Map of Gibraltar | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Strategically important Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. 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: 36 11 N 5 22 W

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 6.5 km²
Land: 6.5 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 1.2 km
Border countries: (1) 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 of Gibraltar

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea


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Population: 27,649 (July 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 0.24% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Gibraltarian
Adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups: Spanish Italian English Maltese Portuguese

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

Religions: Roman Catholic 76.9% Church of England 6.9% Muslim 6.9% Jewish 2.3% none or other 7% (1991)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.73% (male 2,652; female 2,528)
15-64 years: 66.33% (male 9,473; female 8,866)
65 years and over: 14.94% (male 1,733; female 2,397) (2001 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.24% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 11.25 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 8.82 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources; large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2001 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 5.49 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.09 years
Male: 76.23 years
Female: 82.1 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: NA
Total population: above 80%
Male: NA%
Female: 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: NA

Capital: Gibraltar

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas 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 who have been residents six months or more

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief David DURIE (since 5 April 2000); note - DURIE was appointed in February 2000 but took office in April 2000
Head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister; note - there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 10 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
Election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
From the us: none (overseas 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 offshore banking and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 20% of GDP; tourism (almost 6 million visitors in 1998) shipping services fees and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. In recent years Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: none

Industries: tourism banking and finance ship-building and repairing; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco mineral water beer canned fish

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)
By occupation services: 60%
By occupation industry: 40%
By occupation agriculture: NEGL%