1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 6.5 km2 land area: 6.5 km2 comparative area: about 11 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC
Climate
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Coastline
12 km
Environment
natural freshwater sources are meager, so large water catchments (concrete or natural rock) collect rain water
International disputes
source of occasional friction between Spain and the UK
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
total 1.2 km, Spain 1.2 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, on the southern coast of Spain
Map references
Africa, Europe
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 3 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural resources
negligible
Note
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Terrain
a narrow coastal lowland borders The Rock
People and Society
Birth rate
15.68 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
8.89 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish
Infant mortality rate
8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) note: UK military establishments and civil government employ nearly 50% of the labor force
Languages
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.06 years male: 73.18 years female: 78.91 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar
Net migration rate
-1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
31,508 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
0.53% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Moslem 8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981)
Total fertility rate
2.37 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Capital
Gilbraltar
Chief of State
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander in Chief Adm. Sir Derek REFFELL (since NA 1989)
Constitution
30 May 1969
Digraph
GI
Diplomatic representation in US
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Executive branch
British monarch, governor, chief minister, Gibraltar Council, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
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
Head of Government
Chief Minister Joe BOSSANO (since 25 March 1988)
House of Assembly
last held on 16 January 1992 (next to be held January 1996); results - SL 73.3%; seats - (18 total, 15 elected) number of seats by party NA
Independence
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, Court of Appeal
Legal system
English law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly
Member of
INTERPOL (subbureau)
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar
National holiday
Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)
Other political or pressure groups
Housewives Association; Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization
Political parties and leaders
Socialist Labor Party (SL), Joe BOSSANO; Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights (GCL/AACR), leader NA; Gibraltar Social Democrats, Peter CARUANA; Gibraltar National Party, Joe GARCIA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects resident six months or more
Type
dependent territory of the UK
US diplomatic representation
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Economy
Agriculture
none
Budget
revenues $136 million; expenditures $139 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY88)
Currency
1 Gibraltar pound (#G) = 100 pence
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $0.8 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $188 million
Electricity
47,000 kW capacity; 200 million kWh produced, 6,740 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
Gibraltar pounds (#G) per US$1 - 0.6527 (January 1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Exports
$82 million (f.o.b., 1988) commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% partners: UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG
External debt
$318 million (1987)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Imports
$258 million (c.i.f., 1988) commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs partners: UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
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
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.6% (1988)
National product
GNP - exchange rate conversion - $182 million (FY87)
National product per capita
$4,600 (FY87)
National product real growth rate
5% (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.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
total: 1 useable: 1 with permanent surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Highways
50 km, mostly good bitumen and concrete
Merchant marine
32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 642,446 GRT/1,141,592 DWT; includes 4 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 1 container, 18 oil tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 5 bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry
Pipelines
none
Ports
Gibraltar
Railroads
1.000-meter-gauge system in dockyard area only
Telecommunications
adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international radiocommunication and microwave facilities; 9,400 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 6 FM, 4 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Note
defense is the responsibility of the UK