The Tiny Island That Nearly Started A War

Just 200 meters from Morocco sits Perejil Island, an uninhabited rock so small that few people notice it. Despite its size, this speck of land caused a modern military standoff between Spain and Morocco in 2002.

This islet is merely a barren piece of rock, yet it remains a flashpoint for international tension. In 2002, Moroccan soldiers briefly occupied the island, prompting Spain to deploy naval forces to reclaim it. The incident highlights the complex and often strange nature of territorial sovereignty. Today, it remains a quiet but legally complicated symbol of the deep-seated rivalry between two neighboring nations.