Cape Tres Forcas

Cape Tres Forcas is the commonly used Anglicized name for a headland on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco.The Spanish name ("Cabo de Tres Forcas"), the French Name ("Cap des Tres Fourches"), and the Arab name ("Ras Tleta Madari") all signify the same thing, the "Cape of Three Forks".

The cape is a large mountainous promontory of North Africa into the Mediterranean Sea east of the Rif and Gibraltar.For centuries, this cape has provided both a nautical landmark and a maritime hazard for ships in the Alboran Sea.The cape is part of the country of Morocco. However, the east coast of the cape contains the Spanish sovereign and autonomous city of Melilla.The Moroccan government disputes the Spanish sovereignty and autonomy of this city. The Spanish government has installed a series of fences and barriers on the periphery of Melilla to thwart smuggling and uncontrolled immigration.

On August 26, 1923, the Spanish battleship "España" ran aground and eventually wrecked on the cape.

External links

* [http://wikimapia.org/1855520/ Cape Tres Forcas on Wikimapia]
* [http://usuarios.lycos.es/librodefaros/norteafrica/FTRFOR.htm Lighthouse on Cape Tres Forcas (in Spanish)]