a seaport of Spain, in the province of Seville, at the extreme south point of the peninsula, 15 miles W.S.W. of Gibraltar, and 52 S.E. of Cadiz. It is surrounded with Moorish fortifications, consisting of twenty-six towers with connecting walls; but its chief strength lies in a small rocky island connected with the mainland by a causeway. On this island stands a castle which commands the Strait of Gibraltar, and a good lighthouse. The town itself has narrow and crooked streets, several squares, an old Moorish castle, two churches, hermitages, schools, and an hospital. Leather, vermicelli, earthenware, and other articles are made here; fishing is extensively carried on, and there is an active coasting trade. The harbour does not admit large vessels. Tarifa was successfully defended in 1811 by Colonel (now Viscount) Gough, with a small body of British and Spanish against a much superior French force. Pop. 8116.