Gibraltar

parliamentary democracy (Parliament)Independence none (overseas territory of the UK)

Gibraltar as the 2018 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 126 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, UTC+1
Position36 08 N, 5 21 W
Area6.5 sq km
LocationSouthwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
Populationas each edition published it
29,461 people July 2018 est. · 29,572 in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.21% 2018 est. · 0.53% in 1993
Median ageyears
35 years 2018 est. · 38.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
79.7 years 2018 est. · 76.06 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.9 children per woman 2018 est. · 2.4 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
5.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 2018 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$61,700 2014 est. · $4,600 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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. The EU has said that Gibraltar will be ouside the territorial scope of any future UK-EU trade deal and that separate agreements between the EU and UK regarding Gibraltar would require Spain's prior approval.

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 fields

Land useshare of 6.5 sq km

forest 0% (2011 est.)other 100% (2011 est.)agricultural land 0% (2011 est.) in all · arable land 0% (2011 est.) in all · permanent crops 0% (2011 est.) in all · permanent pasture 0% (2011 est.) in all
Area
6.5sq km
land: 6.5 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmmore than 10 times the size of The National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Coastline
12km
territorial sea: 3 nm
Land boundaries
1.2km
border countries (1): Spain 1.2 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

Geographic coordinates

36 08 N, 5 21 W

Climate

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain

a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation

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

Natural hazards

occasional droughts; no streams or large bodies of water on the peninsula (all potable water comes from desalination)

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

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

21 fields
Population
29,461
(July 2018 est.)growth rate: 0.21% (2018 est.)

Per 1,000 population

Birth
13.9 (2018 est.)Death
8.5 (2018 est.)Net migration
-3.3 (2017 est.)

Male · female(2018 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years79.7
76.8 · 82.8Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births5.8
6.5 · 5.1
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years35
34.1 · 36
MaleFemale

Ethnic groups(2012 est.)

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

Religions(2012 est.)

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.)
Urban population
100%of total population
(2018)rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)Major urban areas - population: 35,000 GIBRALTAR (capital) (2018)

Nationality

noun:
Gibraltarian(s)
adjective:
Gibraltar

Languages

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

Age structure

0-14 years:
20.29% (male 3,064 /female 2,915)
15-24 years:
13.76% (male 2,110 /female 1,944)
25-54 years:
40.35% (male 6,094 /female 5,794)
55-64 years:
9.31% (male 1,183 /female 1,560)
65 years and over:
16.28% (male 2,336 /female 2,461) (2018 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years:
1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years:
1.1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years:
1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years:
0.81 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over:
0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
total population:
1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Government

Parliamentary democracy (Parliament); Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Chief Minister Fabian PICARDO (since 9 December 2011)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

68.4%
GSLP-Liberal Alliance (GSLP 47.8%, LPG 20.6%) 68.4%GSD 31.6%last held on 26 November 2015 (next to be held not later than December 2019)

Parliament, 17 seats, elected 26 November 2015one dot, one seat

GSLP-Liberal Alliance (GSLP 7, LPG 3) 10GSD 7

Percent of vote

GSLP-Liberal Alliance (GSLP 47.8%, LPG 20.6%) 68.4%GSD 31.6%

Composition: men 15, women 2, percent of women 11.8%

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

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Parliament); self-governing 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

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 (2016)
amendments:
  • proposed by Parliament and require 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 (2016)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Suffrage

  • 18 years of age;
  • universal;
  • and British citizens with six months residence or more

Judicial branch

highest courts:
  • 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 can be extended 3 years
subordinate courts:
  • Court of First Instance;
  • Magistrates' Court;
  • specialized tribunals for issues relating to social security, taxes, and employment

Executive branch

chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Lt. Gen. Edward DAVIS (since 19 January 2016)
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 26 November 2015 (next to be held not later than December 2019)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 68.4% (GSLP 47.8%, LPG 20.6%), GSD 31.6%;
  • seats by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 10 (GSLP 7, LPG 3), GSD 7;
  • composition - men 15, women 2, percent of women 11.8%

Political parties and leaders

  • Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibralta 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)
  • Progressive Democratic Party [Nick CRUZ]

International organization participation

ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US

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 a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

Economy

Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center.

27 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$2.044billion
(2014 est.) · $1.85 billion (2013 est.) · $2 billion (2012 est.)note: data are in 2014 dollarsofficial exchange rate: $2.044 billion (2014 est.) (2014 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$61,700
(2014 est.) · $43,000 (2008 est.) · $41,200 (2007 est.)
Inflation, consumer prices
2.5%
(2013 est.) · 2.2% (2012 est.)
Unemployment rate
1%
(2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin(2016 est.)

agriculture 0% (2016 est.)industry 0% (2008 est.)services 100% (2016 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

27.1%
Spain
15.6%
20.4%
Germany
5.7%
Italy
13.4%
US
13.3%
10.8%
Netherlands
10.9%
8.6%
Poland
Greece
8.5%
6.6%
France
Russia
6.6%
UK
5.8%
4.5%
Cote dIvoire
Belgium
4.4%
Exports $202.3 million (2014 est.)Imports $2.967 billion (2004 est.)(2017)

Budget(2008 est.)

Revenues
475.8 millionExpenditures
452.3 million

Economy - 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%.

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Labor force

24,420 (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
NEGL
industry:
1.8%
services:
98.2% (2014 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.3% (of GDP) (2008 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.1% (of GDP) (2008 est.)

Public debt

7.5% of GDP (2008 est.) · 8.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Exports

$202.3 million (2014 est.) · $271 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods (2010 est.)

Imports

$2.967 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuels, manufactured goods, foodstuffs

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

23 fields

Installed generating capacity, 43,000 kW(2016 est.)

Fossil fuels 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)Nuclear fuels 0% · Hydroelectric plants 0% · Other renewable sources 0%
Electricity production
238.8 million (2016 est.)Electricity consumption
230.8 million (2016 est.)Refined petroleum imports
74,200 (2015 est.)Refined petroleum consumption
78,000 (2016 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Communications

7 fields

Per 100 inhabitants(2016–17 est.)

140Mobile cellular
94.4%Internet users, % of population
67Fixed lines
59Fixed broadband
Mobile cellular
41,035
(2017 est.)
Internet users
27,699
(July 2016 est.)
Fixed lines
19,753
(2017 est.)
Fixed broadband
17,373
(2017 est.) · country code .gi

Telephone system

general assessment:
adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities (2017)
domestic:
automatic exchange facilities; 67 per 100 fixed-line and 140 per 100 mobile-cellular (2017)
international:
  • country code - 350;
  • radiotelephone;
  • microwave radio relay;
  • satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2015)

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 (2008)

Transportation

6 fields

Merchant marine, 291 ships by type(2017)

bulk carrier 8container ship 31general cargo 116oil tanker 20other 116

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

1,524 to 2,437 m
1

Airports

1 (2013)

Roadways

total:
29 km (2007)
paved:
29 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Gibraltar

Military and Security

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

2 fields

Military branches

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Military - note

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

Transnational Issues

1 field

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

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Gibraltar.” The World Factbook 2018. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gibraltar/2018.