a city and port-town of Andalusia in Spain, situated on the north-west end of the island of Leon, or Lyon, opposite to Port St Mary on the continent, about sixty miles south-west of Seville, and forty north-west of Gibraltar: W. long. 6° 40', N. lat. 36° 30'.

The island it stands on is in length about eighteen miles; the south-west end is about nine broad, but the other end, where the city stands, not above two. It has a communication with the continent by means of a bridge; and, with the opposite shore, forms a bay of twelve miles long and six broad. About the middle of this bay, there are two head-lands, or promontories, one on the continent, and the other on the island, which advance so near together, that the forts upon them, called the Punta and Matagorda, command the passage; and within these forts is the harbour, which it is impossible for an enemy to enter till he has first taken the forts.