Gibraltar

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet country code

.gi

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: 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 - main lines in use

19,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,620 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

none

Budget

revenues: $307 million expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 00/01 est.)

Currency

Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code

GIP

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is reached, could receive 50 million euros from the EU

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 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. 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.

Electricity - consumption

93 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

100 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$81.1 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities

(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%

Exports - partners

UK 27.7%, Switzerland 14.3%, Germany 12%, France 6.9%, Spain 6.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Ukraine 4.6% (2002)

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

$492 million c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Germany 27.3%, Spain 21.8%, UK 12.1%, Italy 8% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (1998)

Labor force

14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)

Labor force - by occupation

services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL%

Oil - consumption

42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

2% (2001 est.)

Area

total: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 6.5 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 rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Geographic coordinates

36 8 N, 5 21 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: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 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

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Capital

Gibraltar

Constitution

30 May 1969

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister

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)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Legal system

English law

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later than NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

National holiday

National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Political parties and leaders

Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more

Background

Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.3% (male 2,593; female 2,482) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 9,458; female 8,946) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 1,873; female 2,424) (2003 est.)

Birth rate

11.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 5.92 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.38 years male: 76.51 years female: 82.4 years (2003 est.)

Literacy

definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA%

Median age

total: 38.8 years male: 38.6 years female: 39 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

27,776 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

0.22% (2003 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Highways

total: 29 km paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Merchant marine

total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,008,140 GRT/1,435,595 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 6, Ireland 1, Monaco 2, Norway 3, United Kingdom 13 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 58, chemical tanker 14, container 20, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 2

Pipelines

0 km

Ports and harbors

Gibraltar

Waterways

none