Gibraltar

Internet country code

.gi

Internet users

6,200 (2002)

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: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

24,512 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

9,797 (2002)

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 (FY00/01 est.)

Currency

Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code

GIP

Debt - external

NA (2000 est.)

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 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)

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

$136 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Germany 25.6%, France 24.8%, UK 14.3%, Turkmenistan 9.4%, Switzerland 7.5%, Spain 5.6% (2003)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA (2002 est.)

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

$1.743 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Spain 26.5%, UK 14.8%, Russia 8.2%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 6.5%, France 5.3%, Germany 4.6%, Romania 4.2% (2003)

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) (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60%

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 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 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% (2001)

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

none

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) 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 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

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), UPU

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 February 2008) 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; the last British regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Military branches

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 2,554; female 2,452) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 9,460; female 8,965) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 1,939; female 2,463) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

10.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.52 years male: 76.65 years female: 82.54 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 39 years male: 38.8 years female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

27,833 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.19% (2004 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum in 2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement, talks between the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year-old UK colony have stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy

Airports

1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

total: 133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661 DWT by type: bulk 3, cargo 69, chemical tanker 14, container 27, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 3, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, France 1, Germany 92, Greece 11, Hong Kong 2, Iceland 1, Monaco 4, Norway 6, Spain 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 2 registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Ports and harbors

Gibraltar