Map of Gibraltar | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Strategically important Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in 1713. In a 1967 referendum Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.


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Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total area total: 6.5 km²
Land: 6.5 km²
Comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total 1.2 km, Spain 1.2 km

Coastline: 12 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea:3 nm

Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders The Rock

Elevation

Natural resources: negligible

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 100%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK


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Population: 31,874 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.62% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Gibraltarian(s)
Adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups: Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish

Languages: English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian

Religions: Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Moslem 8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 24% (female 3,757; male 3,835)
15-64 years: 63% (female 9,730; male 10,485)
65 years and over: 13% (female 2,360; male 1,707) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.62% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 15 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.85 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources, so large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water
Current issues natural hazards: NA
Current issues international agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 7.9 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.61 years
Male: 73.7 years
Female: 79.48 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.29 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Gibraltar

Government type: dependent territory of the UK

Capital: Gilbraltar

Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)

Constitution: 30 May 1969

Legal system: English law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects resident six months or more

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander in Chief Gen. Sir John CHAPPLE (since NA March 1993)
Head of government: Chief Minister Joe BOSSANO (since 25 March 1988)
Gibraltar Council: advises the governor
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed from the elected members of the Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Assembly: elections last held on 16 January 1992 (next to be held January 1996); results - SL 73.3%; seats - (18 total, 15 elected) number of seats by party NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: INTERPOL (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (dependent territory of the UK)
From the us: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Flag description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade and offshore banking. The British military presence has been severely reduced and now only contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 15% of GDP; tourism, shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. Because more than 70% of the economy is in the public sector, changes in government spending have a major impact on the level of employment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $6,600 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: none

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, construction, commerce; support to large UK naval and air bases; transit trade and supply depot in the port; light manufacturing of tobacco, roasted coffee, ice, mineral waters, candy, beer, and canned fish

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)
Note: UK military establishments and civil government employ nearly 50% of the labor force

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $116 million
Expenditures: $124 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992-93)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $57 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodoties: (principally re-exports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%
Partners: UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG

Imports: $420 million (c.i.f., 1992)
Commodoties: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
Partners: UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $318 million (1987)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (#G) per US$1 - 0.6350 (January 1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990; note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound


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Electricity
Capacity: 47,000 kW
Production: 90 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 2,539 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 9,400 telephones; adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international radiocommunication and microwave facilities
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines: none

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 419,707 GRT/721,110 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 2, oil tanker 14

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: source of occasional friction between Spain and the UK

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs