Gibraltar

Agriculture-products

none

Budget

revenues: $111.6 million expenditures: $115.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995/96)

Currency

1 Gibraltar pound (£G) = 100 pence

Debt-external

$NA

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $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-capacity

30,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

2,667 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

85 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Gibraltar pounds (£G) per US$1-0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

total value: $83.7 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% partners: UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

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%

Imports

total value: $778 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs 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 waters, beer, canned fish

Inflation rate-consumer price index

2.1% (1996)

Labor force

total: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) by occupation: services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL

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

4

Televisions

NA

Unemployment rate

13.5% (1996)

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, so 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

Administrative divisions

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Constitution

30 May 1969

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar

Data code

GI

Dependency status

dependent territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Admiral Sir Richard LUCE (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 queen is a hereditary monarch; governor appointed by the queen; 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 (dependent 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, the Speaker, and 2 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 capital

Gibraltar

National holiday

Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)

Political parties and leaders

Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or SL [Joe BOSSANO]; Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for the Advancement of Civil Rights or GCL/AACR [Adolfo CANEPA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or SD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar National Party or NP [Joe GARCIA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Housewives Association; Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects resident six months or more

Military branches

British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force

Military-note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 20% (male 3,131; female 2,731) 15-64 years: 66% (male 10,835; female 8,262) 65 years and over: 14% (male 1,684; female 2,402) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

13.01 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

8.78 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish

Infant mortality rate

6.61 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.19 years male: 74.9 years female: 81.64 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: NA total population: above 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Net migration rate

0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

29,045 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

0.43% (1998 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: 1.15 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.31 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.19 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

source of friction between Spain and the UK GLORIOSO ISLANDS (possession of France)

Airports

1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 49.9 km (including 12.9 km public highways) paved: 49.9 km unpaved: 0 km

Merchant marine

total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 360,880 GRT/627,429 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 2, container 1, oil tanker 12, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

0 km

Ports and harbors

Gibraltar

Railways

total: NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only