Total area:
6.5 km2
Land area:
6.5 km2
Comparative area:
about 11 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
1.2 km; Spain 1.2 km
Coastline:
12 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone:
3 nm
Territorial sea:
3 nm
Disputes:
source of occasional friction between Spain and the UK
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Terrain:
a narrow coastal lowland borders The Rock
Natural resources:
negligible
Land use:
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 100%
Environment:
natural freshwater sources are meager, so large water catchments (concrete
or natural rock) collect rain water
Note:
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic
Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
:Gibraltar People
Population:
29,651 (July 1992), growth rate 0.1% (1992)
Birth rate:
18 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
- 9 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
6 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
72 years male, 79 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Gibraltarian(s); adjective - Gibraltar
Ethnic divisions:
mostly Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, and Spanish descent
Religions:
Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Moslem
8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981)
Languages:
English and Spanish are primary languages; Italian, Portuguese, and Russian
also spoken; English used in the schools and for official purposes
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force:
about 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers); UK military establishments
and civil government employ nearly 50% of the labor force
Organized labor:
over 6,000
:Gibraltar Government
Long-form name:
none
Digraph:
f Assembly *** last held on 24 March 1988 (next to be held March 1992);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total, 15 elected) SL 8,
GCL/AACR 7
Type:
dependent territory of the UK
Capital:
Gibraltar
Administrative divisions:
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution:
30 May 1969
Legal system:
English law
National holiday:
Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)
Executive branch:
British monarch, governor, chief minister, Gibraltar Council, Council of
Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court, Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and
Commander in Chief Adm. Sir Derek REFFELL (since NA 1989)
Head of Government:
Chief Minister Joe BOSSANO (since 25 March 1988)
Political parties and leaders:
Socialist Labor Party (SL), Joe BOSSANO; Gibraltar Labor Party/Association
for the Advancement of Civil Rights (GCL/AACR), leader NA; Gibraltar Social
Democrats, Peter CARUANA; Gibraltar National Party, Joe GARCIA
Suffrage:
universal at age 18, plus other UK subjects resident six months or more
Elections:
House of Assembly:
last held on 24 March 1988 (next to be held March 1992); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total, 15 elected) SL 8, GCL/AACR 7
Other political or pressure groups:
Housewives Association, Chamber of Commerce, Gibraltar Representatives
Organization
Diplomatic representation:
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag:
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
:Gibraltar Economy
Overview:
The economy depends heavily on British defense expenditures, revenue from
tourists, fees for services to shipping, and revenues from banking and
finance activities. 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. Construction workers are particularly affected when government
expenditures are cut.
GNP:
exchange rate conversion - $182 million, per capita $4,600; real growth rate
5% (FY87)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (1988)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $136 million; expenditures $139 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (FY88)
Exports:
$82 million (f.o.b., 1988)
commodities:
(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%
partners:
UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG
Imports:
$258 million (c.i.f., 1988)
commodities:
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
partners:
UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands
External debt:
$318 million (1987)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
47,000 kW capacity; 200 million kWh produced, 6,670 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, construction, commerce; support to large UK
naval and air bases; transit trade and supply depot in the port; light
manufacturing of tobacco, roasted coffee, ice, mineral waters, candy, beer,
and canned fish
Agriculture:
none
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $0.8 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $188 million
Currency:
Gibraltar pound (plural - pounds); 1 Gibraltar pound (#G) = 100 pence
Exchange rates:
Gibraltar pounds (#G) per US$1 - 0.5799 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603
(1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987); note - the Gibraltar
pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
:Gibraltar Communications
Railroads:
1.000-meter-gauge system in dockyard area only
Highways:
50 km, mostly good bitumen and concrete
Pipelines:
none
Ports:
Gibraltar
Merchant marine:
21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 795,356 GRT/1,490,737 DWT; includes 5
cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container, 6 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical
tanker, 6 bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry
Civil air:
1 major transport aircraft
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international
radiocommunication and microwave facilities; 9,400 telephones; broadcast
stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 4 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
:Gibraltar Defense Forces