evidence: Apart from Ceuta and Melilla , it refers to the small northern islands of the African continent close to the Moroccan coastline occupied by Spain . Plasas de Soberania means 'places of sovereignty', unlike the northwestern part of mainland Morocco, which was occupied by Spain only in the 19th century.[1] It means the land occupied since the establishment of the country called Spain. [...] It is geographically close to Morocco, so Morocco is claiming sovereignty over Soberania along with Ceuta and Melilla for historical and geographical reasons and is demanding the return of the territory. However, Spain claims that Morocco was Spanish territory before it established the concept of a nation. They are refusing. Funnily enough, Britain rejects Spain's request for the return of Gibraltar with a similar tone. [...] These secondary colonies (Italian Libya and Eritrea, German New Guinea, French Burkina Faso and Benin, colonies divided by the Berlin Conference, etc.) were all independent by the 21st century. Plazas de Soberania, which received international recognition in 1860, is the only secondary colony that remains to this day.