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.

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

36 8 N, 5 21 W

total: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

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

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

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

27,833 (July 2004 est.)

Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese

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

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

overseas territory of the UK

Gibraltar

National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

English law

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 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. 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.

1.5% (1998)

14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (1999)

agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60%

2% (2001 est.)

revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY00/01 est.)

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%

Germany 23.4%, France 22.7%, Switzerland 16.5%, UK 13.1%, Turkmenistan 8.6%, Spain 5.2% (2003 est.)

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Spain 27.9%, UK 15.6%, Russia 8.6%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.8%, France 5.6%, Germany 4.8%, Japan 4.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar pound (GIP)

24,512 (2002)

9,797 (2002)

total: 29 km
paved: 29 km
unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Gibraltar

total: 133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661 DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 69, chemical tanker 14, container 27, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 2
registered in other countries: 4 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 3, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, France 1, Germany 92, Greece 11, Hong Kong 2, Iceland 1, Monaco 4, Norway 6, Spain 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 2

1 (2003 est.)

total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment

since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum in 2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement, talks between the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year-old UK colony have stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy