1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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
Climate
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Coastline
12 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Environment--current issues
limited natural freshwater resources; large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water
Environment--international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
36 11 N, 5 22 W
Geography--note
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km
Land use
arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 100% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
NA
Natural resources
NEGL
Terrain
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 20% (male 3,129; female 2,749) 15-64 years: 66% (male 10,888; female 8,247) 65 years and over: 14% (male 1,729; female 2,423) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
12.65 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
8.81 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish
Infant mortality rate
6.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 78.37 years male: 75.1 years female: 81.81 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: NA total population: above 95% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar
Net migration rate
0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
29,165 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
0.39% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Muslim 8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.32 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 1.17 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.16 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Capital
Gibraltar
Constitution
30 May 1969
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar
Data code
GI
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief, the Right Honorable Sir Richard LUCE (since 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 monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor
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
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
International organization participation
Interpol (subbureau) Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or Political pressure groups and leaders: Housewives Association; Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization
Legal system
English law
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats--15 elected, on for the Speaker, and two 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
National holiday
Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more
Economy
Agriculture--products
none
Budget
revenues: $111.6 million expenditures: $115.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)
Currency
1 Gibraltar pound (LG) = 100 pence
Debt--external
$NA
Economic aid--recipient
$NA
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.
Electricity--consumption
85 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
85 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Gibraltar pounds (LG) per US$1--0.6057 (January 1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994); note--the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Exports
$83.7 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports--commodities
(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%
Exports--partners
UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG
Fiscal year
1 July--30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity--$500 million (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$17,500 (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$778 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Imports--commodities
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
Imports--partners
UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco, mineral water, beer, canned fish
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.1% (1996)
Labor force
14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)
Labor force--by occupation
services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL%
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
13.5% (1996)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios
NA
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)
Telephones
19,356 (1994)
Television broadcast stations
1 (in addition, there are 3 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
NA
Transportation
Airports
1 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 49.9 km paved: 49.9 km unpaved: 0 km
Merchant marine
total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 346m951 GRT/588,765 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 2, container 4, oil tanker 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
0 km Ports and harbors: Gibraltar
Railways
total: NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only
Military and Security
Military branches
British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Military--note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
source of friction between Spain and the UK