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  Gibraltar  
Flag of Gibraltar
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  Introduction
  Geography
  People
  Government
  Economy
  Communications
  Transportation
  Military
  Transnational Issues

In general, information available as of 1 January 2002
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2002.


This page was last updated on 19 March 2003


Map of Gibraltar

Legend: Definition Definition Field Listing Field Listing
   Introduction    Gibraltar
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    Gibraltar
Location:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
36 8 N, 5 21 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing
total: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
12 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
NEGL
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
   People    Gibraltar
Population:
Definition Field Listing
27,714 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
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.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.23% (2002 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing
11.19 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing
8.88 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing
5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing
total population: 79.23 years
female: 82.25 years (2002 est.)
male: 76.37 years
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.65 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: NA
total population: above 80%
male: NA%
female: NA%
   Government    Gibraltar
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Gibraltar
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
National Day, 10 September (1964); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
30 May 1969
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
English law
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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 2003
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:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms)
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:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
Interpol (subbureau)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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    Gibraltar
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing
purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing
purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing
1.5% (1998)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing
14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL%
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing
13.5% (1996) (1996)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est. )
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing; tobacco, mineral water, beer
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing
97 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing
90.21 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
none
Exports:
Definition Field Listing
$81.1 million f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, Germany
Imports:
Definition Field Listing
$492 million c.i.f. (1997)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is reached, could receive 50 million euros from the EU
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
Gibraltar pound (GIP)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
GIP
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.8977 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 July - 30 June
   Communications    Gibraltar
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing
19,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing
1,620 (1997)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
Definition Field Listing
37,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
Definition Field Listing
10,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.gi
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Definition Field Listing
2 (2000)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing
NA
   Transportation    Gibraltar
Highways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 46.25 km
paved: 46.25 km
unpaved: 0 km (2001)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
none
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Gibraltar
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
total: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 900,400 GRT/1,277,611 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 6, Ireland 1, Monaco 2, Norway 3, United Kingdom 13 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 35, chemical tanker 6, container 10, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 2
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
   Military    Gibraltar
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular indigenous military forces; British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of the UK
   Transnational Issues    Gibraltar
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Spain and UK are discussing "total shared sovereignty" to resolve 300-year dispute over Gibraltar, but resolution is subject to a constitutional referendum by Gibraltarians, who have largely expressed opposition to any form of cession to Spain

This page was last updated on 19 March 2003


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