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.

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
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: Negligible

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

Irrigated land: NA

Population:
Growth rate:

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:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources, so large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water
Current issues Natural hazards: NA
International agreements: NA
International agreements note: Strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Sex ratio: at birth:1.04 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.29 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.83 years (1996 est.), 76.61 years (1995 est.)
Male: 74.5 years (1996 est.), 73.7 years (1995 est.)
Female: 81.31 years (1996 est.), 79.48 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy: definition:NA

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

Government type: Dependent territory of the U.K.

Capital: Gilbraltar

Administrative divisions: None (dependent territory of the U.K.)

Independence: None (dependent territory of the U.K.)

National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)

Constitution: 30 May 1969

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other U.K. 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 January 1992

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal

International organization participation: INTERPOL (subbureau)

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

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 growth rate: NA

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

Agriculture products: None

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA

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

Unemployment rate: NA

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

Fiscal year: 1 July_30 June

Exports: total value. $57 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$420 million (c.i.f., 1992)
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external: $318 million (1987)

Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (#G) per US$1_0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (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

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

Telephone system: 19,529 telephones (1993 est.); adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international radiocommunication and microwave facilities
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Airports: 1
15-24 to 2437 m: 1

Pipelines: None

Merchant marine
Total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 357,730 GRT/635,769 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 1, oil tanker 13 (1995 est.)