ALGECIRAS or ALGEZIRAS, a seaport and railway ter minus of southern Spain, in the province of Cadiz, 6m. W. of Gibraltar, on the opposite side of the Bay of Algeciras. Pop. (193o) 21,431. The name (Arabic, "island") is derived from a small islet on one side of the harbour. The fine winter climate attracts invalid visitors, on whom the town largely depends. Early in the loth century it became a fishing-station, the Algeciras steam-trawlers visiting the Moroccan coast, as well as Spanish and neutral waters. Whale fisheries, with a floating factory and steam whalers operating off Algeciras, were started by Spanish and Nor wegian capital in 1923-25. Farm produce and building materials supply a fleet of small coasters with cargo.
Algeciras was perhaps the Portus Albus of the Romans, but was probably refounded by the Moors, who held it from 713 to It was then taken by Alphonso XI. of Castile after 20 months' siege which attracted crusaders from all parts of Europe; among them being the English earl of Derby, grandson of Edward III. It is said that during this siege gunpowder was first used by the Moors in the wars of Europe. The Moorish city was destroyed by Alphonso ; it was first reoccupied by Spanish colonists from Gibraltar in 1704; and the modern town was erected in 176o by King Charles III. During the siege of Gibraltar in 178o-82, Al geciras was the station of the Spanish fleet and floating batteries. The important international conference on Moroccan affairs, which resulted in an agreement between France and Germany, was held at Algeciras from Jan. 16 to April 7, 1906. (See MoRocco.) See O. Jiirgens, Die Spanische Stadte (Hamburg, 1926, bibl.) .