Gibraltar

(dependent territory of the UK)

@Gibraltar: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 11 N, 5 22 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: 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 extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: NA

Environment-current issues: limited natural freshwater resources, so large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water

Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

@Gibraltar:People

Population: 29,045 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 3,131; female 2,731) 15-64 years: 66% (male 10,835; female 8,262) 65 years and over: 14% (male 1,684; female 2,402) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.43% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 13.01 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.78 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.31 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.61 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.19 years male: 74.9 years female: 81.64 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.19 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups: Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish

Religions: Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Muslim 8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981)

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

Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 95% male: NA% female: NA%

@Gibraltar:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar

Data code: GI

Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK

Government type: NA

National capital: Gibraltar

Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)

Constitution: 30 May 1969

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects resident six months or more

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Admiral Sir Richard LUCE (24 February 1997) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister note: there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; chief minister appointed by the governor

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats, 15 elected, the Speaker, and 2 ex officio; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 May 1996 (next to be held NA May 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-SD 53%, SL 42%, NP 3%; seats by party-SD 8, SL 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or SL
[Joe BOSSANO]; Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for the Advancement
of Civil Rights or GCL/AACR [Adolfo CANEPA]; Gibraltar Social
Democrats or SD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar National Party or NP [Joe
GARCIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Housewives Association; Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization

International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the
UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent 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

@Gibraltar:Economy

Economy-overview: 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 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 15% of GDP; tourism (more than 5 million visitors in 1995), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. 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.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$500 million (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: NA%

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$17,500 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.1% (1996)

Labor force: total: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) by occupation: services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL

Unemployment rate: 13.5% (1996)

Budget: revenues: $111.6 million expenditures: $115.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995/96)

Industries: tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco, mineral waters, beer, canned fish

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 30,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 85 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 2,667 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: none

Exports: total value: $83.7 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% partners: UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG

Imports: total value: $778 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs partners: UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands

Debt-external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Gibraltar pound (£G) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (£G) per US$1-0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

Communications

Telephones: 19,356 (1994)

Telephone system: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 4

Televisions: NA

@Gibraltar:Transportation

Railways: total: NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only

Highways: total: 49.9 km (including 12.9 km public highways) paved: 49.9 km unpaved: 0 km

Pipelines: 0 km

Ports and harbors: Gibraltar

Merchant marine: total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 360,880 GRT/627,429 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 2, container 1, oil tanker 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

@Gibraltar:Military

Military branches: British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

@Gibraltar:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: source of friction between Spain and the UK