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Bodies of Water

Strait of Gibraltar

Straits and Channels

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The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separating Europe from Africa, narrowing to about 14.2 kilometers between the Spanish and Moroccan coasts, with depths ranging from roughly 300 to 900 meters. Spain and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar hold its northern shore, while Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta hold the southern shore, so the strait falls entirely within the territorial waters of Morocco, Spain and Gibraltar. Ferries cross the strait in as little as 35 minutes, and archaeological evidence places Neanderthal habitation in the area as far back as 125,000 years, with Homo sapiens present in the region by roughly 40,000 years ago.

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