Gibraltar

Internet country code

.gi

Internet hosts

1,955 (2009) country comparison to the world: 149

Internet users

6,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 202

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

24,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 185

Telephones - mobile cellular

18,400 (2004) country comparison to the world: 207

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

none

Budget

revenues: $455.1 million expenditures: $423.6 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Economy - overview

Self-sufficient 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

146 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

146 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 182

Exchange rates

Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$271 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Exports - commodities

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

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.066 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.066 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 $769 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$38,200 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $27,900 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$2.967 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Imports - commodities

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2005) country comparison to the world: 36

Labor force

12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001) country comparison to the world: 207

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: negligible industry: 40% services: 60% (2001)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Oil - consumption

24,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Oil - imports

25,610 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

15.7% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Unemployment rate

3% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 32

Area

total: 6.5 sq km country comparison to the world: 241 land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than one-half the size of Rhode Island

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 08 N, 5 21 W

Geography - note

strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

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

name: Gibraltar geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution

5 June 2006; came into force 2 January 2007

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 Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of the Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections: 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

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (18 seats: 17 members elected by popular vote, 1 for the Speaker appointed by Parliament; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 October 2007 (next to be held not later than October 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 49.3%, GSLP 31.8%, Gibraltar Liberal Party 13.6%; seats by party - GSD 10, GSLP 4, Gibraltar Liberal Party 3

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; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more

Background

Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led to Spain closing the border and severing all communication links. A series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite talks on other issues have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to remove restrictions on air movements, to speed up customs procedures, to implement international telephone dialing, and to allow mobile roaming agreements. Britain agreed to pay increased pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed. Spain will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly. A new noncolonial constitution came into effect in 2007, but the UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,308 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 5,234 females age 16-49: 5,242 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 186 female: 179 (2009 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces in 1992

Military branches

Royal Gibraltar Regiment (2009)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,393/female 2,276) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 9,532/female 9,219) 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,125/female 2,489) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

10.67 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Death rate

9.56 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Education expenditures

NA

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: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 194 male: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.19 years country comparison to the world: 20 male: 77.3 years female: 83.22 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 40.5 years male: 39.9 years female: 41 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Population

28,034 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 214

Population growth rate

0.111% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Religions

Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy

Airports

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 231

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 240 country comparison to the world: 32 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 125, chemical tanker 51, container 43, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 225 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Finland 3, Germany 129, Greece 6, Iceland 1, Morocco 4, Netherlands 21, Norway 33, Sweden 13, UAE 3, UK 2) registered in other countries: 7 (Liberia 5, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Gibraltar

Roadways

total: 29 km country comparison to the world: 216 paved: 29 km (2007)