Gibraltar
Introduction
Background
Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led Spain to close the border and sever all communication links. Between 1997 and 2002, the UK and Spain held a series of talks on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since late 2004, Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar have held tripartite talks with the aim of cooperatively resolving problems that affect the local population, and work continues on cooperation agreements in areas such as taxation and financial services; communications and maritime security; policy; legal and customs services; environmental protection; and education and visa services. A new noncolonial constitution came into force in 2007, and the European Court of First Instance recognized Gibraltar's right to regulate its own tax regime in December 2008. The UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.
Spain and the UK continue to spar over the territory. Throughout 2009, a dispute over Gibraltar's claim to territorial waters extending out three miles gave rise to periodic non-violent maritime confrontations between Spanish and UK naval patrols, and in 2013, the British reported a record number of entries by Spanish vessels into waters claimed by Gibraltar following a dispute over Gibraltar's creation of an artificial reef in those waters. Spain renewed its demands for an eventual return of Gibraltar to Spanish control after the UK’s June 2016 vote to leave the EU, but London has dismissed any connection between the vote and its continued sovereignty over Gibraltar.
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Geography
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 08 N, 5 21 W
Map references
Europe
Area - comparative
more than 10 times the size of The National Mall in Washington, D.C.
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
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Land use
agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.)
other: 100% (2018 est.)
Natural hazards
occasional droughts; no streams or large bodies of water on the peninsula (all potable water comes from desalination)
Geography - note
note 1: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
note 2: one of only two British territories where traffic drives on the right, the other being the island of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar
Ethnic groups
Gibraltarian 79%, other British 13.2%, Spanish 2.1%, Moroccan 1.6%, other EU 2.4%, other 1.6% (2012 est.)
note: data represent population by nationality
Languages
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Religions
Roman Catholic 72.1%, Church of England 7.7%, other Christian 3.8%, Muslim 3.6%, Jewish 2.4%, Hindu 2%, other 1.1%, none 7.1%, unspecified 0.1% (2012 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 20.24% (male 3,080/female 2,907)
15-24 years: 13.07% (male 2,000/female 1,866)
25-54 years: 41.28% (male 6,289/female 5,922)
55-64 years: 8.71% (male 1,082/female 1,495)
65 years and over: 16.7% (male 2,378/female 2,562) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 60.1
youth dependency ratio: 27.4
elderly dependency ratio: 32.7
potential support ratio: 3.1 (2021)
Median age
total: 35.5 years
male: 34.4 years
female: 36.6 years (2020 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
35,000 GIBRALTAR (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 6.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 80.42 years
male: 77.58 years
female: 83.41 years (2022 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020)
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Environment
Environment - current issues
limited natural freshwater resources: more than 90% of drinking water supplied by desalination, the remainder from stored rainwater; a separate supply of saltwater used for sanitary services
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.63 megatons (2016 est.)
Climate
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Land use
agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.)
other: 100% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 16,954 tons (2012 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar
etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic "Jabal Tariq," which means "Mountain of Tariq" and which refers to the Rock of Gibraltar
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Parliament); self-governing overseas territory of the UK
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Capital
name: Gibraltar
geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic "Jabal Tariq," which means "Mountain of Tariq" and which refers to the Rock of Gibraltar
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday
National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or join Spain
Constitution
history: previous 1969; latest passed by referendum 30 November 2006, entered into effect 14 December 2006, entered into force 2 January 2007
amendments: proposed by Parliament and requires prior consent of the British monarch (through the Secretary of State); passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote in Parliament followed by simple majority vote in a referendum; note – only sections 1 through 15 in Chapter 1 (Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms) can be amended by Parliament
Legal system
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; and British citizens with six months residence or more
Executive branch
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Sir David STEEL (since 11 June 2020)
head of government: Chief Minister Fabian PICARDO (since 9 December 2011)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed chief minister by the governor
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; 17 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by majority vote and 1 appointed by Parliament as speaker; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 17 October 2019 (next to be held in 2023)
election results: percent of vote by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 58.8% (GSLP 41.2%, LPG 17.6%), GSD 35.3%, TG 5.8%, independent 1.4%; seats by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 10 (GSLP 7, LPG 3), GSD 6, TG 1; composition including Parliament speaker - men 16, women 2, percent of women 11.1%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of at least 3 judges, including the court president); Supreme Court of Gibraltar (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judges appointed by the governor upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 7-member body of judges and appointees of the governor; tenure of the Court of Appeal president based on terms of appointment; Supreme Court chief justice and judges normally appointed until retirement at age 67 but tenure can be extended 3 years
subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Magistrates' Court; specialized tribunals for issues relating to social security, taxes, and employment
Political parties and leaders
Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibraltar or LPG [Joseph GARCIA]
Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Keith AZOPARDI]
Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Fabian PICARDO]
GSLP-Liberal Alliance (includes GSLP and LPG)
Together Gibraltar or TG [Marlene HASSAN-NAHON]
International organization participation
ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: 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; the design is that of Gibraltar's coat of arms granted on 10 July 1502 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain; the castle symbolizes Gibraltar as a fortress, while the key represents Gibraltar's strategic importance - the key to the Mediterranean
National symbol(s)
Barbary macaque; national colors: red, white, yellow
National anthem
name: "Gibraltar Anthem"
lyrics/music: Peter EMBERLEY
note: adopted 1994; serves as a local anthem; as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic overview
Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. Tax rates are low to attract foreign investment. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. 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.
The financial sector, tourism (over 11 million visitors in 2012), gaming revenues, shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, tourism, and the shipping sector contribute 30%, 30%, and 25%, respectively, of GDP. Telecommunications, e-commerce, and e-gaming account for the remaining 15%.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.044 billion (2014 est.)
$1.85 billion (2013 est.)
$2 billion (2012 est.)
note: data are in 2014 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$61,700 (2014 est.)
$43,000 (2008 est.)
$41,200 (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.044 billion (2014 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (2013 est.)
2.2% (2012 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0% (2016 est.)
industry: 0% (2008 est.)
services: 100% (2016 est.)
Industries
tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: NEGL
industry: 1.8%
services: 98.2% (2014 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: 475.8 million (2008 est.)
expenditures: 452.3 million (2008 est.)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Exports - partners
Poland 31%, Netherlands 27%, France 11%, Germany 8%, United States 6% (2019)
Exports - commodities
cars, ships, refined petroleum, fish, recreational boats (2019)
Imports - partners
Spain 19%, US 12%, India 12%, Italy 12%, Netherlands 11%, United Kingdom 7%, Greece 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, recreational boats, cars, coal tar oil, crude petroleum (2019)
Exchange rates
Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar -
0.885 (2017 est.)
0.903 (2016 est.)
0.9214 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 43,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 198.86 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 7 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 83,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 74.756 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 56.719 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
14.256 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 14.146 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 111,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 17,041 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 51 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 35,438 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 105 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: Gibraltar’s population is urban-based, served by a digital telephone exchange supported by a fiber optic and copper infrastructure; near universal mobile and Internet use (2019)
domestic: automatic exchange facilities; over 51 per 100 fixed-line and 105 per 100 mobile-cellular (2020)
international: country code - 350; landing point for the EIG to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East via submarine cables; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media
Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) provides TV and radio broadcasting services via 1 TV station and 4 radio stations; British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) operates 1 radio station; broadcasts from Spanish radio and TV stations are accessible
Internet users
total: 31,684 (2019 est.)
percent of population: 94% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 21,009 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2020 est.)
Transportation
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2021)
Merchant marine
total: 202
by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 19, general cargo 55, oil tanker 20, other 100 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Gibraltar
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Royal Gibraltar Regiment (2022)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy