Gibraltar
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of the UK)
Gibraltar as the 2005 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
17 fieldsLand useshare of 6.5 sq km
Location
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
Environment - current issues
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
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
People
19 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2005 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2005 est.)
Male · female(2005 est.)
Religions(2001 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.8 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Government
NA; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003); Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
House of Assembly, 15 seats, elected 27 November 2003one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
National holiday
National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003)
- 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
- 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
Legislative branch
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 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later than February 2008)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7
Political parties and leaders
- Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA];
- Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA];
- Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Chamber of Commerce;
- Gibraltar Representatives Organization;
- Women's Association
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
Economy
Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center.
34 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Self-sufficient 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.
Exchange rates
Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000) note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities
- domestic:
- automatic exchange facilities
- international:
- country code - 350;
- radiotelephone;
- microwave radio relay;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Transportation
5 fieldsMerchant marine, 161 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661 DWT
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Military
Royal Gibraltar Regiment
2 fieldsMilitary - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
- in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain;
- Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Gibraltar.” The World Factbook 2005. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gibraltar/2005.