1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 6.5 sq km land area: 6.5 sq km 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
current issues: limited natural freshwater resources, so large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA
International disputes
source of occasional friction between Spain and the UK
Irrigated land
NA sq km
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 Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
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
Age structure
0-14 years: 24% (female 3,757; male 3,835) 15-64 years: 63% (female 9,730; male 10,485) 65 years and over: 13% (female 2,360; male 1,707) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
15 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
8.85 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish
Infant mortality rate
7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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: 76.61 years male: 73.7 years female: 79.48 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
NA%
Nationality
noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
31,874 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
0.62% (1995 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
2.29 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Capital
Gilbraltar
Constitution
30 May 1969
Digraph
GI
Diplomatic representation in US
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander in Chief Gen. Sir John CHAPPLE (since NA March 1993) head of government: Chief Minister Joe BOSSANO (since 25 March 1988)
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
Gibraltar Council
advises the governor cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed from the elected members of the Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister
House of Assembly
elections 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
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
Gibraltar 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: $116 million expenditures: $124 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992-93)
Currency
1 Gibraltar pound (#G) = 100 pence
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $800,000; Western (non-US) countries and ODA bilateral commitments (1992-93), $2.5 million
Electricity
capacity: 47,000 kW production: 90 million kWh consumption per capita: 2,539 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Gibraltar pounds (#G) per US$1 - 0.6350 (January 1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Exports
$57 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: (principally re-exports) 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
$420 million (c.i.f., 1992) 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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $205 million (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$6,600 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
Overview
Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade and offshore banking. The British military presence has been severely reduced and now only contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 15% of GDP; tourism, 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.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
9,400 telephones; adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international radiocommunication and microwave facilities local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 4 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
Highways
total: 50 km paved: 50 km
Merchant marine
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 419,707 GRT/721,110 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container 2, oil tanker 14
Pipelines
none
Ports
Gibraltar
Railroads
total: NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only
Military and Security
Branches
British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Note
defense is the responsibility of the UK ________________________________________________________________________ GLORIOSO ISLANDS (possession of France)