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 referendums held in 1967 and 2002 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 8 N 5 21 W

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 6.5 km²
Water: 0 km²
Land: 6.5 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%
Other: 100% (1998 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: 27,714 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 0.23% (2002 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

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: 18.5% (male 2,633; female 2,509)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 9,456; female 8,907)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 1,803; female 2,406) (2002 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.19 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 8.88 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female (2002 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 5.4 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.23 years
Female: 82.25 years (2002 est.)
Male: 76.37 years

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2002 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: National Day 10 September (1964); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

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 - Sir Francis RICHARDS was appointed governor 18 December 2002 and will take office in May 2002
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
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

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; tobacco mineral water beer

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%