Naval Station Rota

Naval Station Rota in Rota, Spain, is the largest military base in Spain and houses U.S. Navy and Marine personnel and their dependents. The base, described by the U.S. Navy as the "Gateway to the Mediterranean" is home to an airfield and a port. The base has housed U.S. troops since the 1950's and at its peak size, in the late 1970's, was home to 10,000 U.S. personnel. Once the nuclear submarine facilities were torn down, the base's population dwindled.

NAVSTA Rota has served as a primary holding facility for troops and supplies on their way to and from the Middle East during the recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.