Gibraltar

dependent territory of the UKIndependence none (colony of the UK)

Gibraltar as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 70 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalGibraltar
Area6.5 km2
1990

Every edition of Gibraltar

Populationas each edition published it
29,572 people July 1990 · 29,733 in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 0.53% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 38.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 76.06 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.4 children per woman 1990 · 1.88 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 5.9 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $4,600 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 5% in 1993

Geography

14 fields

Land useshare of 6.5 km2

forest and woodland 0%other 100%arable land 0% in all · permanent crops 0% in all · meadows and pastures 0% in all
Total area
6.5km2
land area: 6.5 km2Comparative area: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Coastline
12km
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Land boundaries
1.2km with Spain

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

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

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

People

14 fields
Population
29,572
(July 1990), growth rate 0.1% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
18Death
8

Religion

Roman Catholic 75%Church of England 8%Jewish 2.25%
Labor force
14,800
about · (including non-Gibraltar laborers); UK military establishments and civil government employ nearly 50% of the labor force
Literacy
99%
(est.)

Net migration rate

- 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate

6 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 78 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

2.4 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Gibraltarian; adjective--Gibraltar

Ethnic divisions

mostly Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, and Spanish descent

Language

  • English and Spanish are primary languages;
  • Italian, Portuguese, and Russian also spoken;
  • English used in the schools and for official purposes

Organized labor

over 6,000

Government

Dependent territory of the UK

18 fields

Legislature, 15 seatsone dot, one seat

-(18 total, 15 elected) SL 8GCL/AACR 7

Type

dependent territory of the UK

Capital

Gibraltar

Administrative divisions

none (colony of the UK)

Independence

none (colony of the UK)

Constitution

30 May 1969

National holiday

Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March), 12 March 1990

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 Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander in Chief Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter TERRY (since NA 1985);
  • Head of Government--Chief Minister Joe BOSSANO (since NA March 1988)

Political parties and leaders

  • Socialist Labor Party (SL), Joe Bossano;
  • Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights (GCL/AACR), Adolfo Canepa;
  • Independent Democratic Party, Joe Pitaluga

Suffrage

universal at age 18, plus other UK subjects resident six months or more

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

Communists

negligible

Other political or pressure groups

Housewives Association, Chamber of Commerce, Gibraltar Representatives Organization

Diplomatic representation

none (colony 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

Economy

The economy depends heavily on British defense expenditures, revenue from tourists, fees for services to shipping, and revenues from banking and finance activities.

16 fields

Exports $62.2 million (1985)commodities, where a share is given

(principally reexports) petroleum
75%beverages and tobacco
12%manufactured goods
8%
; partners--UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG

Budget

Revenues
$105 millionExpenditures
$104 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (FY87)

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

$129 million, per capita $4,450; real growth rate NA% (FY85)

Imports

  • $147 million (1985);
  • commodities--manufactured goods, fuels, and foodstuffs;
  • partners--UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

46,000 kW capacity; 200 million kWh produced, 6,770 kWh per capita (1989)

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

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $0.8 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $162.5 million

Currency

Gibraltar pound (plural--pounds); 1 Gibraltar pound (LG) = 100 pence

Exchange rates

  • Gibraltar pounds (LG) per US$1--0.6055 (January 1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985);
  • note--the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

Communications

7 fields

Railroads

1.000-meter-gauge system in dockyard area only

Highways

50 km, mostly good bitumen and concrete

Ports

Gibraltar

Merchant marine

  • 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,126,060 GRT/4,189,948 DWT;
  • includes 10 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container, 16 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker 1 combination oil/ore, 1 liquefied gas, 13 bulk;
  • note--a flag of convenience registry

Civil air

1 major transport aircraft

Airports

1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications

  • adequate international radiocommunication facilities;
  • automatic telephone system with 10,500 telephones;
  • stations--1 AM, 6 FM, 4 TV;
  • 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

1 field

Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Central Intelligence Agency. “Gibraltar.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gibraltar/1990.

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