 1912)]]</ref> and it is not included in the [[Catholic Church]]'s list of modern [[titular see]]s.<ref>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}), p. 960</ref>

The political history is similar to that of towns in the region of the Moroccan [[Rif]] and southern Spain. Melilla was progressively ruled by the [[Vandal Kingdom|Vandals]], [[Byzantine North Africa|Byzantines]], and the [[Visigothic Kingdom|Visigoths]]. In the early 6th century, it was the main port of the [[Mauro-Roman Kingdom]]. After the [[Islamic conquest of North Africa]], it fell under the [[Umayyad Caliphate|Umayyad]]s, [[Emirate of Córdoba|Cordoba]]ns, [[Idrisid]]s, [[Almoravid]]s, [[Almohad]]s, [[Marinid]]s, and [[Wattasid]]s.

=== Early Modern period ===
During the 15th century, the city declined, like most Mediterranean cities of the [[Kingdom of Fez]], eclipsed by those on the Atlantic.{{Sfn|Bravo Nieto|1990|pp=21–22}} After the [[Catholic Monarchs]]' [[Granada War|conquest of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada]] in 1492, their Secretary {{Interlanguage link|Hernando de Zafra|es}} gathered intelligence about the sorry state of the North African coast with territorial expansion in mind.{{Sfn|Bravo Nieto|1990|p=25}} He sent agents to investigate, and subsequently reported to the Catholic Monarchs that, as of 1494, locals had expelled the authority of the Sultan of Fez and had offered to pledge loyalty.{{Sfn|Loureiro Soto|2015|p=83}} While the 1494 [[Treaty of Tordesillas]] put Melilla and [[Cazaza]], until then reserved to the Portuguese, under the sphere of [[Kingdom of Castile|Castile]], the conquest of the city had to wait, delayed by [[Charles VIII of France|the French]] occupation of Naples.{{Sfn|Loureiro Soto|2015|pp=83–84}}

[[File:Plano de la Plaza de Melilla como está en principio de febrero de 1699.jpg|thumb|Map of the Melilla fortress by the late 17th-century.]]

The [[Duke of Medina Sidonia]], [[Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 3rd Duke of Medina Sidonia|Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán]], advocated seizing Melilla, to be headed by {{ill|Pedro de Estopiñán|es|Pedro de Estopiñán y Virués}}, and the Catholic Monarchs, [[Isabella I of Castile]] and [[Ferdinand II of Aragon]], endorsed the initiative and provided the assistance of artillery officer [[Francisco Ramírez de Madrid]].{{Sfn|Bravo Nieto|1990|p=26}} Melilla was occupied on 17 September 1497, virtually without violence as it was on the border between the [[Kingdom of Tlemcen]] and the Kingdom of Fez, and as a result had been fought over many times and left abandoned.<ref>{{Harvnb|Loureiro Soto|2015|p=85}}; {{Harvnb|Bravo Nieto|1990|p=26}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.ayuntamiento.es/comunidades_melilla.php |title=Ayuntamientos de España |publisher=Ayuntamiento.es |access-date=7 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301210448/http://www.ayuntamiento.es/comunidades_melilla.php |archive-date=1 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> No large-scale expansion into the Kingdom of Fez ensued, and, barring the enterprises of the [[Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros|Cardinal Cisneros]] along the Algerian coast in [[Mers El Kébir]] and [[Oran]], and the [[Vélez de la Gomera|rock of Badis]] in the territorial scope of the Kingdom of Fez, the Hispanic monarchy's imperial impetus was eventually directed elsewhere, to the [[Italian Wars]] against France, and, especially after 1519,{{Sfn|Bravo Nieto|1990|pp=17; 28}} to the newly discovered continent across the Atlantic.

Melilla was initially jointly administered by the [[House of Medina Sidonia]] and the Crown,{{Sfn|Loureiro Soto|2015|p=127}} and a 1498 settlement required the former to station a 700-man garrison in Melilla and the latter to provide the city with a number of [[maravedí]]es and wheat ''[[fanega]]s''.{{Sfn|Loureiro Soto|2015|p=125}} The Crown's interest in Melilla decreased during the reign of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]].{{Sfn|Loureiro Soto|2015|p=131}} During the 16th century, soldiers stationed in Melilla were badly remunerated, leading to many desertions.{{Sfn|Loureiro Soto|2015|pp=127–128}} The Duke of Medina Sidonia relinquished responsibility over the garrison of the place on 7 June 1556.{{sfn|Polo|1986|p=8}}

During the late 17th century, 
[[Alaouite]] sultan [[Ismail Ibn Sharif]] attempted to conquer the ''[[presidio]]'',{{Sfn|Loureiro Soto|2015|p=175}} taking the outer fortifications in the 1680s and further unsuccessfully besieging Melilla in the 1690s.{{Sfn|Loureiro Soto|2015|pp=175–176; 179}}

One Spanish officer reflected<!-- when? -->, "an hour in Melilla, from the point of view of merit, was worth more than thirty years of service to Spain."<ref name="Rezette41">[[#Rezette|Rezette]], p. 41</ref>

=== Late Modern period ===
The current limits of the Spanish territory around the Melilla fortress were fixed by treaties with Morocco in 1859, [[Spanish-Moroccan War (1859)|1860]], 1861, and 1894. In the late 19th century, as Spanish influence expanded in this area, the Crown authorized Melilla as the only centre of trade on the [[Rif]] coast between [[Tetuan]] and the [[Algeria]]n border. The value of trade increased, with goat skins, eggs and [[beeswax]] the principal exports, and cotton goods, tea, sugar and candles the chief imports.

Melilla's civil population in 1860 still amounted to only 375 estimated inhabitants.{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1985|p=23}} In a 1866 Hispano-Moroccan arrangement signed in [[Fes]], both parties agreed to allow for the installment of a customs office near the border with Melilla, to be operated by Moroccan officials.{{Sfn|Remacha Tejada|1994|p=218}} The Treaty of Peace with Morocco that followed the 1859–60 War entailed the acquisition of a new perimeter for Melilla, bringing its area to that where the 12&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> the autonomous city currently stands.{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|pp=99–100}} Following the declaration of Melilla as a [[free port]] in 1863, the population began to increase, chiefly with Sephardi Jews fleeing from [[Tetouan]] who fostered trade in and out of the city.{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|p=100}} The first Jews from Tetouan probably arrived in 1864,{{Sfn|Díaz Rodríguez|2011|p=67}} and the first rabbi arrived in 1867 and began to operate the first synagogue, located in the Calle de San Miguel.{{Sfn|Díaz Rodríguez|2011|p=68}} Many Jews arrived fleeing from persecution in Morocco instigated by [[Bou Hmara|Roghi Bu Hamara]].{{Sfn|Fernández García|2015|p=108}} Following the 1868 lifting of the veto of emigration to Melilla from Peninsular Spain, the population further increased with Spaniards.{{Sfn|López Guzmán|González Fernández|Herrera Torres|Lorenzo Quiles|2007|p=11}} The Jewish population, who also progressively acquired Spanish citizenship, increased to 572 in 1893.{{Sfn|Díaz Rodríguez|2011|pp=67–68}} The economic opportunities created in Melilla henceforth favoured the installment of a Berber population.{{Sfn|López Guzmán|González Fernández|Herrera Torres|Lorenzo Quiles|2007|p=11}}

<gallery mode="packed" captions="Views of Melilla taken from an elevated position in 1893">
File:1893-10-30, La Ilustración Española y Americana, Vista general de la plaza de Melilla y de su campo, Venancio Álvarez Cabrera (cropped).jpg
File:1893-10-30, La Ilustración Española y Americana, Vista general de la plaza de Melilla y de su campo, Venancio Álvarez Cabrera (cropped 2).jpg
</gallery>

The first body of local government was the ''junta de arbitrios'' created in 1879,{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1985|p=24}} in which the military enjoy preponderance.{{Sfn|Morala Martínez|1985|pp=107–108}} The Polígono excepcional de Tiro, the first neighborhood outside the walled core ([[Melilla la Vieja]]), began construction in 1888.{{Sfn|Cantón Fernández|Riaño López|1984|p=18}}
[[File:1909-09-15, Actualidades, En el barrio judío de Melilla, Tipo de mujer judía en el interior de su domicilio, Alba (cropped).jpg|thumb|Jewish woman in the Jewish quarter (1909)]]
In 1893, Riffian tribesmen launched the [[First Melillan campaign]] to try to conquer the city; the Spanish government sent 25,000 soldiers to defend it against them. The conflict was also known as the ''Margallo War'', after Spanish General [[Juan García y Margallo]], Governor of Melilla, who was killed in the battle. The new 1894 agreement with Morocco that followed the conflict increased trade with the [[hinterland]], bringing the economic prosperity of the city to a new level.{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|p=102}} The total population of Melilla amounted to 10,004 inhabitants in 1896.{{Sfn|Perpén Rueda|1987|p=289}}

[[File:Casa Melul.jpg|thumb|Art Nouveau buildings in the Plaza de España (c. 1917)]]
The turn of the new century saw attempts by France (based in [[French Algeria]]) to profit from their newly acquired [[sphere of influence]] in Morocco to counter Melilla's trading prowess by fostering trade links with the Algerian cities of [[Ghazaouet]] and [[Oran]].{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|p=107}} Melilla began to suffer from this, to which the instability brought by revolts against [[Abdelaziz of Morocco|Muley Abdel Aziz]] in the hinterland also added,{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|pp=106–108}} although after 1905 Sultan pretender El Rogui ([[Bou Hmara]]) carried out a defusing policy in the area that favoured Spain.{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|pp=113–114}} The French occupation of [[Oujda]] in 1907 compromised the Melillan trade with that city,{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|pp=110–115}} and the enduring instability in the Rif still threatened Melilla.{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|p=120}} Between 1909 and 1945, the ''modernista'' ([[Art Nouveau]]) style was prevalent in local architecture, making Melilla's streets a "true museum of ''modernista''-style architecture", second only to Barcelona, mainly stemming from the work of architect [[Enrique Nieto (architect)|Enrique Nieto]].{{Sfn|Cantón Fernández|Riaño López|1984|pp=16; 19}}

Mining companies began to enter the hinterland of Melilla by 1908.{{Sfn|Saro Gandarillas|1993|p=121}} A Spanish company, the {{ill|Compañía Española de las Minas del Rif|es}}, was constituted in July 1908, shared by Clemente Fernández, Enrique Macpherson, the [[Count of Romanones]], the [[Rodrigo Figueroa y Torres|Duke of Tovar]] and {{ill|Juan Antonio Güell|es|Juan Antonio Güell y López}}, who appointed [[Miguel Villanueva y Gómez|Miguel Villanueva]] as chairman.{{Sfn|Escudero|2014|p=331}} Thus two mining companies under the protection of Bou Hmara started mining lead and iron 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from Melilla. They started to construct a railway between the port and the mines. In October of that year, Bou Hmara's vassals revolted against him and raided the mines, which remained closed until June 1909. By July the workmen were again attacked and several were killed. Severe fighting between the Spaniards and the tribesmen followed, in the [[Second Melillan campaign]] that took place in the vicinity of Melilla.

In 1910, the Spaniards restarted the mines and undertook harbor works at Mar Chica, but hostilities broke out again in 1911. On 22 July 1921, the Berbers under the leadership of [[Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi|Abd el Krim]] inflicted a grave defeat on the Spanish at the [[Battle of Annual]]. The Spanish retreated to Melilla, leaving most of the protectorate under the control of the [[Republic of the Rif]].

A royal decree pursuing the creation of an ''[[Ayuntamiento (Spain)|ayuntamiento]]'' in Melilla was signed on 13 December 1918 but the regulation did not come into force, and thus the existing government body, the {{lang|es|junta de arbitrios}}, remained in force.{{Sfn|Morala Martínez|1985|pp=107–108}}
[[File:Centro de Melilla, Parque Hernández, Plaza de España, Barrio Héroes de España y Mantelete.jpg|thumb|City centre in 1926]]
A "junta municipal" with a rather civil composition was created in 1927; on 10 April 1930, an ''ayuntamiento'' featuring the same membership as the junta was created,{{Sfn|Morala Martínez|1985|p=120}} equalling to the same municipal regime as the rest of Spain on 14 April 1931, with the arrival of the first democratically elected municipal corporation on the wake of the proclamation of the [[Second Spanish Republic|Second Republic]].{{Sfn|Fernández Díaz|2009|pp=25; 27}}

The city was used as one of the staging grounds for [[July 1936 military uprising in Melilla|the July 1936 military coup d'état]] that started the [[Spanish Civil War]].

In the context of the passing of the Ley de Extranjería in 1986, and following social mobilization from the Berber community, conditions for citizenship acquisition were flexibilised and allowed for the naturalisation of a substantial number of inhabitants, until then born in Melilla but without Spanish citizenship.{{Sfn|Fernández García|2015|p=110}}

=== Autonomy and late 20th, 21st century===
[[File:Estatua de Franco en Melilla.jpg|thumb|[[Statue of Francisco Franco, Melilla|Statue of Francisco Franco]] in Melilla, removed in 2021.]]
In 1995, Melilla —until then just another municipality of [[Province of Málaga|Málaga]]— became an [[Autonomous communities of Spain|autonomous city]],{{Sfn|Bascón Jiménez|Cazallo Antúnez|Lechuga Cardozo|Meñaca Guerrero|2016|p=47}} as their [[Statute of Autonomy of Melilla|Statute of Autonomy]] was passed.

On 6 November 2007, King [[Juan Carlos I|Juan Carlos]] and Queen [[Queen Sofía of Spain|Sofía]] visited Melilla and Ceuta, sparking enthusiasm from the local population and protests from the Moroccan government, which led to a [[2007 Morocco–Spain diplomatic conflict|brief diplomatic conflict]].<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Reyes/viajan/hoy/Melilla/calurosa/acogida/Ceuta/criticas/Marruecos/elpepuesp/20071106elpepunac_1/Tes |title=Mohamed VI "condena" y "denuncia" la visita "lamentable" de los Reyes de España a Ceuta y Melilla |newspaper=El País |publisher=Elpais.com |date=6 November 2007 |access-date=10 October 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/infordeus.php/2007/11/06/p125486 |title=Ceuta y Melilla son España, dice Juan Carlos I; Sebta y Melilia son nuestras, responde Mohamed VI |publisher=Blogs.periodistadigital.com |date=22 February 1999 |access-date=17 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718140213/http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/infordeus.php/2007/11/06/p125486 |archive-date=18 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was the first time a Spanish head of state had visited the two African exclaves since 1927.<ref>{{cite web |last=Abend |first=Lisa |date=6 November 2007 |title=Spain, Morocco Tensions Rising |url=https://time.com/archive/6941777/spain-morocco-tensions-rising |website=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=10 October 2025}}</ref>

Melilla, together with Ceuta, declared the Muslim holiday of [[Eid al-Adha]] —Feast of the Sacrifice— an official public holiday from 2010 onward. It is the first time a non-Christian religious festival has been officially celebrated in Spain since the [[Reconquista]].<ref>{{citation|url=http://spainforvisitors.com/module-News-display-sid-310.htm |title=Muslim Holiday in Ceuta and Melilla |publisher=Spainforvisitors.com |access-date=7 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929161344/http://spainforvisitors.com/module-News-display-sid-310.htm |archive-date=29 September 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.qppstudio.net/bankholidays2010/spain.htm |title=Public Holidays and Bank Holidays for Spain |publisher=Qppstudio.net |access-date=7 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930174912/http://www.qppstudio.net/bankholidays2010/spain.htm |archive-date=30 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2018, Morocco decided to close the customs office near Melilla, the first time since mid-19th century, without any consultation with Spain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2019-12-02/marruecos-ceuta-contrabando-asfixia-ciudad_2359167/|first=Ignacio|last=Cembrero|title=Marruecos pone fin al contrabando con Ceuta y asfixia la ciudad|website=[[El Confidencial]]|date=2 December 2019}}</ref> The customs office was expected to reopen in January 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Morocco complies with Spain and announces border customs in Ceuta and Melilla in January |url=https://atalayar.com/en/content/morocco-complies-spain-and-announces-border-customs-ceuta-and-melilla-january |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=Atalayar |date=22 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
As of February 2025, trade was still tentative and limited.<ref name="Ponce">{{cite news |last1=Ponce |first1=José Ramón |title=Entra en Melilla el primer camión con pescado de Marruecos en casi cinco años - El Faro de Melilla |url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/entra-en-melilla-el-primer-camion-con-pescado-de-marruecos-en-casi-cinco-anos/ |access-date=3 March 2025 |date=2025-02-20 |language=es}}</ref><ref name="Morales">{{cite news |last1=Morales Bautista |first1=Joaquín |title=Incertidumbre entre los melillenses sobre como estará la frontera este Ramadán - El Faro de Melilla |url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/incertidumbre-entre-los-melillenses-sobre-como-estara-la-frontera-este-ramadan/ |access-date=3 March 2025 |date=2025-02-23 |language=es |quote=Por lo pronto, la aduana comercial vuelve a estar operativa y cuenta con unas normas establecidas: Inicialmente, solo podrá cruzar un camión de salida y otro de entrada, en este último caso prácticamente pescado. Será en un horario concreto de mañana o tarde y los productos que exportarán los empresarios melillenses se limitarán a electrodomésticos, electrónica, higiene y automoción.}}</ref>

Melilla was the location of the last public statue in Spain to commemorate former dictator [[Francisco Franco]] following Spain's [[Historical Memory Law]], passed in 2007, which included provision to the removal of any artefacts which celebrated the Franco regime from all public buildings and spaces. Nonetheless, the [[Statue of Francisco Franco, Melilla|statue]] remained on the Cuesta de la Florentina street until its final removal in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2021-02-23/la-ultima-estatua-de-franco-es-retirada-de-las-calles-de-melilla.html |title=La última estatua de Franco que quedaba en España es retirada de las calles de Melilla |website=El País |language=Spanish |date=23 February 2021|access-date=8 March 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Last statue of dictator Franco removed in 'historic day' for Spain |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/spain-politics-franco-statue/last-statue-of-dictator-franco-removed-in-historic-day-for-spain-idUSL8N2KT6RJ  |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=23 February 2021|access-date=8 March 2024 }}</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Melilla2022OSM.png|thumb|left|Detailed map of Melilla.]]
{{Further|Conventico Caves}}

=== Location ===
[[File:(Cabo Tres Forcas) ISS-36 Strait of Gibraltar (cropped).jpg|thumb|Detail of a satellite photograph of [[Cape Three Forks]] (centred on Melilla) taken during the 2013 [[Expedition 36|ISS-36 expedition]].]]
Melilla is in northwest Africa, on the shores of the [[Alboran Sea]], a marginal sea of the [[Mediterranean]], the latter's westernmost portion. The city is arranged in a wide semicircle around the beach and the [[Port of Melilla]], on the eastern side of the peninsula of [[Cape Tres Forcas]], at the foot of {{ill|Mount Gurugú|es|Monte Gurugú (Marruecos)}} and around the mouth of the [[Río de Oro (Melilla)|Río de Oro]] intermittent water stream, {{convert|1|m|sp=us}} above sea level. The urban nucleus was originally a [[Presidio|fortress]], [[Melilla la Vieja]], built on a peninsular mound about {{convert|30|m|sp=us}} in height.

The Moroccan settlement of [[Beni Ansar]] lies immediately south of Melilla. The nearest Moroccan city is [[Nador]], and the ports of Melilla and [[Nador Port|Nador]] are within the same bay; nearby is the Bou Areg Lagoon.<ref name="wps">{{Cite web|title=Port of Nador|url=http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/MAR_Port_of_Nador_1504.php|access-date=2023-01-14|website=World Port Source}}</ref>

=== Climate ===
Melilla has a hot [[Mediterranean climate]] on the border with a hot [[Semi-arid climate]], influenced by its proximity to the sea, rendering much cooler summers and more precipitation than inland areas deeper into Africa. The climate, in general, is similar to the southern coast of peninsular Spain and the northern coast of Morocco, with relatively small temperature differences between seasons. Minimum temperatures have never been below {{Convert|0|C|F|abbr=on}} during 1991-2020 period, and only 2.2 days per year have maximum temperature above {{Convert|35|C|F|abbr=on}}.<ref name=NCEI/>

{{Weather box
|location = Melilla, altitude: 52 m (1991–2020)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 27.0
|Feb record high C = 34.2
|Mar record high C = 29.6
|Apr record high C = 30.6
|May record high C = 33.0
|Jun record high C = 37.0
|Jul record high C = 41.8
|Aug record high C = 40.0
|Sep record high C = 36.0
|Oct record high C = 35.0
|Nov record high C = 34.0
|Dec record high C = 30.6
|year record high C = 41.8
|Jan avg record high C = 21.5
|Feb avg record high C = 22.0
|Mar avg record high C = 23.8
|Apr avg record high C = 25.2
|May avg record high C = 28.9
|Jun avg record high C = 31.4
|Jul avg record high C = 35.6
|Aug avg record high C = 35.0
|Sep avg record high C = 31.7
|Oct avg record high C = 29.0
|Nov avg record high C = 26.3
|Dec avg record high C = 22.4
|year avg record high C = 36.5
|Jan high C = 16.9
|Feb high C = 17.1
|Mar high C = 18.5
|Apr high C = 20.2
|May high C = 22.9
|Jun high C = 26.0
|Jul high C = 29.0
|Aug high C = 29.6
|Sep high C = 27.0
|Oct high C = 23.8
|Nov high C = 20.2
|Dec high C = 17.8
|year high C = 22.4
|Jan mean C = 13.6
|Feb mean C = 13.9
|Mar mean C = 15.3
|Apr mean C = 16.9
|May mean C = 19.6
|Jun mean C = 22.7
|Jul mean C = 25.6
|Aug mean C = 26.3
|Sep mean C = 23.8
|Oct mean C = 20.6
|Nov mean C = 17.0
|Dec mean C = 14.6
|year mean C = 19.2
|Jan low C = 10.3
|Feb low C = 10.8
|Mar low C = 12.1
|Apr low C = 13.6
|May low C = 16.3
|Jun low C = 19.4
|Jul low C = 22.2
|Aug low C = 23.1
|Sep low C = 20.7
|Oct low C = 17.4
|Nov low C = 13.8
|Dec low C = 11.4
|year low C = 15.9
|Jan avg record low C = 6.2
|Feb avg record low C = 6.9
|Mar avg record low C = 7.8
|Apr avg record low C = 9.9
|May avg record low C = 12.0
|Jun avg record low C = 15.8
|Jul avg record low C = 19.0
|Aug avg record low C = 20.1
|Sep avg record low C = 17.2
|Oct avg record low C = 13.3
|Nov avg record low C = 9.3
|Dec avg record low C = 7.4
|year avg record low C = 5.6
|Jan record low C = 0.4
|Feb record low C = 2.8
|Mar record low C = 3.4
|Apr record low C = 6.0
|May record low C = 9.4
|Jun record low C = 12.4
|Jul record low C = 16.0
|Aug record low C = 14.6
|Sep record low C = 13.6
|Oct record low C = 9.4
|Nov record low C = 5.0
|Dec record low C = 4.0
|year record low C = 0.4
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 55.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 48.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 43.6
|Apr precipitation mm = 37.7
|May precipitation mm = 15.2
|Jun precipitation mm = 7.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 3.8
|Sep precipitation mm = 18.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 42.6
|Nov precipitation mm = 53.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 48.2
|year precipitation mm = 
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 6.1
|Feb precipitation days = 5.0
|Mar precipitation days = 4.9
|Apr precipitation days = 4.5
|May precipitation days = 2.3
|Jun precipitation days = 0.6
|Jul precipitation days = 0.2
|Aug precipitation days = 0.8
|Sep precipitation days = 2.6
|Oct precipitation days = 4.7
|Nov precipitation days = 5.7
|Dec precipitation days = 5.6
|year precipitation days = 
| Jan humidity    =73.1
| Feb humidity    =72.9
| Mar humidity    =72.8
| Apr humidity    =70.8
| May humidity    =68.5
| Jun humidity    =68
| Jul humidity    =67
| Aug humidity    =69.8
| Sep humidity    =73.6
| Oct humidity    =75.7
| Nov humidity    =74.5
| Dec humidity    =74.4
| year humidity   =
|Jan sun = 188.9
|Feb sun = 184.8
|Mar sun = 203.3
|Apr sun = 226.2
|May sun = 269.9
|Jun sun = 295.7
|Jul sun = 304.2
|Aug sun = 278.6
|Sep sun = 220.1
|Oct sun = 203.4
|Nov sun = 183
|Dec sun = 176
|year sun = 
|source 1 = [[NCEI]],<ref name=NCEI>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Spain/CSV/MELILLA_60338.csv |title=World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020: Melilla-60338 |website=ncei.noaa.gov |publisher=[[NOAA|National Oceanic and Atmosoheric Administration]] |access-date=24 February 2024|no-pp=y |type=Excel |format=CSV }}</ref> Météo Climat<ref>{{cite web
 |url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/listenormale-1991-2020-2-p62.php
 |title = Météo climat stats Moyennes 1991/2020 Espagne (page 2)
 |publisher = Météo Climat
 |language = fr
 |access-date = 8 June 2022}}</ref>
|source 2 = Infoclimat <ref>{{cite web
 |url = https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/annee/1991/melilla/valeurs/60338.html
 |title = Climatologie de l'année à Melilla
 |publisher = Infoclimat
 |language = fr
 |access-date = 8 October 2023}}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box
|location = Melilla 47&nbsp;m (1981–2010)
|collapsed = yes
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 27.0
|Feb record high C = 34.2
|Mar record high C = 29.6
|Apr record high C = 30.6
|May record high C = 33.0
|Jun record high C = 37.0
|Jul record high C = 41.8
|Aug record high C = 40.0
|Sep record high C = 36.0
|Oct record high C = 35.0
|Nov record high C = 34.0
|Dec record high C = 30.6
|year record high C = 41.8
|Jan high C = 16.7
|Feb high C = 17.0
|Mar high C = 18.5
|Apr high C = 20.1
|May high C = 22.5
|Jun high C = 25.8
|Jul high C = 28.9
|Aug high C = 29.4
|Sep high C = 27.1
|Oct high C = 23.7
|Nov high C = 20.3
|Dec high C = 17.8
|year high C = 22.3
|Jan mean C = 13.3
|Feb mean C = 13.8
|Mar mean C = 15.2
|Apr mean C = 16.6
|May mean C = 19.1
|Jun mean C = 22.4
|Jul mean C = 25.3
|Aug mean C = 25.9
|Sep mean C = 23.8
|Oct mean C = 20.4
|Nov mean C = 17.0
|Dec mean C = 14.6
|year mean C = 18.9
|Jan low C = 9.9
|Feb low C = 10.6
|Mar low C = 11.9
|Apr low C = 13.2
|May low C = 15.7
|Jun low C = 19.0
|Jul low C = 21.7
|Aug low C = 22.4
|Sep low C = 20.5
|Oct low C = 17.2
|Nov low C = 13.7
|Dec low C = 11.2
|year low C = 15.6
|Jan record low C = 0.4
|Feb record low C = 2.8
|Mar record low C = 3.4
|Apr record low C = 6.0
|May record low C = 9.4
|Jun record low C = 12.4
|Jul record low C = 16.0
|Aug record low C = 14.6
|Sep record low C = 13.6
|Oct record low C = 9.4
|Nov record low C = 5.0
|Dec record low C = 4.0
|year record low C = 0.4
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm= 58
|Feb precipitation mm= 57
|Mar precipitation mm= 44
|Apr precipitation mm= 36
|May precipitation mm= 20
|Jun precipitation mm= 7
|Jul precipitation mm= 1
|Aug precipitation mm= 4
|Sep precipitation mm= 16
|Oct precipitation mm= 40
|Nov precipitation mm= 57
|Dec precipitation mm= 50
|year precipitation mm= 391
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 6.3
|Feb precipitation days = 5.5
|Mar precipitation days = 4.6
|Apr precipitation days = 4.6
|May precipitation days = 2.8
|Jun precipitation days = 0.7
|Jul precipitation days = 0.3
|Aug precipitation days = 0.8
|Sep precipitation days = 2.2
|Oct precipitation days = 3.9
|Nov precipitation days = 5.8
|Dec precipitation days = 5.7
|year precipitation days = 
| Jan snow days  =0.1
| Feb snow days  =0
| Mar snow days  =0
| Apr snow days  =0
| May snow days  =0
| Jun snow days  =0
| Jul snow days  =0
| Aug snow days  =0
| Sep snow days  =0
| Oct snow days  =0
| Nov snow days  =0
| Dec snow days  =0
| year snow days =
|Jan humidity = 72
|Feb humidity = 74
|Mar humidity = 73
|Apr humidity = 69
|May humidity = 67
|Jun humidity = 67
|Jul humidity = 66
|Aug humidity = 69
|Sep humidity = 72
|Oct humidity = 75
|Nov humidity = 74
|Dec humidity = 73
|year humidity = 71
|Jan sun = 184
|Feb sun = 170
|Mar sun = 192
|Apr sun = 220
|May sun = 258
|Jun sun = 279
|Jul sun = 289
|Aug sun = 268
|Sep sun = 210
|Oct sun = 194
|Nov sun = 176
|Dec sun = 168
|year sun = 2607
|source 1 = Agencia Estatal de Meteorología<ref name="Agencia Estatal de Meteorología">{{cite web |url=http://www.aemet.es/es/serviciosclimaticos/datosclimatologicos/valoresclimatologicos?l=6000A&k=mel
|title=Valores climatológicos normales (1981–2010). Melilla
|publisher=Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
|access-date=1 May 2017}}</ref>
|date=October 2014
}}

== Government and administration ==
=== Self-government institutions ===
{{See also|List of Mayor-Presidents of Melilla}}
[[File:Ayuntamiento de Melilla.jpg|thumb|Palace of the Assembly of Melilla]]
The government bodies stipulated in the Statute of Autonomy are the [[Assembly of Melilla]], the [[President of Melilla]] and the Council of Government. The assembly is a 25-member body whose members are elected through universal suffrage every 4 years in [[Closed list|closed party lists]] following the schedule of local elections at the national level. Its members are called "local [[Deputy (legislator)|deputies]]" but they rather enjoy the status of ''[[Local councillor|concejales]]'' (municipal councillors).{{Sfn|Márquez Cruz|2003|pp=10–11}} Unlike [[List of Spanish regional legislatures|regional legislatures]] (and akin to municipal councils), the assembly does not enjoy [[Right of initiative (legislative)|right of initiative]] for primary legislation.{{Sfn|Márquez Cruz|2003|p=11}}

The president of Melilla (who, often addressed as Mayor-President, also exerts the roles of Mayor, president of the Assembly, president of the Council of Government and representative of the city){{Sfn|Márquez Cruz|2003|p=12}} is invested by the Assembly. After local elections, the president is invested through a [[qualified majority]] from among the leaders of the election lists, or, failing to achieve the former, the leader of the most voted list at the election is invested to the office.{{Sfn|Márquez Cruz|2003|pp=14}} In case of a [[motion of no confidence]] the president can only be ousted with a qualified majority voting for an alternative assembly member.{{Sfn|Márquez Cruz|2003|pp=14}}

The Council of Government is the traditional collegiate executive body for [[parliamentary system]]s. Unlike the municipal government boards in the standard [[ayuntamiento (Spain)|''ayuntamientos'']], the members of the Council of Government (including the vice-presidents) do not need to be members of the assembly.{{Sfn|Márquez Cruz|2003|pp=12–13}}

Melilla is the city in Spain with the highest proportion of [[postal voting]];<ref name=bautista /> [[Electoral fraud#Vote buying|vote buying]] (via mail-in ballots) is widely reported to be a common practice in the poor neighborhoods of Melilla.<ref name=bautista>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2019-05-06/melilla-vice-votos-corrupcion_1976146/|website=[[El Confidencial]]|title=Se compran votos por 50 euros|first=José|last=Bautista|date=6 May 2019}}</ref> Court cases in this matter had involved the PP, the CPM and the PSOE.<ref name=bautista />

On 15 June 2019, following the [[2019 Melilla Assembly election|May 2019 Melilla Assembly election]], the regionalist and left-leaning party of Muslim and Amazigh persuasion [[Coalition for Melilla]] (CPM, 8 seats), the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE, 4 seats) and [[Citizens (Spanish political party)|Citizens–Party of the Citizenry]] (Cs, 1 seat) voted in favour of the Cs' candidate ([[Eduardo de Castro]]) as the Presidency of the Autonomous City,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://resultados.elpais.com/elecciones/2019/municipales/19/52/01.html |title=Resultados Electorales en Melilla: Elecciones Municipales 2019 en EL PAÍS |publisher=Resultados.elpais.com |newspaper=[[El País]]|access-date=15 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Alba|first1=Nicolás|url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2019/06/15/5d04d1c3fc6c833b568b46a6.html |title=El único diputado de Ciudadanos consigue la presidencia de Melilla tras 19 años de Gobierno del PP |newspaper=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]] |date=15 June 2019 |access-date=15 June 2019}}</ref> ousting [[Juan José Imbroda]], from the [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] (PP, 10 seats), who had been in office since 2000.

Melilla also maintains a local police force known as Policia Local de Melilla (Ciudad Autonoma de Melilla - Policia Local).

=== Administrative subdivisions ===
<!--Anchor for redirect, do not alter. -->
Melilla is subdivided into eight districts (''distritos''), which are further subdivided into neighbourhoods (''[[barrio]]s''):
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
*1st
**Barrio de Medina Sidonia.
**Barrio del General Larrea.
**Barrio de Ataque Seco.
*2nd
**Barrio Héroes de España.
**Barrio del General Gómez Jordana.
**Barrio Príncipe de Asturias.
*3rd
**Barrio del Carmen.
*4th
**Barrio Polígono Residencial La Paz.
**Barrio Hebreo-Tiro Nacional.
*5th
**Barrio de Cristóbal Colón.
**Barrio de Cabrerizas.
**Barrio de Batería Jota.
**Barrio de Hernán Cortes y Las Palmeras.
**Barrio de Reina Regente.
*6th
**Barrio de Concepción Arenal.
**Barrio Isaac Peral (Tesorillo).
*7th
**Barrio del General Real.
**Polígono Industrial SEPES.
**Polígono Industrial Las Margaritas.
**Parque Empresarial La Frontera.
*8th
**Barrio de la Libertad.
**Barrio del Hipódromo.
**Barrio de Alfonso XIII.
**Barrio Industrial.
**Barrio Virgen de la Victoria.
**Barrio de la Constitución.
**Barrio de los Pinares.
**Barrio de la Cañada de Hidum
{{div col end}}

== Economy ==
The [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) of the autonomous community was 1.6 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 0.1% of Spanish economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 19,900 euros or 66% of the EU27 average in the same year. Melilla was the [[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS2]] region with the lowest GDP per capita in Spain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58|title=Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018|website=Eurostat}}</ref>

Melilla does not participate in the [[European Union Customs Union]] (EUCU).{{Sfn|Morón Pérez|2006|p=64}} There is no [[VAT]] (IVA) tax, but a local reduced-rate tax called IPSI is rendered.{{Sfn|Morón Pérez|2006|p=67}} Preserving the status of a [[free port]], imports are free of tariffs and the only tax concerning them is the IPSI.{{Sfn|Morón Pérez|2006|pp=67–68}} However, exports to the Customs Union (including Peninsular Spain) are subject to the correspondent customs tariff and are taxed with the correspondent VAT.{{Sfn|Morón Pérez|2006|pp=67–68}} There are some special manufacturing taxes regarding electricity and transport, as well as complementary charges on tobacco and oil and fuel products.{{Sfn|Morón Pérez|2006|p=68}}
{{wide image|Melilla noche, vista general.jpg|770px|Night view of Melilla (centre) and [[Beni Ansar|Beni Ensar]] in [[Morocco]] (right)}}

The principal industry is fishing. Cross-border commerce (legal or smuggled) and Spanish and European grants and wages are the other income sources.

Melilla is regularly connected to the Iberian peninsula by air and sea traffic. It is also economically connected to Morocco, as most of its fruit and vegetables are imported across the border. Moroccans in the city's hinterland are attracted to it, as 36,000 Moroccans cross the border daily to work, shop or trade goods.<ref name="vk1">English translation of Volkskrant article: [http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/309191-melilla-north-africa-s-european-dream Melilla North-Africa's European dream] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307004142/http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/309191-melilla-north-africa-s-european-dream |date=7 March 2012 }}, 5 August 2010, visited 3 June 2012</ref> The port of Melilla offers several daily connections to [[Almería]] and [[Málaga]]. [[Melilla Airport]] offers daily flights to Almería, Málaga and [[Madrid]]. [[Air Europa]] and [[Iberia (airline)|Iberia]] operate in Melilla's airport.

Many people travelling between Europe and Morocco use the ferry links to Melilla, both for passengers and for freight. Because of this, the port and related companies form an important economic driver for the city.<ref name="vk1" />

=== Tourism ===

In order to boost growth and as a measure to promote tourism in the Autonomous City of Melilla, the Tourist Board has developed a Regulatory Decree for bonuses for Tourist Packages to Melilla.

The Tourist Package consists of the application of discounts on return tickets by plane or boat provided that they include accommodation during the stay in Melilla in one of the types of tourist accommodations or at the home of a resident of the city and do not exceed, between the round trip dates, ten days.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tourist Bonds to visit Melilla |url=https://bonosmelilla.es/}}</ref>

== Water supply ==
[[File:Planta desaladora de Melilla.jpg|thumb|View of the Melilla's desalination plant]]
Melilla's water supply primarily came from a network of dug wells (which by the turn of the 21st century suffered from overexploitation and had also experienced a degradation of the water quality and the intrusion of [[seawater]]),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariosur.es/20080220/local/melilla/trabajo-desalinizadora-mejora-calidad-200802200802.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F|title=El trabajo de la desalinizadora mejora la calidad del agua y la sitúa en los parámetros exigidos por Sanidad y Consumo|date=20 February 2008}}</ref> as well as the capture of the [[Río de Oro (Melilla)|Río de Oro]]'s underflow.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/impulsamos/consumo-sostenible/noticia-melilla-ahorrara-agua-partir-segunda-fase-planificacion-hidrologica-20140514092711.html|website=[[Europa Press (news agency)|Europa Press]]|title=Melilla ahorrará un 6% de agua a partir de la segunda fase de planificación hidrológica|date=29 July 2014}}</ref> Seeking to address the water supply problem, works for the construction of a [[desalination plant]] in the Aguadú cliffs, projected to produce {{convert|22000|m3|cuyd|abbr=on}} a day, started in November 2003.<ref>{{Cite journal|first=Javier|last=Ronda|title=Adiós al problema del agua en Melilla|journal=Ambienta|date=January 2004|url=https://www.mapa.gob.es/ministerio/pags/Biblioteca/Revistas/pdf_AM%2FAM_2004_29_15_19.pdf}}</ref> The plant entered operation in March 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-espinosa-anuncia-inversion-10-millones-ampliar-desalinizadora-melilla-20090929170054.html|website=[[Europa Press (news agency)|Europa Press]]|title=Espinosa anuncia una inversión de 10 millones para ampliar la desalinizadora de Melilla|date=29 September 2009}}</ref> Its daily operation is partially funded by the central government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariosur.es/v/20130924/melilla/gobierno-financia-millones-funcionamiento-20130924.html|website=[[Diario Sur]]|title=El Gobierno financia con 3,9 millones el funcionamiento de la desalinizadora|date=24 September 2013}}</ref> Relative to the Spanish average (and similarly to the [[Canary Islands|Canary]] and [[Balearic Islands|Balearic]] Islands), the city's population spends a comparatively larger amount of money on [[bottled water]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/tecnologia/ciencia/2021-04-09/dos-espanas-agua-embotellada-consumo_3025615/|website=[[El Confidencial]]|title=Las dos Españas del agua: al oeste se tira más del grifo y en el resto aprecian la embotellada|date=9 April 2021|first1=Antonio|last1=Villarreal|first2=Darío|last2=Ojeda}}</ref>

Funded by the [[European Regional Development Fund]] and the {{ill|Confederación Hidrográfica del Guadalquivir|es}}, works for the expansion of the plant's production capabilities up to {{convert|30000|m3|cuyd|abbr=on}} a day started by September 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/arrancan-trabajosampliacion-desaladora-melilla/|website=El Faro de Melilla|title=Arrancan los trabajos para la ampliación de la desaladora de Melilla|date=7 September 2020}}</ref>

== Architecture ==
The dome of the Chapel of Santiago, built in the mid-16th century by Miguel de Perea with help from Sancho de Escalante, is a rare instance of [[Gothic architecture]] in the African continent.{{Sfn|Bravo Nieto|2002|p=37}}

Parallel to the urban development of Melilla in the early 20th century, the new architectural style of ''[[Modernisme|modernismo]]'' (irradiated from [[Barcelona]] and associated to the bourgeois class) was imported to the city, granting it a ''modernista'' architectural character, primarily through the works of the prolific Catalan architect [[Enrique Nieto (architect)|Enrique Nieto]].{{Sfn|Cantón Fernández|Riaño López|1984|pp=15–19}}

Accordingly, Melilla has the second most important concentration of ''Modernista'' works in Spain after Barcelona, Mainly concentrated in the city's [[New Melilla|ensanche]].{{Sfn|Cantón Fernández|Riaño López|1984|pp=15–19}} Nieto was in charge of designing the main Synagogue, the Central Mosque and various Catholic Churches.<ref>{{cite web|title=Melilla Modernista|quote=Nieto was in charge of designing the main Synagogue, the Central Mosque and various Catholic churches|url=http://www.melillaturismo.com/modernismo.html|work=Melilla Turismo|access-date=25 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501221012/http://www.melillaturismo.com/modernismo.html|archive-date=1 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Capilla de Santiago3.jpg|Dome of the {{ill|Chapel of Santiago|es|Capilla de Santiago}}
File:EDIFICIO DEL ANTIGÜA REDACCIÓN EL TELEGRAMA DEL RIF.jpg|''Modernista'' building, former headquarters of ''El Telegrama del Rif'' newspaper.
File:Sinagoga Orr Zoruah, Ruta de los Templos (6) (5446069722).jpg|Local synagogue
File:Mezquita central melilla.jpg|Melilla's central mosque
</gallery>

== Demographics ==
[[File:Melilla population pyramid.svg|thumb|Melilla population pyramid in 2022]]

=== Religion ===
[[File:Semana Santa en Melilla 2008 (2).jpg|thumb|[[Holy Week in Spain|Holy Week]] procession in Melilla]]
Melilla has been praised as an example of [[multiculturalism]], being a small city in which one can find Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists represented.<ref name=modernism>{{cite news|title=Melilla: Where Catalan "Modernisme" Meets North Africa|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-walker/melilla-where-catalan-mod_b_3944043.html|work=[[Huffington Post]]|access-date=19 September 2013}}</ref>

==== Judaism ====
Percentagewise, Melilla may be the most [[Judaism|Jewish]] city in Spain with around 1,000 Jews still living in the city, down from 7,000 around the year 1930, which is mainly due to economic reasons resulting in moving to the Spanish mainland, [[Israel]] or elsewhere. Melilla plays an important part in the [[history of Jews in Spain]], having been exempt from the [[expulsion of Jews from Spain]]. The expelled Spanish Jews were [[Sephardic Jews]] and subsequently found a new home in neighboring Morocco, including Melilla. Especially during the second half of the 19th century, many of the expelled Sephardic Jews moved from northern Morocco to Melilla. The first ones were traders from the Moroccan cities who came for economic and safety reasons. Later, impoverished Jews from the rural [[Rif|Riffian areas]] joined, also because of safety reasons. Thus, Melilla's special geographical and political situation has made the city the oldest and one of the most important centers of Sephardic Judaism in today's Spain, traditional home of the Sephards.<ref name=ElMundo2018Jews>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elmundo.es/papel/cultura/2018/05/30/5b0c31bdca4741d71b8b45a4.html |author=Luis Alemany|title=La última esperanza del barrio judío de Melilla |date=30 May 2018 |access-date=13 January 2024 |language=es}}</ref>

==== Christianity ====
According to the Spanish Center for Sociological Research, [[Roman Catholicism]] is the largest religion in Melilla.<ref name=CIS2019Melilla>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cis.es/cis/export/sites/default/-Archivos/Marginales/3260_3279/3263/Marginales/es3263mar_Melilla.pdf |author=''Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas'' (Centre for Sociological Research)|title=Macrobarómetro de octubre 2019, Banco de datos – Document 'Población con derecho a voto en elecciones generales y residente en España, Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla |date=October 2019|page=20 |access-date=4 February 2020 |language=es}}</ref> In 2019, the proportion of Melillans that identify themselves as Roman Catholic was 65.0% (31.7% define themselves as not practising, while 33.3% as practising). 30% identify as followers of other faiths, 2.7% identify as non-believers, and 2.3% identify as atheists.<ref name="CIS2019Melilla" />

The Roman Catholic churches in Melilla belong to the [[Diocese of Málaga]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.laopiniondemalaga.es/malaga/2014/05/31/37-declaraciones-renta-malaga-marcan-28626751.html|website=La Opinión de Málaga|title=El 37% de las declaraciones de la Renta en Málaga marcan la X para la Iglesia|date=31 May 2014|first=José Vicente|last=Rodríguez}}</ref>

==== Islam ====
Some sources indicate that [[Muslim]]s account for roughly half the population in Melilla, which is in conflict with the Spanish Center for Sociological Research reported numbers.{{Sfn|Ponce Herrero|Martí Ciriquián|2019|p=117}}

==== Hinduism ====
There is a small, autonomous, and commercially important Hindu community present in Melilla, which has fallen over the past decades as its members move to the Spanish mainland. It numbers about 100 members today.<ref name=modernism />

=== Language ===
Melilla features a [[diglossia]], with [[Spanish language|Spanish]] as the first and official language and [[Tarifit]] as the second language, with limited written codification, and usage restricted to family and domestic relations and oral speech.{{Sfn|Sánchez Suárez|2003|p=190}}

The population can be thus divided into monolingual Spanish speakers of European ethnic origin (without competence in any other language than those formally taught at school); those descended from Tamazight-speaking parents, usually bilingual in Spanish and Tamazight; and Moroccan immigrants and cross-border workers, with a generally dominant Tamazight language (with some also competent in Arabic) and a L2 competence in Spanish.{{Sfn|Montero Alonso|Sayahi|2021|p=56}} The Spanish spoken in Melilla is similar to the [[Andalusian dialect|Andalusian variety]] from [[Cádiz]],{{Sfn|Tilmatine|2011|p=23}} whereas the Berber variant spoken in Melilla is the Tarifit, common with the neighbouring [[Nador]] area.{{Sfn|Tilmatine|2011|p=26}} Rather than Berber ({{langx|es|bereber|link=no}}), Berber speakers in Melilla use either the glotonym {{lang|rif-Latn-EA|Tmaziɣt}}, or, in Spanish, {{lang|es-EA|cherja}} for their language.{{Sfn|Tilmatine|2011|p=23}}

The first attempt to legislate a degree of recognition for Berber in Melilla was in 1994, in the context of the elaboration of the Statute of Autonomy, by mentioning the promotion of the linguistic and cultural pluralism (without explicitly mentioning the Berber language). The initiative went nowhere, voted down by PP and PSOE.{{Sfn|Tilmatine|2011|p=19}} Reasons cited for not recognizing Tamazight are related to the argument that the variety is not standardized.{{Sfn|Montero Alonso|Sayahi|2021|p=58}}

== Border security ==
=== Defence and Civil Guard ===
The defence of the enclave is the responsibility of the [[Spanish Armed Forces]]' General Command of Melilla.<ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/en/unidades/Melilla/comgemel/Organizacion/index.html | title=Comandancia General de Melilla |website=Ministerio de Defensa}}</ref> The [[Spanish Army]]'s combat components of the command include:

* [[Regulares|52nd ''Regulares'' Infantry Regiment]];
* [[Tercio "Gran Capitán" No. 1 of the Legion|1st Tercio ''Gran Capitán'' Regiment]] of the [[Spanish Legion]];
* 10th 'Alcántara' Cavalry Regiment<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/en/unidades/Melilla/rcac10/ | title=REGIMIENTO DE CABALLERIA "ALCÁNTARA"10 |website=Ministerio de Defensa}}</ref> equipped with [[Leopard 2|Leopard 2 main battle tanks]] and [[ASCOD|Pizarro infantry fighting vehicles]];<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/unidades/Melilla/rcac10/Noticias/2021/03_ejercicio_de_tiro.html | title=Ejercicio de tiro del vehículo VCIC Pizarro - Ejército de tierra }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/unidades/Melilla/rcac10/Organizacion/index.html | title=Contenido - Ejército de tierra }}</ref>
* 32nd Mixed Artillery Regiment with ''Grupo de Artillería de Campaña I/32'' equipped with [[Santa Bárbara Sistemas 155/52|155/52mm towed howitzers]] and ''Grupo de Artillería Antiaérea II/32'' equipped with [[Oerlikon GDF|35/90 SKYDOR/35/90 GDF-007 anti-aircraft guns]];<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/en/unidades/Melilla/ramix32/Historial/index.html | title=Regimiento Mixto de Artillería 32 |website=Ministerio de Defensa }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://ejercito.defensa.gob.es/en/unidades/Melilla/ramix32/Noticias/2022/10_El_GAAA_II32_realiza_ejercicios_de_colaboracion_aerea_y_tiro_AAA_en_el_CMT_de_Rostrogordo.html | title=El GAAA II/32 realiza ejercicios de colaboración aérea y tiro AAA en el CMT de Rostrogordo. - Spanish army }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://uklandpower.com/2020/12/08/learning-from-how-our-allies-armies-are-organized/ | title=Learning from how our Allies' armies are organized | date=8 December 2020 }}</ref> and,
* 8th Engineer Regiment

The command also includes its headquarters battalion as well as logistics elements.<ref name="auto"/>

In addition to the defence of Melilla, the garrison is also responsible for [[Plazas de soberanía|the defence of islands and rock formations claimed by Spain]] off the coast of Morocco. Units of the garrison are deployed to these rock formations to secure them against Moroccan incursions and did so notably during the [[Perejil Island crisis]] in 2002.<ref name="auto"/> To enhance coastal security, the [[Spanish Navy]] based a dedicated patrol boat (''Isla Pinto'') in Melilla from mid-2023.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Entregado a la Armada española el patrullero "Isla Pinto" (P-84) |url=https://www.defensa.com/defensa-naval/entregado-armada-espanola-patrullero-isla-pinto-p-84|website=infodefensa.com |date=28 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=La Armada recibe el patrullero 'Isla Pinto' para vigilar las aguas de Melilla |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/nacional/20230621/9058347/armada-recibe-patrullero-isla-pinto-vigilar-aguas-melilla.html |website=Lavanguardia |date=21 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=La Armada incrementará su presencia en Melilla con un patrullero de vigilancia costera|url=https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/4192258/armada-incrementara-presencia-melilla-patrullero-vigilancia-costera |website=infodefensa.com |date=27 February 2023}}</ref> Melilla itself is about {{convert|350|km}} distant from the main Spanish naval base at [[Naval Station Rota|Rota]] on the Spanish mainland while the [[Spanish Air Force]]'s [[Morón Air Base]] is within {{convert|300|km}} proximity.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

The [[Civil Guard (Spain)|Civil Guard]] is responsible for border security and protects both the territory's [[Melilla border fence|fortified land border]] against frequent, and sometimes significant, migrant incursions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/38932/melilla-thousands-of-migrants-attempt-to-scale-fence-into-spanish-enclave | title=Melilla: Thousands of migrants attempt to scale fence into Spanish enclave | date=3 March 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Guerraoui|first=Saad|date=2021-06-12|title=Spanish report warns of Morocco's 'hybrid strategies' to annex Ceuta, Melilla &#124; Saad Guerraoui|url=https://middle-east-online.com/en/spanish-report-warns-morocco%25E2%2580%2599s-%25E2%2580%2598hybrid-strategies%25E2%2580%2599-annex-ceuta-melilla|access-date=2023-01-14|website=MEO|language=en}}</ref>

=== Trans-border relations ===
Melilla forms a sort of trans-border urban conurbation with limited integration together with the neighbouring Moroccan settlements, located at one of the ends of a linear succession of [[urban sprawl]] spanning southward in Morocco along the [[National Route 19 (Morocco)|R19]] road from [[Beni Ensar]] down to [[Nador]] and [[Selouane]].{{Sfn|Ponce Herrero|Martí Ciriquián|2019|p=115}} The urban system features a high degree of hierarchization, specialization and [[division of labour]], with Melilla as chief provider of services, finance and trade; Nador as an eminently industrial city whereas the rest of Moroccan settlements found themselves in a subordinate role, presenting [[agro-town]] features and operating as providers of workforce.{{Sfn|Ponce Herrero|Martí Ciriquián|2019|p=115}}

The asymmetry, as reflected for example in the provision of healthcare, has fostered situations such as the large-scale use of the Melillan health services by Moroccan citizens, with Melilla attending a number of urgencies more than four times the standard for its population in 2018.{{Sfn|Ponce Herrero|Martí Ciriquián|2019|p=116}} In order to satisfy the workforce needs of Melilla (mainly in areas such as [[domestic service]], construction and cross-border bale workers, often under informal contracts), Moroccan inhabitants of the [[province of Nador]] were granted exemptions from visa requirements to enter the autonomous city.{{Sfn|Ponce Herrero|Martí Ciriquián|2019|p=109}} This development in turn induced a strong flux of [[internal migration]] from other Moroccan provinces to Nador, in order to acquire the aforementioned exemption.{{Sfn|Ponce Herrero|Martí Ciriquián|2019|p=109}}

The 'fluid' trans-border relations between Melilla and its surroundings are however not free from conflict, as they are contingent upon the [[Morocco–Spain relations|'tense' trans-national relations between Morocco and Spain]].{{Sfn|Ponce Herrero|Martí Ciriquián|2019|p=118}}

=== Border securitization ===
[[File:Verjamelilla.jpg|thumb|The [[Melilla border fence]] aims to curb illegal immigration into the city.]]
Following the increasing influx of Algerian and sub-Saharan irregular migrants into Ceuta and Melilla in the early 1990s,{{Sfn|Ferrer Gallardo|2008|p=140}} a process of border [[fortification]] in both cities ensued after 1995 to reduce the border's permeability,<ref name=ser>{{Cite web|url=https://cadenaser.com/ser/2018/06/14/sociedad/1529011916_374813.html|website=[[Cadena Ser]]|title=Preguntas y respuestas sobre 20 kilómetros de cuchilas en Ceuta y Melilla|date=14 June 2016|first=Nicolás|last=Castellano}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|page=134|url=https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/dag/02121573n51/02121573n51p129.pdf|title=Acrobacias fronterizas en Ceuta y Melilla. Explorando la gestión de los perímetros terrestres de la Unión Europea en el continente africano|first=Xavier|last=Ferrer Gallardo|year=2008|journal=Documents d'anàlisi geogràfica|issue=51|<!--|pages=129–149-->issn=2014-4512|location=Bellaterra|publisher=[[Autonomous University of Barcelona|Servei de Publicacions de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]]}}</ref> a target attained to some degree by 1999,{{Sfn|Ferrer Gallardo|2008|p=140}} although peak level of fortification was reached in 2005.<ref name=ser />

Melilla's border with Morocco is secured by the [[Melilla border fence]], a {{convert|6|m}} tall double fence with watch towers; yet migrants (in groups of tens or sometimes hundreds) storm the fence and manage to cross it from time to time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-africa-27601215 |title=BBC News – Hundreds breach Spain enclave border |work=BBC News |access-date=28 May 2014}}</ref> Since 2005, at least 14 migrants have died trying to cross the fence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/20140206/abci-menos-inmigrantes-fallecido-desde-201402061712.html|website=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]]|title=Al menos 27 inmigrantes han fallecido desde 2005 tras los asaltos a la valla|date=6 February 2014}}</ref> The Melilla migrant reception centre was built with a capacity of 480.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26382589|title=African migrants storm into Spanish enclave of Melilla|access-date=3 March 2014|date=28 February 2014 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> In 2020 works to remove the barbed wire from the top of the fence (meanwhile raising its height up to more than {{convert|10|m}} in the stretches most susceptible to breaches) were commissioned to {{ill|Tragsa|es}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2020-08-16/nuevas-vallas-ceuta-melilla-mas-altas-muro-trump-mexico_2713268/|website=[[El Confidencial]]|title=La nueva valla de Ceuta y Melilla será un metro más alta que el muro de Trump|date=16 August 2020|first=Alejandro|last=Mata}}</ref>

In June 2022, at least 23 sub-Saharan migrants and two Moroccan security personnel were killed when around 2,000 migrants stormed the border. The death toll has been estimated to be as high as 37 by certain NGOs.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-26 |title=Calls for investigation over deaths in Moroccan-Spanish border crossing |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/26/calls-investigation-deaths-moroccan-spanish-border-melilla-enclave-crossing |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Around 200 Spanish and Moroccan law enforcement officers and at least 76 migrants were injured. Hundreds of migrants succeeded in breaching the fence, and 133 made it across the border.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-26 |title=Death toll rises to 23 in Melilla border-crossing stampede |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/death-toll-23-melilla-border-crossing-stampede/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=POLITICO |language=en-US}}</ref> Widely circulated footage showed dozens of motionless migrants piled together.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Eljechtimi |first1=Ahmed |last2=Keeley |first2=Graham |date=2022-06-25 |title=Dozens of migrants piled together at Melilla border fence |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/dozens-migrants-piled-ground-melilla-disaster-rights-group-says-2022-06-25/ |access-date=2022-07-27}}</ref> It was the worst such incident in Melilla's history.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-27 |title=Melilla migrant deaths spark anger in Spain |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61956104 |access-date=2022-07-27}}</ref> The United Nations, the African Union and a number of human rights groups condemned what they deemed excessive force used by Moroccan and Spanish border guards, although no lethal weapons were employed, and the deaths were later attributed to "mechanical asphyxiation".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moroccan probe finds 23 Melilla border dead likely 'suffocated' |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/13/moroccan-probe-says-melilla-migrants-likely-suffocated-to-death |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref>

Morocco has been paid tens of million euros by both Spain and the European Union to outsource the EU migration control.<ref name=publico>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publico.es/sociedad/melilla-ceuta-concertinas-altura-colectivos-melilla-ceuta-denuncian-nuevas-vallas-continuan-vulnerando-derechos-humanos.html|website=[[Público (Spain)|Público]]|title=Menos concertinas y más altura: colectivos de Melilla y Ceuta denuncian que las nuevas vallas continúan vulnerando los derechos humanos|first=Lucía|last=Muñoz Medina|date=29 August 2020}}</ref> Besides the double fence in the Spanish side of the border, there is an additional {{convert|3|m}} high fence entirely made of [[razor wire]] lying on the Moroccan side as well as a moat in between.<ref name=publico />

{{See also|Fortress Europe#Postwar usage|2022 Melilla incident}}

== Transportation ==
{{Airport-Statistics|iata=MLN}}
{{See also|Transport in Melilla|Port of Melilla|Melilla Airport}}
<!--
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[[Melilla Airport]] is serviced by [[Air Nostrum]], flying to the Spanish cities of [[Málaga]], [[Madrid]], [[Barcelona]], [[Las Palmas de Gran Canaria]], [[Palma de Mallorca]], [[Granada]], [[Badajoz]], [[Sevilla]] and [[Almería]]. In April 2013, a local enterprise set up [[Melilla Airlines]], flying from the city to Málaga.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://noticias.lainformacion.com/economia-negocios-y-finanzas/transporte-aereo/una-nueva-compania-aerea-comunica-melilla-con-malaga-tras-la-marcha-de-helitt_al7DnrF8EzxoNwqW64osF6/ |title=Una nueva compañía aérea comunica Melilla con Málaga tras la marcha de Helitt – Transporte aéreo – Noticias, última hora, vídeos y fotos de Transporte aéreo en lainformacion.com |publisher=Noticias.lainformacion.com |date=28 April 2013 |access-date=28 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216050159/http://noticias.lainformacion.com/economia-negocios-y-finanzas/transporte-aereo/una-nueva-compania-aerea-comunica-melilla-con-malaga-tras-la-marcha-de-helitt_al7DnrF8EzxoNwqW64osF6/ |archive-date=16 December 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The city is linked to Málaga, Almería and [[Motril]] by ferry.

Three roads connect Melilla and [[Morocco]] but require clearance through border checkpoints.

== Sport ==
Melilla is a [[surfing]] destination.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://magicseaweed.com/Melilla-Wind-Station/SUAA/ |title=Melilla – Weather Stations |publisher=Magicseaweed.com |access-date=28 May 2014}}</ref> The city's football club, [[UD Melilla]], plays in the third tier of Spanish football, the [[Segunda División B]]. The club was founded in 1943 and since 1945 have played at the 12,000-seater [[Estadio Municipal Álvarez Claro]]. Until the other club was dissolved in 2012, UD Melilla played the Ceuta-Melilla derby against [[AD Ceuta]]. The clubs travelled to each other via the Spanish mainland to avoid entering Morocco.<ref name="chameleon">{{cite book|last=Hawkey|first=Ian|title=Feet of the chameleon : the story of African football|year=2009|publisher=Portico|location=London|isbn=978-1-906032-71-5}}</ref> The second-highest ranked club in the city are [[Casino del Real CF]] of the fourth-tier [[Tercera División]]. The football's governing institution is the [[Melilla Football Federation]].

== Dispute with Morocco ==
{{see also|Greater Morocco}}

The [[Cabinet of Morocco|Moroccan government]] has repeatedly called for Spain to transfer the sovereignty of Melilla, [[Ceuta]] and the ''[[plazas de soberanía]]'' to Morocco, with Spain's refusal to do so serving as a major source of tension in [[Morocco–Spain relations]]. In Morocco, Ceuta is frequently referred to as the "[[Military occupation|occupied]] Sebtah", and the Moroccan government has argued that the city, along with other Spanish territories in the region, are [[Colony|colonies]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-57305882 | title=Ceuta and Melilla: Spain's enclaves in North Africa | work=BBC News | date=4 June 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Europe or Africa? A contemporary study of the Spanish North African exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla|publisher=Liverpool University Press|isbn=0-85323-985-1|year=2000|pages=XII–XIII|first=Peter|last=Gold}}</ref> One of the major arguments used by Morocco in their attempts to acquire sovereignty over Melilla refers to the geographical position of the city, as Melilla is an [[Enclave and exclave|exclave]] surrounded by Moroccan territory and the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and has no territorial continuity with the rest of Spain.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Castan Pinos | first= J. |date=2014 | chapter=The Spanish-Moroccan relationship: combining bonne entente with territorial disputes | editor=K. Stoklosa |title= Living on the border. European Border Regions in Comparison |page= 103 | place=Abingdon | publisher= Routledge}}</ref> This argument was originally developed by one of the founders of the Moroccan [[Istiqlal Party]], Alal-El Faasi, who openly advocated for Morocco to invade and occupy Melilla and other North African territories under Spanish rule.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Castan Pinos|first= J. |date=2014 | title= La Fortaleza Europea: Schengen, Ceuta y Melilla|place= Ceuta|publisher= Instituto de Estudios Ceutíes|page= 61 |isbn=978-84-92627-67-7}}</ref> Spain, in line with the majority of nations in the rest of the world, has never recognized Morocco's claim over Melilla. The official position of the [[Government of Spain|Spanish government]] is that Melilla is an integral part of Spain, and has been since the 16th century, centuries prior to Morocco's independence from Spain and France in 1956.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/jun/12/worlddispatch.gibraltar |title=A rocky relationship  |work=The Guardian|date= 12 June 2003|access-date=17 June 2009 | location=London | first=Giles | last=Tremlett}}</ref> The majority of Melilla's population support continued Spanish sovereignty and are opposed to Moroccan control over the territory.<ref>{{cite thesis| author= François Papet-Périn | title=La mer d'Alboran ou Le contentieux territorial hispano-marocain sur les deux bornes européennes de Ceuta et Melilla | id= 2 volumes  | degree= doctorat d'histoire contemporaine soutenue | date= 2012 |institution= Paris 1-Sorbonne }}</ref>

In 1986, Spain joined [[NATO]]. However, Melilla is not under NATO protection since Article 6 of the [[North Atlantic Treaty]] limits such coverage to Europe and North America and islands north of the [[Tropic of Cancer]]. However, [[French Algeria]] was explicitly included in the treaty upon France's entry. Legal experts have claimed that other articles of the treaty could cover Spanish territories in North Africa but this interpretation has not been tested in practice.<ref name="Newtral">{{cite web |title=¿Están Ceuta y Melilla bajo el paraguas de la OTAN? |url=https://www.newtral.es/ceuta-melilla-otan-expertos/20211002/ |website=Newtral |access-date=25 February 2022 |language=es |date=2 October 2021 |author=Thess Móstoles}}</ref> During the [[2022 Madrid summit]], the issue of the protection of Melilla was raised by Spain, with NATO Secretary General [[Jens Stoltenberg]] stating: "On which territories NATO protects and Ceuta and Melilla, NATO is there to protect all Allies against any threats. At the end of the day, it will always be a political decision to invoke Article 5, but rest assured NATO is there to protect and defend all Allies".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg following the meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Heads of State and Government (2022 NATO Summit)|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_197301.htm|access-date=2023-01-14|website=NATO|language=en | date= 30 June 2022 | author1= Jens Stoltenberg | author1-link=Jens Stoltenberg | type=transcript}}</ref> On 21 December 2020, following statements made by Moroccan Prime Minister [[Saadeddine Othmani]] that Melilla is "Moroccan as the [[Sahara]]", the Spanish government summoned the Moroccan ambassador, Karima Benyaich, to convey that Spain expects all its partners to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its territory in Africa and asked for an explanation for Othmani's words.<ref>{{Cite web|work=elDiario.es|date=21 December 2020|title=España convoca a la embajadora de Marruecos por unas declaraciones de su primer ministro sobre Ceuta y Melilla|url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/espana-convoca-embajadora-marruecos-declaraciones-ceuta-melilla_1_6523031.html|access-date=22 December 2020|language=es}}{{pb}}{{cite web|date=22 December 2020|title=Moroccan Ambassador to Spain summoned over calls for territorial sovereignty talks|url=https://www.africanews.com/2020/12/22/moroccan-ambassador-to-spain-summoned-over-calls-for-territorial-sovereignty-talks/|access-date=22 December 2020|website=AfricaNews|language=en}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
{{Main|Category:People from Melilla}}

== Twin towns – sister cities ==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Spain}}
Melilla is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
* {{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Caracas]] (Venezuela).<ref>{{cite web |title=Melilla y Venezuela, más cerca que nunca |url=https://www.diariosur.es/prensa/20070210/melilla/melilla-venezuela-cerca-nunca_20070210.html |website=Diario Sur |date=10 February 2007 |access-date=18 October 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Philippines}} [[Cavite City]] (Philippines).{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Ceuta]] (Spain).<ref>{{cite news |title=Ceuta, Melilla profile |work=BBC News |date=14 December 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14114627 |access-date=18 October 2020}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Toledo, Spain|Toledo]] (Spain).{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Málaga]] (Spain).{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}
* {{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Montevideo]] (Uruguay).<ref>{{cite web|title=Melilla se hermana con Montevideo para unir lazos y promocionar valores |url=http://www.infomelilla.com/noticias/index.php?accion=1&id=7899 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226134115/http://www.infomelilla.com/noticias/index.php?accion=1&id=7899 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-12-26 |website=InfoMelilla |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Motril]] (Spain); since January 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariosur.es/20080118/melilla/presidente-melilla-alcalde-motril-20080118.html|website=[[Diario Sur]]|title=El presidente de Melilla y el alcalde de Motril hermanan a las dos ciudades y firman un convenio|first=Begoña|last=Rubio Cano|date=18 January 2008}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Almería]] (Spain)<!--; since 2010-->.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariodealmeria.es/almeria/Almeria-hermana-Emiratos-Arabes-negocio_0_416058715.html|first=María Victoria|last=Revilla|date=19 October 2010|website=[[Diario de Almería]]|title=Almería se hermana con los Emiratos Árabes y abre nuevas vías de negocio}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Mantua]] (Italy); since September 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/mantua-hermana-e-invitada-de-honor/|website=El Faro de Melilla|title=Mantua, hermana e invitada de honor|date=17 September 2013}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Vélez-Málaga]] (Spain); since January 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diariosur.es/v/20130110/axarquia/velez-melilla-ciudades-hermanadas-20130110.html|website=[[Diario Sur]]|date=10 January 2013|title=Vélez y Melilla, dos ciudades hermanadas}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Antequera]] (Spain); as of 2016, in process.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/melilla-y-antequera-comienzan-los-tramites-de-hermanamiento-el-proximo-septiembre/|website=El Faro de Melilla|date=1 July 2016|title=Melilla y Antequera comienzan los trámites de hermanamiento el próximo septiembre}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

<!--
== Notable people ==
{{Main|Category:People from Melilla}}
* [[Joaquín García Morato|Joaquín García-Morato y Castaño, 1st Count of Jarama]] (1904 in Melilla – 1939 in Griñón) was the leading Nationalist [[fighter ace]] of the [[Spanish Civil War]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Beevor |first=Antony |author-link=Antony Beevor |title=The Spanish Civil War |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Get7QgAACAAJ |location=New York |publisher=[[Cassell (publisher)|Cassell]] |year=1983 |pages=461 |isbn=0-911745-11-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Logoluso |first=Alfredo |title=Fiat CR.32 Aces of the Spanish Civil War |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kNpkvgAACAAJ |location=Oxford |publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]] |year=2010 |pages=96 |isbn=978-1-84603-983-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Shores |first=Christopher |title=Air Aces |url=https://archive.org/details/airaces0000shor_d5v1 |url-access=registration |location=Greenwich, CT |publisher=[[Presidio Press]] |year=1983 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/airaces0000shor_d5v1/page/192 192] |isbn=0-86124-104-5}}</ref>
* [[Luis Prendes]] (1913 in Melilla – 1998 in Madrid) was a Spanish film actor. He appeared in 75 films between 1936 and 1998.
* [[Anselmo Pardo Alcaide]] (1913 in Melilla – 1977) was a Spanish entomologist, a world authority on [[Melyridae]] [[Meloidae]]- [[Malachiinae]].<ref>{{cite book |last=López-Colón |first=José Ignacio |last2=Baena |first2=Manuel |year=2005 |title=Anselmo Pardo Alcaide. Una vida dedicada a la entomología: (biografía y obra científica) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ivUKOgAACAAJ |publisher=[[Ministry of Culture (Spain)|Consejería de Cultura]] |location=Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla |pages=196}}</ref>
* [[Mustafa Arruf]] (born 1958 in Melilla) is a Spanish sculptor.
* [[Mercedes Vecino]] (1916 in Melilla– 2004 in Alicante) was a Spanish film actress.<ref>{{cite book |last=Goble |first=Alan |title=The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yyqc0Qa6b60C |publisher=[[Walter de Gruyter]] |date=January 1, 1999 |page=34 |isbn=978-3-11-095194-3}}</ref>
* [[Emilio el Moro]] (1924 in Melilla – 1987) was a Spanish guitarist, singer and comedian.
* [[Lucinda Urrusti]] (born 1929 in Melilla) is a Mexican artist, born to a Spanish family which came to Mexico in 1939 to escape the Spanish Civil War and has remained in Mexico since
* [[Fernando Arrabal]] Terán (born 1932 in Melilla) is a Spanish playwright, film director, novelist and poet, settled in France in 1955
* [[Juan José Imbroda]] Ortiz (born 1944 in Melilla) is a politician who was the mayor-president of the Spanish enclave of Melilla from 2000 to 2019.
* [[Ignacio Velázquez Rivera]] (born 1953 in Ceuta) is a Spanish politician who served as mayor of Melilla from 1991 and the first Mayor-President in 1995
* [[Palmolive (musician)|Paloma McLardy]] (born 1955 in Melilla), known as ''Palmolive'', is a Spanish-born songwriter and drummer for influential punk groups
* [[Mustafa Aberchán]] (born 1959 in Melilla) is a Spanish politician from Melilla, leader of ''[[Coalition for Melilla]]'' and was the Mayor-President of the city 1999/2000.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1999/07/06/espana/931212009_850215.html |title=Coalición por Melilla, un partido de mayoría musulmana y moderado en sus reivindicaciones |language=es |newspaper=[[El País]] |publisher=Edicíones El País |date=July 6, 1999 |last=Ramos |first=Toñy |last2=Cué E. |first2=Carlos |access-date=August 11, 2010 |location=Melilla}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1999/07/04/espana/931039205_850215.html |title=Un musulmán gobernará la ciudad autónoma de Melilla con apoyo socialista y del GIL |language=es |newspaper=[[El País]] |publisher=Edicíones El País |date=July 4, 1999 |last=Ramos |first=Toñy |access-date=August 11, 2010 |location=Melilla}}</ref>
* [[Arly Jover]] (born 1971 in Melilla) is a Spanish actress, now lives in Paris
* [[Farid Bang]] (born 1986 in Melilla) is a German rapper of Moroccan descent.

=== Sport ===
* [[Ramón Martínez Pérez]] (1929 in Melilla – 2017) also known as ''Ramoní'', was a Spanish footballer.
* [[Enrique González (fencer)|Enrique González]] (born 1933 in Melilla) is a Spanish fencer, he competed in the individual foil event at the [[1960 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Al-Lal Mohamed Amar]] (born 1957 in Melilla) known as Álex, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defender.
* [[Chota (footballer)|Chota]] (born 1975 in Melilla) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker, mostly for [[UD Melilla]]
* [[Mohamed Hamed Al-lal]] (born 1979 in Melilla) known as ''Aloisio'', is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender.
* [[Munir Mohand Mohamedi]] (born 1989 in Melilla) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays for [[CD Numancia]] as a goalkeeper.
* [[Ezequiel Calvente]] Criado (born 1991 in Melilla) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Hungarian club [[Békéscsaba 1912 Előre]]
* [[David Sánchez (weightlifter)|David Sánchez]] (born 1994 in Melilla) is a Spanish weightlifter, competed in  the [[2016 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Yusef Abdeselam Kaddur]] (born 1985 in Melilla). Grappling world champion
-->

== See also ==
{{portal|Spain}}
* [[Fuerte de Cabrerizas Altas]]
* [[European enclaves in North Africa before 1830]]
* [[Melilla (Congress of Deputies constituency)]]

== References ==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
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== External links ==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* {{in lang|es}} {{Official website|http://www.melilla.es}}
* [http://www.todocodigospostales.com/52/ Postal Codes Melilla]
{{Melilla}}
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{{Administrative divisions of Spain}}
{{Autonomous Community capitals of Spain}}
{{Outlying territories of European countries}}
{{Countries and territories of North Africa}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Melilla| ]]
[[Category:Autonomous cities of Spain]]
[[Category:Enclaves and exclaves]]
[[Category:Mediterranean port cities and towns in Spain]]
[[Category:Morocco–Spain border crossings]]
[[Category:NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Africa]]
[[Category:Special territories of the European Union]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1995]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Morocco]]
[[Category:Territorial disputes of Spain]]