Gibraltar

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 21,009 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) provides TV and radio broadcasting services via 1 TV station and 4 radio stations; British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) operates 1 radio station; broadcasts from Spanish radio and TV stations are accessible

Internet country code

.gi

Internet users

total: 31,684 (2019 est.) percent of population: 94% (2019 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Gibraltar s population is urban-based, served by a digital telephone exchange supported by a fiber optic and copper infrastructure; near universal mobile and Internet use (2019) domestic: automatic exchange facilities; over 51 per 100 fixed-line and 105 per 100 mobile-cellular (2020) international: country code - 350; landing point for the EIG to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East via submarine cables; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 17,041 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 51 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 35,438 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 105 (2020 est.)

Agricultural products

none

Budget

revenues: 475.8 million (2008 est.) expenditures: 452.3 million (2008 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.1% (of GDP) (2008 est.)

Debt - external

NA

Economic overview

Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. Tax rates are low to attract foreign investment. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. 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. The financial sector, tourism (over 11 million visitors in 2012), gaming revenues, shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, tourism, and the shipping sector contribute 30%, 30%, and 25%, respectively, of GDP. Telecommunications, e-commerce, and e-gaming account for the remaining 15%.

Exchange rates

Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar - 0.885 (2017 est.) 0.903 (2016 est.) 0.9214 (2015 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.)

Exports

$202.3 million (2014 est.) $271 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

cars, ships, refined petroleum, fish, recreational boats (2019)

Exports - partners

Poland 31%, Netherlands 27%, France 11%, Germany 8%, United States 6% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.044 billion (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0% (2016 est.) industry: 0% (2008 est.) services: 100% (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$2.967 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, recreational boats, cars, coal tar oil, crude petroleum (2019)

Imports - partners

Spain 19%, US 12%, India 12%, Italy 12%, Netherlands 11%, United Kingdom 7%, Greece 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2013 est.) 2.2% (2012 est.)

Labor force

24,420 (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NEGL industry: 1.8% services: 98.2% (2014 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

7.5% of GDP (2008 est.) 8.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.044 billion (2014 est.) $1.85 billion (2013 est.) $2 billion (2012 est.) note: data are in 2014 dollars

Real GDP per capita

$61,700 (2014 est.) $43,000 (2008 est.) $41,200 (2007 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.3% (of GDP) (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate

1% (2016 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

14.256 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 14.146 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from consumed natural gas: 111,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 43,000 kW (2020 est.) consumption: 198.86 million kWh (2019 est.) exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.) imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 7 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

0 Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) consumption: 74.756 million cubic meters (2020 est.) exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) imports: 56.719 million cubic meters (2019 est.) proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 83,700 bbl/day (2019 est.) crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

74,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.63 megatons (2016 est.)

Climate

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Environment - current issues

limited natural freshwater resources: more than 90% of drinking water supplied by desalination, the remainder from stored rainwater; a separate supply of saltwater used for sanitary services

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 16,954 tons (2012 est.)

Area

total: 7 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

more than 10 times the size of The National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Climate

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Coastline

12 km

Elevation

highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

36 08 N, 5 21 W

Geography - note

note 1: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea note 2: one of only two British territories where traffic drives on the right, the other being the island of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total: 1.2 km border countries (1): Spain 1.2 km

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 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

occasional droughts; no streams or large bodies of water on the peninsula (all potable water comes from desalination)

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 etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic "Jabal Tariq," which means "Mountain of Tariq" and which refers to the Rock of Gibraltar

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

history: previous 1969; latest passed by referendum 30 November 2006, entered into effect 14 December 2006, entered into force 2 January 2007 amendments: proposed by Parliament and requires prior consent of the British monarch (through the Secretary of State); passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote in Parliament followed by simple majority vote in a referendum; note only sections 1 through 15 in Chapter 1 (Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms) can be amended by Parliament

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic "Jabal Tariq," which means "Mountain of Tariq" and which refers to the Rock of Gibraltar

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Sir David STEEL (since 11 June 2020) head of government: Chief Minister Fabian PICARDO (since 9 December 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition 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; the design is that of Gibraltar's coat of arms granted on 10 July 1502 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain; the castle symbolizes Gibraltar as a fortress, while the key represents Gibraltar's strategic importance - the key to the Mediterranean

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Parliament); self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of at least 3 judges, including the court president); Supreme Court of Gibraltar (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judges appointed by the governor upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 7-member body of judges and appointees of the governor; tenure of the Court of Appeal president based on terms of appointment; Supreme Court chief justice and judges normally appointed until retirement at age 67 but tenure can be extended 3 years subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Magistrates' Court; specialized tribunals for issues relating to social security, taxes, and employment

Legal system

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; 17 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by majority vote and 1 appointed by Parliament as speaker; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 17 October 2019 (next to be held in 2023) election results: percent of vote by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 58.8% (GSLP 41.2%, LPG 17.6%), GSD 35.3%, TG 5.8%, independent 1.4%; seats by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 10 (GSLP 7, LPG 3), GSD 6, TG 1; composition including Parliament speaker - men 16, women 2, percent of women 11.1%

National anthem

name: "Gibraltar Anthem" lyrics/music: Peter EMBERLEY note: adopted 1994; serves as a local anthem; as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

Barbary macaque; national colors: red, white, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibraltar or LPG [Joseph GARCIA] Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Keith AZOPARDI] Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Fabian PICARDO] GSLP-Liberal Alliance (includes GSLP and LPG) Together Gibraltar or TG [Marlene HASSAN-NAHON]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; and British citizens with six months residence 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 Spain to close the border and sever all communication links. Between 1997 and 2002, the UK and Spain held a series of talks 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 late 2004, Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar have held tripartite talks with the aim of cooperatively resolving problems that affect the local population, and work continues on cooperation agreements in areas such as taxation and financial services; communications and maritime security; policy; legal and customs services; environmental protection; and education and visa services. A new noncolonial constitution came into force in 2007, and the European Court of First Instance recognized Gibraltar's right to regulate its own tax regime in December 2008. The UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability. Spain and the UK continue to spar over the territory. Throughout 2009, a dispute over Gibraltar's claim to territorial waters extending out three miles gave rise to periodic non-violent maritime confrontations between Spanish and UK naval patrols, and in 2013, the British reported a record number of entries by Spanish vessels into waters claimed by Gibraltar following a dispute over Gibraltar's creation of an artificial reef in those waters. Spain renewed its demands for an eventual return of Gibraltar to Spanish control after the UK s June 2016 vote to leave the EU, but London has dismissed any connection between the vote and its continued sovereignty over Gibraltar.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military and security forces

Royal Gibraltar Regiment (2022)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.24% (male 3,080/female 2,907) 15-24 years: 13.07% (male 2,000/female 1,866) 25-54 years: 41.28% (male 6,289/female 5,922) 55-64 years: 8.71% (male 1,082/female 1,495) 65 years and over: 16.7% (male 2,378/female 2,562) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

13.93 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Death rate

8.76 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 60.1 youth dependency ratio: 27.4 elderly dependency ratio: 32.7 potential support ratio: 3.1 (2021)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: NA total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: NA total: 0% of population (2020)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Gibraltarian 79%, other British 13.2%, Spanish 2.1%, Moroccan 1.6%, other EU 2.4%, other 1.6% (2012 est.) note: data represent population by nationality

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 6.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.42 years male: 77.58 years female: 83.41 years (2022 est.)

Literacy

total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Major urban areas - population

35,000 GIBRALTAR (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 35.5 years male: 34.4 years female: 36.6 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Net migration rate

-3.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Physicians density

NA

Population

29,573 (2022 est.)

Population growth rate

0.19% (2022 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 72.1%, Church of England 7.7%, other Christian 3.8%, Muslim 3.6%, Jewish 2.4%, Hindu 2%, other 1.1%, none 7.1%, unspecified 0.1% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: NA total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: NA total: 0% of population (2020)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 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

total: 1 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2021)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VP-G

Merchant marine

total: 202 by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 19, general cargo 55, oil tanker 20, other 100 (2021)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Gibraltar

Roadways

total: 29 km (2007) paved: 29 km (2007)