Gibraltar - wikipedia Gibraltar This article is about the British Overseas Territory. For other uses, see Gibraltar ( disambiguation ). Gibraltar Flag Coat of arms Motto : `` Montis Insignia Calpe '' ( Latin ) `` Badge of the Rock of Gibraltar '' Anthem : `` God Save the Queen '' ( official ) `` Gibraltar Anthem '' ( local ) Location of Gibraltar ( dark green ) -- in Europe ( green & dark grey ) -- in the European Union ( green ) Map of Gibraltar Status British Overseas Territory Capital Gibraltar 36 ° 8 ′ N 5 ° 21 ′ W ﻿ / ﻿ 36.133 ° N 5.350 ° W ﻿ / 36.133 ; - 5.350 Largest district ( by population ) Westside Official languages English Spoken languages English Spanish Llanito Ethnic groups Gibraltarian other British Maghrebis South Asians Demonym Gibraltarian Llanito ( colloquial ) Government Representative democratic parliamentary dependency under constitutional monarchy Monarch Elizabeth II Governor Ed Davis Chief Minister Fabian Picardo Legislature Parliament Formation Captured 4 August 1704 Ceded 11 April 1713 National Day 10 September Joined the EEC 1 January 1973 Area Total 6.7 km ( 2.6 sq mi ) Water ( % ) 0 Population 2015 estimate 32,194 ( 222nd ) Density 4,328 / km ( 11,209.5 / sq mi ) ( 5th ) GDP ( PPP ) 2013 estimate Total £ 1.64 billion Per capita £ 50,941 ( n / a ) HDI ( 2015 ) 0.861 very high 40th Currency Gibraltar pound ( £ ) ( GIP ) Time zone CET ( UTC + 1 ) Summer ( DST ) CEST ( UTC + 2 ) Date format dd / mm / yyyy Drives on the right Calling code + 350 Patron saint Bernard of Clairvaux Our Lady of Europe ISO 3166 code GI Internet TLD. gi Of mixed Genoese, Maltese, Portuguese and Spanish descent. As a Special Member State territory of the United Kingdom. Coins and sterling notes are issued by the Government of Gibraltar. Unlike all other UK dependencies except the British Indian Ocean Territory, since 16 June 1929. 9567 from Spain before 10 February 2007. The. eu domain is also used, shared with other European Union member states. UK Postcode : GX11 1AA Gibraltar ( / dʒ ɪˈbrɔːltər / ji - BRAWL - tər, / dʒ ɪˈbrɒltər / ji - BROL - tər or other permutations ; Spanish pronunciation : ( xiβɾalˈtaɾ ) ) is a British Overseas Territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. It has an area of 6.7 km ( 2.6 sq mi ) and shares its northern border with Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region. At its foot is a densely populated city area, home to over 30,000 Gibraltarians and other nationalities. An Anglo - Dutch force captured Gibraltar from Spain in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession on behalf of the Habsburg claim to the Spanish throne. The territory was subsequently ceded to Great Britain `` in perpetuity '' under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. During World War II it was an important base for the Royal Navy as it controlled the entrance and exit to the Mediterranean Sea, which is only eight miles ( 13 km ) wide at this naval `` choke point '' and remains strategically important to this day with half the world 's seaborne trade passing through the strait. Today Gibraltar 's economy is based largely on tourism, online gambling, financial services, and cargo ship refuelling services. The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major point of contention in Anglo - Spanish relations as Spain asserts a claim to the territory. Gibraltarians overwhelmingly rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum and again in 2002. Under the Gibraltar constitution of 2006, Gibraltar governs its own affairs, though some powers, such as defence and foreign relations, remain the responsibility of the British government. Contents 1 Name 2 History 2.1 Early history 2.2 Settlement 2.3 Modern history 3 Governance 4 Geography 4.1 Climate 4.2 Flora and fauna 4.3 Environment 5 Economy 6 Demographics 6.1 Ethnic groups 6.2 Language 6.3 Religion 7 Education 8 Health care 9 Culture 10 Sport 11 Communications 12 Transport 12.1 Air 12.2 Sea 12.3 Rail 13 Water supply and sanitation 14 Police 15 Armed forces 16 Twin towns and sister cities 17 See also 18 Footnotes 19 Bibliography 20 External links Name The name Gibraltar is the Spanish derivation of the Arabic name Jabal Ṭāriq ( جبل طارق ), meaning `` Mountain of Tariq ''. It refers to the Rock of Gibraltar, which was named after the Umayyad general Tariq ibn - Ziyad who led the initial incursion into Iberia in advance of the main Umayyad force in 711 under the command of Umayyad Caliph Al - Walid I. Earlier, it was known as Mons Calpe, a name of Phoenician origin and one of the Pillars of Hercules. The pronunciation of the name in modern Spanish is ( xiβɾalˈtaɾ ) ( IPA ). History Early history Main article : History of Gibraltar View of the northern face of the Moorish Castle 's Tower of Homage. Built in the 14th century. Evidence of Neanderthal habitation in Gibraltar has been discovered at Gorham 's Cave. Within recorded history, the first inhabitants were the Phoenicians, around 950 BC. Subsequently, Gibraltar became known as one of the Pillars of Hercules, after the Greek legend of the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar by Heracles. The Carthaginians and Romans also established semi-permanent settlements. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Gibraltar came briefly under the control of the Vandals. The area later formed part of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania from 414 AD until the Islamic conquest of Iberia in 711 AD. Settlement In 1160, the Almohad Sultan Abd al - Mu'min ordered that a permanent settlement, including a castle, be built. It received the name of Medinat al - Fath ( City of the Victory ). On completion of the works in the town, the Sultan crossed the Strait to look at the works and stayed in Gibraltar for two months. The Tower of Homage of the Moorish Castle remains standing today. From 1274 onwards, the town was fought over and captured by the Nasrids of Granada ( in 1237 and 1374 ), the Marinids of Morocco ( in 1274 and 1333 ) and the kings of Castile ( in 1309 ). In 1462, Gibraltar was finally captured by Juan Alonso de Guzmán, 1st Duke of Medina Sidonia. After the conquest, King Henry IV of Castile assumed the additional title of King of Gibraltar, establishing it as part of the comarca of the Campo Llano de Gibraltar. Six years later, Gibraltar was restored to the Duke of Medina Sidonia, who sold it in 1474 to a group of 4350 conversos ( Christian converts from Judaism ) from Cordova and Seville and in exchange for maintaining the garrison of the town for two years, after which time they were expelled, returning to their home towns or moving on to other parts of Spain. In 1501, Gibraltar passed back to the Spanish Crown, and Isabella I of Castile issued a Royal Warrant granting Gibraltar the coat of arms that it still uses today. In 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, a combined Anglo - Dutch fleet, representing the Grand Alliance, captured the town of Gibraltar on behalf of the Archduke Charles of Austria in his campaign to become King of Spain. The occupation of the town by Alliance forces caused the exodus of the population to the surrounding area of the Campo de Gibraltar. As the Alliance 's campaign faltered, the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht was negotiated and ceded control of Gibraltar to Britain to secure Britain 's withdrawal from the war. Unsuccessful attempts by Spanish monarchs to regain Gibraltar were made with the siege of 1727 and again with the Great Siege of Gibraltar ( 1779 to 1783 ), during the American War of Independence. Gibraltar became a key base for the Royal Navy and played an important role prior to the Battle of Trafalgar ( 21 October 1805 ) and during the Crimean War of 1854 -- 56, because of its strategic location. Its strategic value increased with the opening of the Suez Canal, as it lay on the sea route between the UK and the British Empire east of Suez. In the later 19th century, there were major investments in improving the fortifications and the port. Buildings of the former HM Dockyard, Gibraltar, dating from the 1895 expansion Modern history During World War II, a Douglas Dakota of BOAC is silhouetted at Gibraltar by the batteries of searchlights on the Rock, as crews prepare it for a night flight to the United Kingdom. During World War II, Gibraltar 's civilian population was evacuated ( mainly to London, but also to parts of Morocco, Madeira and Jamaica ) and the Rock was strengthened as a fortress. The naval base and the ships based there played a key role in the provisioning and supply of the island of Malta during its long siege. As well as frequent short runs ( known as ' Club Runs ' ) towards Malta to fly off aircraft reinforcements ( initially Hurricanes but later, notably from the USN aircraft carrier Wasp, Spitfires ), the critical Operation Pedestal convoy was run from Gibraltar in August 1942. This resupplied the island at a critical time in the face of concentrated air attacks from German and Italian forces. Spanish dictator Francisco Franco 's reluctance to allow the German Army onto Spanish soil frustrated a German plan to capture the Rock, codenamed Operation Felix. In the 1950s, Franco renewed Spain 's claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar and restricted movement between Gibraltar and Spain. Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain under British sovereignty in the Gibraltar sovereignty referendum, 1967, which led to the passing of the Gibraltar Constitution Order in 1969. In response, Spain completely closed the border with Gibraltar and severed all communication links. The border with Spain was partially reopened in 1982 and fully reopened in 1985 before Spain 's accession to the European Community. In a referendum held in 2002, Gibraltarians rejected by an overwhelming majority ( 98 % ) a proposal of shared sovereignty on which Spain and Britain were said to have reached `` broad agreement ''. The British government has committed itself to respecting the Gibraltarians ' wishes. A new Constitution Order was approved in referendum in 2006. A process of tripartite negotiations started in 2006 between Spain, Gibraltar and the UK, ending some restrictions and dealing with disputes in some specific areas such as air movements, customs procedures, telecommunications, pensions and cultural exchange. In the British referendum on membership of the European Union 96 % of Gibraltarians voted to remain on an 82 % turnout. Spain renewed calls for joint Spanish -- British control of the peninsula, which were strongly rebuffed by Gibraltar 's Chief Minister. Governance Main article : Politics of Gibraltar See also : Disputed status of Gibraltar and Political development in modern Gibraltar Main Street entrance to the Governor 's Residence, The Convent John Mackintosh Square entrance to the Gibraltar Parliament. Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory. The British Nationality Act 1981 granted Gibraltarians full British citizenship. Under its current constitution, Gibraltar has almost complete internal democratic self - government through an elected parliament, elected for a term of up to four years. The unicameral parliament presently consists of 17 elected members, and the Speaker who is not elected, but appointed by a resolution of the parliament. The government consists of 10 elected members. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented by the Governor of Gibraltar. The governor enacts day - to - day matters on the advice of the Gibraltar Parliament, but is responsible to the British government in respect of defence, foreign policy, internal security and general good governance. Judicial and other appointments are made on behalf of the Queen in consultation with the head of the elected government. The 2011 election was contested by the Gibraltar Social Democrats ( GSD ), Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party ( GSLP ) - Gibraltar Liberal Party ( GLP ) Alliance and the Progressive Democratic Party ( PDP ). The PDP is a new party, formed in 2006 and fielded candidates in the 2007 election, but none were elected. The head of government is the Chief Minister ( as of December 2011, Fabian Picardo ). All local political parties oppose any transfer of sovereignty to Spain, instead supporting self - determination. The main UK opposition parties also support this policy, and it is British government policy not to engage in talks about the sovereignty of Gibraltar without the consent of the people of Gibraltar. Gibraltar is part of the European Union, having joined through the European Communities Act 1972 ( UK ), which gave effect to the Treaty of Accession 1972, as a dependent territory of the United Kingdom under what was then article 227 ( 4 ) of the Treaty Establishing the European Community covering special member state territories, with exemption from some areas such as the European Union Customs Union, Common Agricultural Policy and the Schengen Area. It is the only British Overseas Territory which is part of the European Union. After a 10 - year campaign for the right to vote in European elections, since 2004 the people of Gibraltar have participated in elections for the European Parliament as part of the South West England constituency. On 23 June 2016 Gibraltar voted along with the United Kingdom in the EU referendum ; 96 % of its population voted to remain, but the overall United Kingdom result gave a 51.9 % majority to leaving the EU. Gibraltar was nominated to be included on the United Nations list of Non-Self - Governing Territories by the United Kingdom when the list was created in 1946 and has been listed ever since. The government of Gibraltar has actively worked to have Gibraltar removed from the list, and in 2008 the British government declared Gibraltar 's continued presence on the list an anachronism. Gibraltar is not a member of the Commonwealth of Nations but was granted Associate Membership of the Commonwealth Foundation in 2004. Gibraltar has competed in the Commonwealth Games since 1958. Party Members of Parliament Party MEPs Socialist Labour 7 Conservative ( Gibraltar Conservatives ) Social Democrats 6 UKIP Liberal Labour Independent Green Total 17 Total 6 Geography See also : Rock of Gibraltar, Bay of Gibraltar, Strait of Gibraltar, and Gibraltar Artificial Reef Gibraltar from the air, looking north - west. Gibraltar 's territory covers 6.7 square kilometres ( 2.6 sq mi ) and shares a 1.2 - kilometre ( 0.75 mi ) land border with Spain. The town of La Línea de la Concepción, a municipality of the province of Cádiz, lies on the Spanish side of the border. The Spanish hinterland forms the comarca of Campo de Gibraltar ( literally `` Countryside of Gibraltar '' ). The shoreline measures 12 kilometres ( 7.5 mi ) in length. There are two coasts ( `` Sides '' ) of Gibraltar : the East Side, which contains the settlements of Sandy Bay and Catalan Bay ; and the Westside, where the vast majority of the population lives. Gibraltar has no administrative divisions but is divided into seven Major Residential Areas. Having negligible natural resources and few natural freshwater resources, limited to natural wells in the north, until recently Gibraltar used large concrete and / or natural rock water catchments to collect rainwater. Fresh water from the boreholes is supplemented by two desalination plants : a reverse osmosis plant, constructed in a tunnel within the rock, and a multi-stage flash distillation plant at North Mole. Gibraltar 's terrain consists of the 426 - metre - high ( 1,398 ft ) Rock of Gibraltar made of Jurassic limestone, and the narrow coastal lowland surrounding it. It contains many tunnelled roads, most of which are still operated by the military and closed to the general public. Places adjacent to Gibraltar La Línea de la Concepción, Spain Algeciras, Spain ; Bay of Gibraltar Mediterranean Sea Gibraltar Strait of Gibraltar ; Morocco ; Ceuta Morocco ( top far left across Strait ) ; Spain : Algeciras ( top center across Bay of Gibraltar ) and La Linea ( right ) ; Gibraltar cruise port and airport runway ( right foreground ) ; from the Rock Climate Main article : Climate of Gibraltar Gibraltar has a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ), with mild, rainy winters and warm, dry summers. As is the case for nearby Algeciras and Tarifa, summers are significantly cooler and annual temperature more constant than other cities on the southern coast of the Iberian peninsula because of its position on the Strait of Gibraltar. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry. Its average annual temperature is about 22 ° C ( 72 ° F ) during the day and 15 ° C ( 59 ° F ) at night. In the coldest month, January, the temperature ranges from 11 -- 18 ° C ( 52 -- 64 ° F ) during the day and 9 -- 14 ° C ( 48 -- 57 ° F ) at night, the average sea temperature is 15 -- 16 ° C ( 59 -- 61 ° F ). In the warmest month, August, the typical temperature ranges from 25 -- 31 ° C ( 77 -- 88 ° F ) during the day, above 20 ° C ( 68 ° F ) at night, the average sea temperature is 22 ° C ( 72 ° F ). Climate data for Gibraltar Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high ° C ( ° F ) 15.7 ( 60.3 ) 16.6 ( 61.9 ) 18.4 ( 65.1 ) 20.0 ( 68 ) 22.6 ( 72.7 ) 25.4 ( 77.7 ) 28.1 ( 82.6 ) 28.6 ( 83.5 ) 26.3 ( 79.3 ) 22.9 ( 73.2 ) 19.1 ( 66.4 ) 16.6 ( 61.9 ) 21.7 ( 71.1 ) Daily mean ° C ( ° F ) 13.4 ( 56.1 ) 13.8 ( 56.8 ) 15.0 ( 59 ) 16.2 ( 61.2 ) 18.5 ( 65.3 ) 21.1 ( 70 ) 23.7 ( 74.7 ) 24.2 ( 75.6 ) 22.8 ( 73 ) 19.5 ( 67.1 ) 16.1 ( 61 ) 14.1 ( 57.4 ) 18.2 ( 64.8 ) Average low ° C ( ° F ) 10.2 ( 50.4 ) 10.7 ( 51.3 ) 12.3 ( 54.1 ) 13.4 ( 56.1 ) 15.4 ( 59.7 ) 18.0 ( 64.4 ) 20.1 ( 68.2 ) 20.8 ( 69.4 ) 19.4 ( 66.9 ) 16.9 ( 62.4 ) 13.9 ( 57 ) 11.4 ( 52.5 ) 15.2 ( 59.4 ) Average precipitation mm ( inches ) 121 ( 4.76 ) 100 ( 3.94 ) 75 ( 2.95 ) 60 ( 2.36 ) 35 ( 1.38 ) 11 ( 0.43 ) ( 0.04 ) 6 ( 0.24 ) 15 ( 0.59 ) 64 ( 2.52 ) 141 ( 5.55 ) 146 ( 5.75 ) 775 ( 30.51 ) Average precipitation days ( ≥ 1.0 mm ) 8 8 7 7 0 0 5 7 9 60 Mean monthly sunshine hours 147 143 204 233 289 319 326 309 240 197 135 134 2,676 Source : Deutscher Wetterdienst ( sun, 1961 -- 1990 ) Flora and fauna See also : List of mammals of Gibraltar, List of birds of Gibraltar, and List of amphibians and reptiles of Gibraltar Gibraltar candytuft growing at the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens A common dolphin in the Bay of Gibraltar Over 500 different species of flowering plants grow on the Rock. Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where the Gibraltar candytuft ( Iberis gibraltarica ) is found growing in the wild ; the plant is otherwise native to North Africa. It is the symbol of the Upper Rock nature reserve. Olive and pine trees are among the most common of those growing around the Rock. Most of the Rock 's upper area is covered by a nature reserve which is home to around 230 Barbary macaques, the famous `` apes '' of Gibraltar, which are actually monkeys. These are the only wild apes or monkeys found in Europe. This species, known scientifically as Macaca sylvanus, is listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List and is declining. Three - quarters of the world population live in the Middle Atlas mountains of Morocco. Recent genetic studies and historical documents point to their presence on the Rock before its capture by the British, having possibly been introduced during the Islamic period. A superstition analogous to that of the ravens at the Tower of London states that if the apes ever leave, so will the British. In 1944, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was so concerned about the dwindling population of apes that he sent a message to the Colonial Secretary requesting that something be done about the situation. Other mammals found in Gibraltar include rabbits, foxes and bats. Dolphins and whales are frequently seen in the Bay of Gibraltar. Migrating birds are very common and Gibraltar is home to the only Barbary partridges found on the European continent. In 1991, Graham Watson, Gibraltar 's MEP, highlighted conservationists ' fears that urban development, tourism and invasive plant species were threatening Gibraltar 's own plants as well as birds and bat species. Environment In May 2016 a report by the World Health Organization showed that Gibraltar had the worst air quality in any British territory. The report concentrated on PM10 and PM2. 5 pollutants in the air. Economy Main article : Economy of Gibraltar The semi-wild Barbary macaques are an integral feature in Gibraltar 's tourism. The British military traditionally dominated Gibraltar 's economy, with the naval dockyard providing the bulk of economic activity. This, however, has diminished over the last 20 years, and is estimated to account for only 7 percent of the local economy, compared to over 60 percent in 1984. Today, Gibraltar 's economy is dominated by four main sectors : financial services, online gambling, shipping, and tourism, which includes retail sales to visitors. The territory also has a small manufacturing sector, with one company supplying ambulances produced from converted SUV vehicles to the United Nations and other agencies. In the early 2000s, many bookmakers and online gaming operators moved to Gibraltar to benefit from operating in a regulated jurisdiction with a favourable corporate tax regime. However, this corporate tax regime for non-resident controlled companies was phased out by January 2011 and replaced by a fixed corporate tax rate of 10 percent. Tourism is also a significant industry. Gibraltar is a popular port for cruise ships and attracts day visitors from resorts in Spain. The Rock is a popular tourist attraction, particularly among British tourists and residents in the southern coast of Spain. It is also a popular shopping destination, and all goods and services are VAT free, but may be subject to Gibraltar taxes. Many of the large British high street chains have branches or franchises in Gibraltar including Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Mothercare. Branches and franchises of international retailers such as Tommy Hilfiger and Sunglass Hut are also present in Gibraltar, as is the Spanish clothing company Mango. Queensway Quay Marina, along with Ocean Village, are two exclusive residential districts A number of British and international banks have operations based in Gibraltar. Jyske Bank claims to be the oldest bank in the country, based on Jyske 's acquisition in 1987 of Banco Galliano, which began operations in Gibraltar in 1855. An ancestor of Barclays, the Anglo - Egyptian Bank, entered in 1888, and Credit Foncier ( now Crédit Agricole ) entered in 1920. In 1967, Gibraltar enacted the Companies ( Taxation and Concessions ) Ordinance ( now an Act ), which provided for special tax treatment for international business. This was one of the factors leading to the growth of professional services such as private banking and captive insurance management. Gibraltar has several positive attributes as a financial centre, including a common law legal system and access to the EU single market in financial services. The Financial Services Commission ( FSC ), which was established by an ordinance in 1989 ( now an Act ) that took effect in 1991, regulates the finance sector. In 1997, the Department of Trade and Industry established its Gibraltar Finance Centre ( GFC ) Division to facilitate the development the financial sector development. As of 2012, Gibraltar has 0.103 Big Four accounting firm offices per 1,000 population, the second highest in the world after the British Virgin Islands, and 0.6 banks per 1,000 people, the fifth most banks per capita in the world. The currency of Gibraltar is the Gibraltar pound, issued by the Government of Gibraltar under the terms of the 1934 Currency Notes Act. These banknotes are legal tender in Gibraltar alongside Bank of England banknotes. In a currency board arrangement, these notes are issued against reserves of sterling. Clearing and settlement of funds is conducted in sterling. Coins in circulation follow British denominations but have separate designs. Unofficially, most retail outlets in Gibraltar accept the euro, though some payphones and the Royal Gibraltar Post Office, along with all other government offices, do not. Demographics Main article : Demographics of Gibraltar The Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned was built in 1462 and is the territory 's oldest Catholic church. The Gibraltar Hindu Temple, opened in 2000 The Ibrahim - al - Ibrahim Mosque was a gift from King Fahd of Saudi Arabia Gibraltar is one of the most densely populated territories in the world, with a usually - resident population in 2012 of 32,194 equivalent to approximately 4,959 inhabitants per square kilometre ( 12,840 / sq mi ). The growing demand for space is being increasingly met by land reclamation ; reclaimed land currently comprises approximately one tenth of the territory 's total area. Ethnic groups See also : Gibraltarian people The demographics of Gibraltar reflect the many European and other economic migrants who came to the Rock over 300 years, after almost all of the Spanish population left in 1704. Origin of surnames in the electoral roll by percentage is : British ( 27 % ), Spanish ( 26 %, mostly Andalusian but also some 2 % Menorcan ), Genoese and other Italian ( 15 % ), Portuguese ( 15 % ), and Maltese ( 8 % ). There are also small ( less than 1 % ) populations of other groups such as Moroccans, French, Austrians, Chinese, Japanese, Polish and Danish. Usually - Resident Population and Persons Present in Gibraltar Resident Census 1981 1991 2012 Gibraltarian 74.9 % 75.0 % 83.2 % 79.0 % UK and other British 14.0 % 14.3 % 9.6 % 13.2 % Moroccan 8.1 % 6.7 % 3.5 % 1.6 % Other Nationalities ( * ) 3.1 % 4.0 % 3.7 % 6.2 % Spanish -- -- 1.19 % 2.1 % Other EU -- -- 1.0 % 1.6 % ( * ) Includes all nationalities different from Gibraltarian, UK and other British and Moroccan. Language Main article : Languages of Gibraltar The official language of Gibraltar is English, and is used by the government and in schools. Most locals are bilingual, also speaking Spanish. However, because of the varied mix of ethnic groups which reside there, other languages are also spoken on the Rock. Berber and Arabic are spoken by the Moroccan community, as are Hindi and Sindhi by the Indian and the Pakistani communities. Maltese is spoken by some families of Maltese descent. Gibraltarians often converse in Llanito ( pronounced ( ʎaˈnito ) ), a vernacular unique to Gibraltar. It is based on Andalusian Spanish with a strong mixture of British English and elements from languages such as Maltese, Portuguese, Genoese Italian and Haketia ( a Judaeo - Spanish dialect ). Llanito also often involves code - switching to English, with technical terms and complex ideas mostly expressed in English. Gibraltarians often call themselves Llanitos. Religion Percentage of Population by Religion Percentage Roman Catholic 72.1 % Church of England 7.7 % None 7.1 % Other Christian 3.8 % Muslim 3.6 % Jewish 2.4 % Hindu 2.0 % Other / Not Stated 1.3 % According to the 2012 census, approximately 72.1 % of Gibraltarians are Roman Catholics. The 16th century Saint Mary the Crowned is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar, and also the oldest Catholic church in the territory. Other Christian denominations include the Church of England ( 7.7 % ), whose Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the cathedral of the Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe ; the Gibraltar Methodist Church, Church of Scotland, various Pentecostal and independent churches mostly influenced by the House Church and Charismatic movements, as well as a Plymouth Brethren congregation. Several of these congregations are represented by the Gibraltar Evangelical Alliance. Cathedral of the Holy Trinity There is also a ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints, and two congregations of Jehovah 's Witnesses. 7.1 % advised that they have no religion. The Gibraltar Secular Humanist Society also holds regular meetings. The third religion in size is Islam ( 3.6 % of the population ). There is also an established Hindu population ( 2 % ), members of the Bahá'í Faith and a long - established Jewish community, which, at 763 persons, accounts for 2.4 % of the population. As a share of the total population, this is the second - largest Jewish population in the world, trailing only Israel. There are four functioning Orthodox synagogues in Gibraltar and several kosher establishments. Education Main article : Education in Gibraltar The Arms of The University of Gibraltar Education in Gibraltar generally follows the English model, operating within a three tier system. Schools in Gibraltar use the Key Stage modular approach to teach the National Curriculum. Gibraltar has 15 state schools, a private school and a college of further education. On 31 March 2015 the government of Gibraltar announced the adoption of the University of Gibraltar Act and The University of Gibraltar opened in September 2015. Previously, there were no facilities in Gibraltar for full - time higher education, and consequently, all Gibraltarian students studied elsewhere at degree level or its equivalent and also for certain non-degree courses. The Government of Gibraltar operates a scholarship / grant system to provide funding for students studying in the United Kingdom. All Gibraltarian students used to follow the UK student loans procedure, applying for a loan from the Student Loans Company which was then reimbursed in full by the Government of Gibraltar. In August 2010, this system was replaced by the direct payment by the government of grants and tuition fees. The overwhelming majority of Gibraltarians continue their studies at university level. Health care All Gibraltarians are entitled to health care in public wards and clinics at the St Bernard hospital and primary health care centre. All other British citizens are also entitled to free - of - charge treatment on the Rock on presentation of a valid British passport during stays of up to 30 days. Other EU nationals are equally entitled to treatment on presentation of a valid European Health Insurance Card. Dental treatment and prescribed medicines are free of charge for Gibraltarian students and pensioners. The Gibraltar Health Authority is funded through the Gibraltar Group Practice Medical Scheme. It employs around 900 people, handling 37,000 A&E attendances, 40,000 outpatient appointments, and 90,000 GP visits a year. Some specialist care is provided by visiting consultants and in UK and Spanish hospitals. First - line medical and nursing services are provided at the Primary Care Centre, which has 16 GPs, with more specialised services available at St Bernard 's Hospital, a 210 - bed civilian hospital opened in 2005. Psychiatric care is provided by King George V Hospital. Culture Main article : Culture of Gibraltar Tercentenary celebrations in Gibraltar. The culture of Gibraltar reflects Gibraltarians ' diverse origins. While there are Spanish ( mostly from nearby Andalusia ) and British influences, the ethnic origins of most Gibraltarians are not confined to these ethnicities. Other ethnicities include Genoese, Maltese, Portuguese, and German. A few other Gibraltar residents are Jewish of Sephardic origin, Moroccan, or Indians. British influence remains strong, with English being the language of government, commerce, education and the media. Gibraltar 's first sovereignty referendum is celebrated annually on Gibraltar National Day ( 10 September ). It is a public holiday, during which most Gibraltarians dress in their national colours of red and white. Until 2016, the tradition had been to also release 30,000 similarly coloured balloons, which represented the people of Gibraltar. However, this tradition has now been ended because of the threat that it poses to wildlife, particularly marine. The 300th anniversary of Gibraltar 's capture was celebrated in 2004 on Tercentenary Day ( 4 August ), when in recognition of and with thanks for its long association with Gibraltar, the Royal Navy was given the Freedom of the City of Gibraltar and a human chain of Gibraltarians dressed in red, white and blue, linked hands to encircle the Rock. On 4 June 2012, the Gibraltar Diamond Jubilee Flotilla, inspired by the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, celebrated sixty years of the Queen 's reign. The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation operates a television and radio station on UHF, VHF and medium - wave. The radio service is also internet - streamed. Special events and the daily news bulletin are streamed in video. The other local radio service is operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service which also provides a limited cable television network to HM Forces. The largest and most frequently published newspaper is the Gibraltar Chronicle, Gibraltar 's oldest established daily newspaper and the world 's second oldest English language newspaper to have been in print continuously with daily editions six days a week. Panorama is published on weekdays, and 7 Days, The New People, and Gibsport are weekly. Thousands of Gibraltarians dress in their national colours of red and white during the 2013 Gibraltar National Day celebrations. Native Gibraltarians have produced some literature of note. The first in fiction was probably Héctor Licudi 's 1929 novel Barbarita, written in Spanish, chronicling the largely autobiographical adventures of a young Gibraltarian man. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, several anthologies of poetry were published by Leopoldo Sanguinetti, Albert Joseph Patron and Alberto Pizzarello. The 1960s were largely dominated by the theatrical works of Elio Cruz and his two highly acclaimed Spanish language plays La Lola se va pá Londre and Connie con cama camera en el comedor. In the 1990s, the Gibraltarian man - of - letters Mario Arroyo published Profiles ( 1994 ), a series of bilingual meditations on love, loneliness and death. Trino Cruz is a bilingual poet originally writing English but now mainly in Spanish, who also translates Maghreb poetry. Of late there have been works by the essayist Mary Chiappe, such as her volume of essays Cabbages and Kings ( 2006 ) and by M.G. Sanchez, author of the books Rock Black : Ten Gibraltarian Stories ( 2008 ) and Diary of a Victorian Colonial ( 2009 ). Mary Chiappe and Sam Benady have also published a series of detective books centred on the character of the nineteenth - century Gibraltarian sleuth Bresciano. Musicians from Gibraltar include Charles Ramirez, the first guitarist invited to play with the Royal College of Music Orchestra, successful rock bands like Breed 77, Melon Diesel and Taxi, while Gibraltarian bassist Glen Diani played for Irish / British nu metal group One Minute Silence. Albert Hammond had top 10 hits in the UK and US and has written many songs for international artists such as Whitney Houston, Tina Turner and Julio Iglesias. Gibraltarian cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Andalusian Spaniards and the British, as well as the many foreigners who made Gibraltar their home over the past three centuries. The culinary influences include those from Malta, Genoa, Portugal, Andalusia and Britain. This marriage of tastes has given Gibraltar an eclectic mix of Mediterranean and British cuisine. Profiteroles, a French choux pastry ball with a sweet filling of whipped cream, is considered to be Gibraltar 's national dish. These are often served after a meal including Calentita, a baked bread - like dish made with chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and pepper. Sport Main article : Sport in Gibraltar This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2011 ) The Gibraltar national football team lining up in their first official match in 2013 In 2007, there were 18 Gibraltar sports associations with official recognition from their respective international governing bodies. Others have submitted applications for recognition which are being considered. The government supports the many sporting associations financially. Gibraltar also competes in the bi-annual Island Games, which it hosted in 1995. Football is a popular sport in Gibraltar. The Gibraltar Football Association applied for full membership of UEFA, but their bid was turned down in 2007 in a contentious decision. Gibraltar was confirmed as UEFA 's 54th member on 24 May 2013 as a result of Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS ) arbitration and played in Euro 2016 qualifications. Their first match was a 0 -- 0 draw against Slovakia. Subsequently, Gibraltar applied for FIFA membership but this bid was also turned down. On 2 May 2016 the CAS upheld the appeal filed by the Gibraltar Football Association regarding its request to become a full - time member of FIFA. CAS ordered FIFA to stop blocking Gibraltar 's application for membership and allow it `` without delay ''. Cricket enjoys popularity in Gibraltar. The Gibraltar national cricket team won the European Cricket Championship Division Two in 2000 and 2002. Rugby union is fairly popular and one of the fastest growing team sports, Gibraltar Rugby Union Football Union applied for membership of Europe 's governing body for rugby. Gibraltar is believed to be the birthplace of the rugby variant Tag Rugby. The Gibraltar Rifle Association ( GRA ) was Gibraltar 's most successful team at the 2009 Island Games, earning four gold medals. Darts is also a popular sport, with the Gibraltar Darts Association ( a full member of World Darts Federation since 1977 ) running leagues and other regular tournaments. In 2010, Gibraltar hosted and won the Mediterranean Cup, competing against France, Italy, Turkey, Malta and Cyprus. Communications A plaque in City Mill Lane marking the site of Gibraltar 's first telephone exchange. A Victorian post box of standard 1887 UK design in use in Gibraltar 's Main Street ( 2008 ). Main article : Communications in Gibraltar Gibraltar has a digital telephone exchange supported by a fibre optic and copper infrastructure ; the telephone operator Gibtelecom also operates a GSM network. Internet connectivity is available across the fixed network. Gibraltar 's top - level domain code is. gi. International Direct Dialling ( IDD ) is provided, and Gibraltar was allocated the access code + 350 by the International Telecommunication Union. This has been universally valid since 10 February 2007, when the telecom dispute was resolved. Transport Main article : Transport in Gibraltar The Gibraltar Cable Car runs from outside the Gibraltar Botanic Gardens to the top of the Rock. Within Gibraltar, the main form of transport is the car. Motorcycles are also very popular and there is a good modern bus service. Unlike in the UK and other British territories, traffic drives on the right and speed limits are in km / h, as the territory shares a land border with Spain. There is a Gibraltar Cable Car which runs from ground level to the top of the Rock, with an intermediate station at Apes ' Den. Restrictions on transport introduced by Spanish dictator Francisco Franco closed the land frontier in 1969 and also prohibited any air or ferry connections. In 1982, the land border was reopened. As the result of an agreement signed in Córdoba on 18 September 2006 between Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and Spain, the Spanish government agreed to relax border controls at the frontier that have plagued locals for decades ; in return, Britain paid increased pensions to Spanish workers who lost their jobs when Franco closed the border. Telecommunication restrictions were lifted in February 2007 and air links with Spain were restored in December 2006. The border control is the only road border control between two EU members that is expected to remain indefinitely ( Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania have border controls which are expected to be removed around 2020 ), however Britain plans to leave the EU. Motorists and pedestrians crossing the border with Spain are occasionally subjected to very long delays. Spain has occasionally closed the border during disputes or incidents involving the Gibraltar authorities, such as the Aurora cruise ship incident and when fishermen from the Spanish fishing vessel Piraña were arrested for illegal fishing in Gibraltar waters. Air Main article : Gibraltar International Airport As at 2017, Gibraltar maintains regular flight connections with London, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol in the UK, and with Casablanca and Tangier in Morocco. GB Airways operated a service between Gibraltar and London and other cities for many years. The airline initially flew under the name `` Gibraltar Airways ''. In 1989, and in anticipation of service to cities outside the UK, Gibraltar Airways changed its name to GB Airways with the belief that a new name would incur fewer political problems. As a franchise, the airline operated flights in full British Airways livery. In 2007, GB Airways was purchased by easyJet, which began operating flights under their name in April 2008 when British Airways re-introduced flights to Gibraltar under their name. EasyJet have since added Bristol and Manchester and also operated flights to Liverpool between 2011 and 2012. Monarch Airlines operates scheduled services between Gibraltar and Luton, London Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester. It has the largest number of flights between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. The Spanish national airline, Iberia, operated a daily service to Madrid which ceased for lack of demand. In May 2009, Ándalus Líneas Aéreas opened a Spanish service, which also ceased operations in March 2010. An annual return charter flight to Malta is operated by Maltese national airline, Air Malta. The main road that crosses Gibraltar Airport. The new terminal at Gibraltar Airport. Gibraltar International Airport is consistently listed as one of the world 's scariest for air passengers. It is exposed to strong cross winds around the rock and across the Bay of Algeciras, making landings in winter particularly uncomfortable. Its location is unusual not only because of its proximity to the city centre resulting in the airport terminal being within walking distance of much of Gibraltar but also because the runway intersects Winston Churchill Avenue, the main north - south street, requiring movable barricades to close when aircraft land or depart. New roads and a tunnel, which will end the need to stop road traffic when aircraft use the runway, were planned to coincide with the building of a new airport terminal building with an originally estimated completion date of 2009, although it has not been completed because of delays. The most popular alternative airport for Gibraltar is Málaga Airport in Spain, some 120 kilometres ( 75 mi ) to the east, which offers a wide range of destinations, second to Jerez Airport which is closer to Gibraltar. In addition, the Algeciras Heliport across the bay offers scheduled services to Ceuta. Sea Gibraltar Cruise Terminal receives a large number of visits from cruise ships. The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Passenger and cargo ships anchor in the Gibraltar Harbour. Also, a ferry links Gibraltar with Tangier in Morocco. The ferry between Gibraltar and Algeciras, which had been halted in 1969 when Franco severed communications with Gibraltar, was finally reopened on 16 December 2009, served by the Spanish company Transcoma. Ferries by FRS running twice a week from Gibraltar to Tanger - Med port provide access to the Moroccan railway system. Rail While railway track extends to the outskirts of La Línea from an aborted rail expansion project in the 1970s, the closest railway station in Spain is San Roque station, accessible via buses from La Línea. Water supply and sanitation Main article : Water supply and sanitation in Gibraltar Water supply and sanitation in Gibraltar have been major concerns for its inhabitants throughout its history. There are no rivers, streams, or large bodies of water on the peninsula. Gibraltar 's water supply was formerly provided by a combination of an aqueduct, wells, and the use of cisterns, barrels and earthenware pots to capture rainwater. This became increasingly inadequate as Gibraltar 's population grew in the 18th and 19th centuries and lethal diseases such as cholera and yellow fever began to spread. In the late 19th century, a Sanitary Commission instigated major improvements which saw the introduction of large - scale desalination and the use of giant water catchments covering over 2.5 million square feet ( nearly 250,000 m ). Today Gibraltar 's supply of drinking water comes entirely from desalination, with a separate supply of saltwater for sanitary purposes. Both supplies are delivered from huge underground reservoirs excavated under the Rock of Gibraltar. Police Further information : Royal Gibraltar Police and Gibraltar Defence Police Royal Gibraltar Police car, 2012 Royal Gibraltar Police, Marine Section The Royal Gibraltar Police ( RGP ) and Gibraltar Customs are Gibraltar 's principal civilian law enforcement agencies. Outside the United Kingdom, the RGP is the oldest police force of the former British Empire, formed shortly after the creation of London 's Metropolitan Police in 1829 when Gibraltar was declared a crown colony on 25 June 1830. In general, the Gibraltar force follows British police models in its dress and its mostly male constables and sergeants on foot patrol wear the traditional custodian helmet, the headgear of the British `` bobby on the beat ''. The helmet is traditionally made of cork covered outside by felt or serge - like material that matches the tunic. The vehicles also appear virtually identical to typical UK police vehicles, but are left hand drive. The force, whose name received the prefix `` Royal '' in 1992, currently numbers over 220 officers divided into a number of units. These include the CID, drug squad, special branch, firearms, scene of crime examiners, traffic, marine and operations units, sections or departments. On 24 September 2015, the Freedom of the City of Gibraltar was conferred upon the RGP by His Worship the Mayor Adolfo Canepa. Armed Forces Gibraltar 's defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom tri-services British Forces Gibraltar. In January 2007, the Ministry of Defence announced that the private company Serco would provide services to the base. The announcement resulted in the affected trade unions striking. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment provides the army garrison with a detachment of the British Army, based at Devils Tower Camp. The regiment was originally a part - time reserve force until the British Army placed it on a permanent footing in 1990. The regiment includes full - time and part - time soldiers recruited from Gibraltar as well as British Army regulars posted from other regiments. The Royal Navy maintains a squadron at the Rock. The squadron is responsible for the security and integrity of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters ( BGTW ). The shore establishment at Gibraltar is called HMS Rooke after Sir George Rooke, who captured the Rock for Archduke Charles ( pretender to the Spanish throne ) in 1704. The naval air base was named HMS Cormorant. Gibraltar 's strategic position provides an important facility for the Royal Navy and Britain 's allies. British and US nuclear submarines frequently visit the Z berths at Gibraltar. A Z berth provides the facility for nuclear submarines to visit for operational or recreational purposes and for non-nuclear repairs. During the Falklands War, an Argentine plan to attack British shipping in the harbour using frogmen ( Operation Algeciras ) was foiled. The naval base also played a part in supporting the task force sent by Britain to recover the Falklands. The Royal Air Force station at Gibraltar forms part of Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar. Although aircraft are no longer permanently stationed at RAF Gibraltar, a variety of RAF aircraft make regular visits and the airfield also houses a section from the Met Office. Gibraltar has an important role in UKSIGINT and provides a vital strategic part of the United Kingdom communications gathering and monitoring network in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Merlin HC3 of 846 NAS with HMS Scimitar The Royal Navy 's base in Gibraltar. Twin towns and sister cities City State / Region Country Ballymena Antrim Northern Ireland Funchal Madeira Portugal Singapore Singapore Singapore Gibraltar Zulia Venezuela See also List of Gibraltarians Chief Justice of Gibraltar Attorney General of Gibraltar 1943 Gibraltar B - 24 crash Footnotes Notes Jump up ^ Station ID for Gibraltar is 08495 Use this station ID to locate the sunshine duration Jump up ^ Despite several sites reporting that tag rugby was invented by Perry Haddock in Australia around 1990 ( this is OzTag, a variant of Tag Rugby ), Godwin 's wrote about the topic seven years prior. Godwin does not mention when the sport began on Gibraltar, but he does explicitly use the term `` Tag Rugby '' to describe the game. References Jump up ^ `` National Symbols ''. Gibraltar.gov.gi. Retrieved 21 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar : National anthem ''. CIA World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 25 September 2011. National anthem : name : `` Gibraltar Anthem ''... note : adopted 1994 ; serves as a local anthem ; because Gibraltar is a territory of the United Kingdom, `` God Save the Queen '' remains official ( see United Kingdom ) Jump up ^ Gibraltar was captured on 24 July 1704 Old Style or 4 August 1704 New Style. Jump up ^ The treaty was signed on 31 March 1713 Old Style or 11 April 1713 New Style ( Peace and Friendship Treaty of Utrecht between France and Great Britain ). ^ Jump up to : `` Census of Gibraltar '' ( PDF ). Gibraltar.gov.gi. 2012. Retrieved 2017 - 08 - 03. Jump up ^ Quality of Life, Balance of Powers, and Nuclear Weapons ( 2015 ) Avakov, Aleksandr Vladimirovich. Algora Publishing, 1 Apr 2015. Jump up ^ `` Universal Postal Union document on Gibraltar '' ( PDF ). Upu.int. Retrieved 3 August 2017. Jump up ^ Dictionary Reference : Gibraltar Jump up ^ The Free Dictionary : Gibraltar Jump up ^ Statistics Office ( 2009 ). `` Abstract of Statistics 2009 '' ( PDF ). Statistics Office of the Government of Gibraltar. p. 2. The civilian population includes Gibraltarian residents, other British residents ( including the wives and families of UK - based servicemen, but not the servicemen themselves ) and non-British residents. Visitors and transients are not included. In 2009, this broke down into 23,907 native - born citizens, 3,129 UK British citizens and 2,395 others, making a total population of 29,431. On census night, there were 31,623 people present in Gibraltar. Jump up ^ `` Brexit makes Gibraltar even more important to the UK ''. British Foreign Policy Group. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 2017 - 04 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar : what is at stake ? ''. Telegraph. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 2017 - 04 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Inside the rock : Gibraltar 's strategic and military importance is complemented by financial and gaming leadership ''. City AM. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 2017 - 04 - 02. Jump up ^ Foreign and Commonwealth Office. `` Country Profiles : Gibraltar ''., Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 6 May 2010 ; retrieved 16 April 2015 ^ Jump up to : ( in Spanish ) Informe sobre la cuestión de Gibraltar, Spanish Foreign Ministry. Archived 25 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Hills, George ( 1974 ). Rock of Contention : A history of Gibraltar. London : Robert Hale & Company. p. 13. ISBN 0 - 7091 - 4352 - 4. Jump up ^ Choi, Charles ( 2006 ). `` Gibraltar ''. MSNBC. Retrieved 8 January 2010. Jump up ^ Norris, H.T. ( 1961 ). `` The Early Islamic Settlement in Gibraltar ''. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 91 : 39 -- 51. JSTOR 2844467. doi : 10.2307 / 2844467. Jump up ^ `` The History of Gibraltar and of Its Political Relation to Events in Europe, From the Commencement of the Moorish Dynasty in Spain to the Last Morocco War ''. Mocavo. Jump up ^ Maurice Harvey ( 1996 ). Gibraltar. A History. Spellmount Limited. pp. 50 -- 51. ISBN 1 - 86227 - 103 - 8. Jump up ^ Lamelas Oladán, Diego ( 1 April 1990 ). `` Asentamiento en Gibraltar en 1474 y expulsión en 1476 '' ( PDF ). Almoraima. Revista de Estudios Campogibraltareños ( in Spanish ). Instituto de Estudios Gibraltareños ( 3 ( Suplemento ' La compra de Gibraltar por los conversos andaluces ( 1474 -- 1476 ) ' ) ) : 25. Jump up ^ William Jackson ( 1990 ). The Rock of the Gibraltarians. A History of Gibraltar ( Second ed. ). Grendon, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom : Gibraltar Books. p. 101. ISBN 0 - 948466 - 14 - 6. Jump up ^ Stephen Constantine ( 2009 ). Community and identity. The making of modern Gibraltar since 1704. Manchester University Press. p. 15. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7190 - 8054 - 8. Jump up ^ William Godfrey Fothergill Jackson ( 1990 ). The Rock of the Gibraltarians : A History of Gibraltar. Gibraltar Books. p. 257. ISBN 978 - 0 - 948466 - 14 - 4. Retrieved 18 April 2011. Jump up ^ Cahoon, Ben ( 2000 ). `` Gibraltar ''. WorldStatesmen. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ `` Regions and territories : Gibraltar ''. British Broadcasting Corporation. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ Mark Oliver ; Sally Bolton ; Jon Dennis ; Matthew Tempest ( 4 August 2004 ). `` Gibraltar ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ Corrected transcript of evidence taken before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee ; 28 March 2008 ; Answer to Question 257 by Jim Murphy : ( T ) he UK Government will never -- `` never '' is a seldom - used word in politics -- enter into an agreement on sovereignty without the agreement of the Government of Gibraltar and their people. In fact, we will never even enter into a process without that agreement. `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2008 - 07 - 30. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` World Factbook ''. CIA. Retrieved 15 June 2010. Jump up ^ `` EU referendum : Who are the Gibraltar 823 ? ''. BBC News. Retrieved 2016 - 06 - 26. Jump up ^ `` Brexit : Spain calls for joint control of Gibraltar ''. BBC News. Retrieved 2016 - 06 - 26. Jump up ^ ( Reporter ), Joe Duggan ( 12 September 2016 ). `` Chief Minister Fabian Picardo says ' British Means British ' at National Day political rally ''. Jump up ^ Parliament.uk, UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee 2007 -- 2008 Report, p. 16 Jump up ^ Telegraph.co.uk, David Blair, Gibraltar makes plans for self - government, Daily Telegraph, 28 February 2002 `` Gibraltar 's parliament approved an ambitious package of constitutional reform yesterday designed to give the colony almost complete self - government. '' Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 18 August 2009. Gibraltar is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom and is self - governing in all matters but defence. Jump up ^ `` Laws of Gibraltar -- On - line Service ''. Gibraltarlaws.gov.gi. Retrieved 13 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` The Gibraltar Parliament ''. Gibraltar.gov.gi. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2011. Jump up ^ TheCommonwealth.org Archived 6 March 2010 at WebCite, The Secretariat of the Commonwealth : `` The governor represents the British monarch who is head of state and retains direct responsibility for all matters not specifically allocated to local ministers : principally external affairs, defence and internal security '' Jump up ^ PriceWaterhouseCoopers, `` About Gibraltar '' Jump up ^ GPA.gi Archived 4 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine., Gibraltar Police Authority, About the Gibraltar Police Authority -- Other Duties and Responsibilities -- Accountability : `` 1. to be accountable to the Governor on policing aspects of national security including internal security ( section 12 ) ; 2. to be accountable to the Government for those parts of the Annual Policing Plan which do not relate to national security ( section 15 ). '' Jump up ^ Gibraltar.gov.gi, Gibraltar Chief Minister 's address at the United Nations Committee of 24 on 5 June 2007 : The new Constitution `` maximises self Government in all areas of Governance except defence, external affairs and internal security which, under our own Constitution vest in the Governor as a matter of distribution of powers. '' ^ Jump up to : BBC News website, Regions and territories : Gibraltar `` Gibraltar is self - governing in all areas except defence and foreign policy. '' Jump up ^ Legco.gov.hk, p. 6, `` Lords of Appeal in Ordinary in the House of Lords are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, but the Lord Chancellor 's opinion is generally sought. This method of appointment is a matter of practice and convention, not of written law. '' Jump up ^ The Committee Office, House of Commons. `` Statement by the Minister for Europe ''. Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar should join South West for elections to European Parliament ''. Electoral Commission. 28 August 2003. Archived from the original on 5 December 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ Withnall, Adam ( 23 June 2016 ). `` Gibraltar overwhelmingly backs Remain in first result of the night ''. The Independent. Independent Digital News & Media. Retrieved 23 June 2016. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar Profile '' ( PDF ). UN. Retrieved 6 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar Territorial status '' ( PDF ). United Nations Committee on Decolonization. Retrieved 28 June 2014. Jump up ^ Gibraltar : Time to get off the fence ; Second Report of Session 2014 -- 15 ; HC 461. Great Britain : Parliament : House of Commons : Foreign Affairs Committee. Paragraph 83, p. 46 Jump up ^ Parliament.uk, UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee 2007 -- 2008 Report, p. 5 Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar Water Supply ''. AquaGib. Archived from the original on 10 November 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ `` Visit Gibraltar -- Upper Rock ''. Retrieved 9 January 2014. Jump up ^ CIA Factbook -- Geographic location Jump up ^ The Maltese Islands, Department of Information -- Malta. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar Climate Guide ''. Retrieved 5 June 2009. Jump up ^ `` Klimatafel von Gibraltar / Großbritannien '' ( PDF ). Baseline climate means ( 1961 -- 1990 ) from stations all over the world ( in German ). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 29 September 2016. Jump up ^ `` Station 08495 Gibraltar ''. Global station data 1961 -- 1990 -- Sunshine Duration. Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 29 September 2016. Jump up ^ C. Michael Hogan ( 2008 ) Barbary Macaque : Macaca sylvanus, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg Archived 19 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Casciani, Dominic ( 22 July 2004 ). `` Churchill sends telegram to protect apes ''. BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2011. Jump up ^ Bruno Waterfield Whitehall gaffe ' gives Gibraltar 's shores to Spain. The Daily Telegraph ( London ), 7 November 2009 Jump up ^ `` Ambient ( outdoor ) air pollution database, by country and city 2016 -- Excel format ''. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 25. Jump up ^ `` Europe. Gibraltar ( British Overseas Territory ) ''. Foreign and Commonwealth Office. 21 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` George Bassadone : Leading from the front ''. B2gibraltar.com. 23 October 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2017. Jump up ^ `` In Gibraltar, British citizens worry about effects of Brexit ''. Pbs.org. Retrieved 3 August 2017. Jump up ^ `` Tax Information ''. Government of Gibraltar. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` Microsoft Word -- 1983 - 13o. doc '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 26 March 2013. Jump up ^ `` Financial Services Commission ''. Fsc.gi. Retrieved 13 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` Microsoft Word -- 2007 - 03o. doc '' ( PDF ). Retrieved 26 March 2013. Jump up ^ Moran Harari, Markus Meinzer and Richard Murphy ( October 2012 ) `` Financial Secrecy, Banks and the Big 4 Firms of Accountants '' Tax Justice Network pp. 21 -- 24 Jump up ^ European Central Bank Monthly Bulletin, April 2006, p. 96 ^ Jump up to : `` Currency Notes Act, Section 6 '' ( PDF ). Government of Gibraltar. 11 May 1934. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ Managing a Global Enterprise, William R. Feist, James A. Heely, Min H. Lu, p. 40 Jump up ^ Currency Board Arrangements, Tomás J.T. Baliño, Charles Enoch, International Monetary Fund, page 1 Jump up ^ Madge, A ; A. Simons ( June 2000 ). `` Gibraltar ''. Guardian International Currency Corp. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ Noble, John ; Forsyth, Susan ; Hardy, Paula ; Hannigan, Des ( 2005 ). Andalucía. Lonely Planet. p. 221. ISBN 978 - 1 - 74059 - 676 - 3. Jump up ^ `` Statistics Office, Government of Gibraltar : Abstract of Statistics Report 2011 '' ( PDF ). Gibraltar.gov.gi. Retrieved 3 August 2017. Jump up ^ Archer, Edward G. : Gibraltar, identity and empire. Routledge Advances in European Politics ^ Jump up to : Gibraltar Census History Archived 14 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ E.G. Archer ( 11 January 2013 ). Gibraltar, Identity and Empire. Routledge. pp. 44 --. ISBN 978 - 1 - 136 - 00550 - 3. Jump up ^ `` Culture of Gibraltar ''. Everyculture. Retrieved 5 October 2007. Jump up ^ Anja Kellermann ( 2001 ). A New New English : Language, Politics, and Identity in Gibraltar. BoD -- Books on Demand. pp. 9 --. ISBN 978 - 3 - 8311 - 2368 - 1. ^ Jump up to : `` 2001 Census '' ( PDF ). Official Government of Gibraltar London website. Retrieved 10 April 2012. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar Methodist Church ''. The Methodist Church. Retrieved 30 October 2007. 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Jump up ^ Yborra Aznar, José Juan. `` Espejos y espejismos : la poesía de Trino Cruz ''. Eúphoros. Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia ( 2002 ) : 23. ISSN 1575 - 0205. Jump up ^ Luque, Alejandro. `` El gibraltareño Trino Cruz reúne dos décadas de su mejor poesía ''. Jump up ^ Juan José Téllez ( 16 January 2013 ). Yanitos. Viaje al corazón de Gibraltar ( 1713 -- 2013 ). Centro de Estudios Andaluces. pp. 49 --. ISBN 978 - 84 - 941817 - 5 - 7. Jump up ^ Mascarenhas, Alice. `` Always a Pleasure to Perform in Gibraltar ''. The Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 9 September 2003. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ `` Newsletter No 70 '' ( PDF ). Friends of Gibraltar Heritage Society. November 2004. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 1 December 2007. Retrieved 30 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar : 7 reasons why you should pay it a visit ''. BT.com. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 20. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar fail to get Uefa place ''. BBC Sport. 26 January 2007. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar played in the qualifying program for the 2016 European Championship. ''. Jump up ^ `` Gibraltar given full Uefa membership at London Congress ''. BBC Sport. 24 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` CAS Upholds the Appeal Filed by the Gibraltar Football Association Regarding Its Request to Become a Full Member of FIFA '' ( PDF ). Jump up ^ Godwin, Terry ( 1983 ). The Guinness Book of Rugby Facts & Feats ( 2nd ed. ). Enfield : Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 186. ISBN 0 - 85112 - 264 - 7. Jump up ^ `` Communiqué of the ministerial meeting of the forum of dialogue on Gibraltar '' ( PDF ). Government of Gibraltar. 18 September 2006. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 22 March 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2008. Jump up ^ Government of Gibraltar ( 18 September 2006 ). `` Trilateral Forum. Ministerial Statement on Pensions '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2008. Jump up ^ `` Press Release. Airport Agreement '' ( PDF ). Government of Gibraltar. 18 September 2006. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 24 November 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2008. Jump up ^ `` Spain restores Gibraltar air link ''. British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 December 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ The Committee Office, House of Commons. `` Frontier restrictions ''. Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2011. Jump up ^ Scotsman.com News : Spanish seal border as virus ship docks. Retrieved 16 October 2007 Jump up ^ `` Fishermen block frontier ''. Panorama.gi. Retrieved 13 May 2011. Jump up ^ Gibraltar International Airport. `` Destinations ''. Retrieved 18 July 2017. Jump up ^ Government of Gibraltar. `` Press Release : Government of Gibraltar Reaction to GB Sale '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2008. Jump up ^ `` Regional Andalusia airline begins Gibraltar - Madrid airbridge ''. MercoPress. Retrieved 9 March 2010. Jump up ^ `` Andalus drops Gibraltar ''. Panorama.gi. Retrieved 13 May 2011. Jump up ^ Government of Gibraltar. `` Press Release : New Air Terminal, tunnel under the runway and new road leading to all parts of Gibraltar north of the runway '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2008. and images of the proposals : `` Press Release : New Terminal Building '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 29 October 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2008. Jump up ^ `` The Chief Minister presented the plans for an ambitious new terminal building for Gibraltar Airport ''. 7 Days Gibraltar. Retrieved 21 December 2007. Jump up ^ New ferry ' repairs 40 year gap ' says Spanish Diplomat Archived 18 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine., Gibraltar Chronicle, 17 December 2009 Jump up ^ `` Morocco Travel Information -- Information About Traveling in Morocco ''. Goafrica.about.com. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012. Jump up ^ The Man in Seat 61... `` How to travel by train London to Morocco Train travel in Morocco ''. Seat61.com. Retrieved 9 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` La Línea lleva más de ochenta años esperando que pase el primer... ''. europasur.es. Jump up ^ Andalusia. `` Google Maps coordinates ''. Google Maps. Retrieved 16 August 2013. Jump up ^ Judiciary and Law -- Police, Gibraltar Government Website `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 2013 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ `` HIVE Location overview -- Gibraltar '' ( PDF ). Ministry of Defence. December 2007. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2010. Jump up ^ `` House of Commons Hansard Written Answers ''. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 9 November 1999. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Jump up ^ Giles Tremlett ( 24 July 2004 ). `` Falklands war almost spread to Gibraltar ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` Submarine Cable Map ''. Submarinecablemap.com. Retrieved 3 August 2017. Jump up ^ Richard J. Aldrich, GCHQ : The Uncensored Story of Britain 's Most Secret Intelligence Agency. Harper Press, 2010. Bibliography Abulafia, David ( 2011 ). The Great Sea : A Human History of the Mediterranean. London : Allen Lane. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7139 - 9934 - 1. Bond, Peter ( 2003 ). `` Gibraltar 's Finest Hour The Great Siege 1779 -- 1783 ''. 300 Years of British Gibraltar 1704 -- 2004 ( 1st ed. ). Gibraltar : Peter - Tan Publishing Co. pp. 28 -- 29. Chartrand, René ( July 2006 ). Gibraltar 1779 -- 1783 : The Great Siege. Patrice Courcelle ( 1st ed. ). Gibraltar : Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978 - 1 - 84176 - 977 - 6. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Drinkwater, John : A history of the siege of Gibraltar, 1779 -- 1783 : With a description and account of that garrison from the earliest periods London, 1862. Falkner, James : FIRE OVER THE ROCK : The Great Siege of Gibraltar 1779 -- 1783, Pen and Sword, 2009 Harvey, Robert : A Few Bloody Noses : The American War of Independence, London, 2001 Rodger, N.A.M. : The Command of the Ocean : A Naval History of Britain, 1649 -- 1815, London, 2006 Norwich, John Julius : The Middle Sea : a history of the Mediterranean, Random House, 2006 Sugden, John : Nelson : A Dream of Glory, London, 2004 Syrett, David : Admiral Lord Howe : A Biography, London, 2006. Maria Monti, Ángel : Historia de Gibraltar : dedicada a SS. AA. RR., los serenisimos señores Infantes Duques de Montpensier, Imp. Juan Moyano, 1852 Maria Montero, Francisco : Historia de Gibraltar y de su campo, Imprenta de la Revista Médica, 1860 Uxó Palasí, José : Referencias en torno al bloqueo naval durante los asedios, Almoraima. n. o 34, 2007 External links Government of Gibraltar Royal Gibraltar Police Gibraltar Fire & Rescue Service Places adjacent to Gibraltar Spain Spain Mediterranean Sea Spain Bay of Gibraltar Mediterranean Sea Gibraltar Strait of Gibraltar Morocco Strait of Gibraltar Morocco Mediterranean Sea Gibraltar topics History Neanderthals of Gibraltar Timeline ( sieges ) Pillars of Hercules First Siege of Gibraltar Battle of Gibraltar Capture of Gibraltar George Rooke Treaty of Utrecht Thirteenth Siege of Gibraltar Great Siege George Augustus Eliott Gibraltar real ( currency ) World War II Nationality Genoese in Gibraltar Maltese in Gibraltar Explosion of the RFA Bedenham Operation Flavius ( Death on the Rock ) Aurora incident New Flame incident Fedra incident Geography General Climate Geology Azores -- Gibraltar Transform Fault Gibraltar Arc Environment Birds Mammals Barbary macaques Reptiles and amphibians Candytuft ( Iberis gibraltarica ) Botanic Gardens Ornithological & Natural History Society ( GONHS ) Wildlife Park Places Natural Bay of Gibraltar Catalan Bay Eastern Beach Gorham 's Cave Rock of Gibraltar St. Michael 's Cave Sandy Bay Strait of Gibraltar Vanguard Cave Windmill Hill Built Bristol Hotel City Hall The Convent Garrison Library King George V Hospital Moorish Castle The Rock Hotel St. Bernard 's Hospital Politics General Constitution Order 1969 2006 Law Court system LGBT rights Passport Political development in modern Gibraltar People Chief Minister Governor Mayor Politics Black Swan Project controversy Disputed status isthmus Elections 2007 2011 2015 Parliament Speaker Political parties Sovereignty referendums 1967 2002 EU Referendum European Union ( Referendum ) Act 2016 ( Gibraltar ) Military British Forces Gibraltar Gibraltar Defence Police Gibraltar Squadron Napier of Magdala Battery RAF Gibraltar Royal Gibraltar Police Royal Gibraltar Regiment Economy General Banks Gibraltar pound coins Stock Exchange Taxation Tourism Communications. gi ( Internet domain ) Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation Gibraltar Chronicle Gibtelecom Panorama Regulatory Authority Royal Gibraltar Post Office Postage stamps and history Postal Orders Study Circle Telephone numbers Transport Airport Cable car Gibraltar -- Spain border Shipping in Gibraltar Vehicle registration plates Culture General Cuisine Education University of Gibraltar Miss Gibraltar Music Llévame Donde Nací National Day Scouting and Guiding in Gibraltar Demographics Gibraltarians list in the UK Gibraltarian status Languages English Llanito Religion Christianity Anglicanism Diocese in Europe Bishop diocesan Bishop suffragan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity St. Andrew 's Church ( Church of Scotland ) Methodism Roman Catholicism Diocese Bishop Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned Our Lady of Europe Shrine of Our Lady of Europe Trafalgar Cemetery Other faiths Hinduism Islam Ibrahim - al - Ibrahim Mosque Judaism Great Synagogue Sport By sport Basketball Cricket national team Cycling Football Football Association national team Petanque Rugby union Campo Gibraltar RUFC Commonwealth Games Island Games Records in athletics Victoria Stadium Symbols Anthem Coat of arms Official flag other flags Commons Portal WikiProject Member states of the European Union Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden United Kingdom Links to related articles Capitals of European states and territories Capitals of dependent territories and states whose sovereignty is disputed shown in italics. 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Partial suspension of sovereignty due to the Antarctic Treaty. British Empire Legend Current territory Former territory * Now a Commonwealth realm Now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations Historical flags of the British Empire Europe 1542 -- 1800 Ireland ( integrated into UK ) 1708 -- 1757, 1763 -- 1782 and 1798 -- 1802 Minorca Since 1713 Gibraltar 1800 -- 1813 Malta ( Protectorate ) 1813 -- 1964 Malta ( Colony ) 1807 -- 1890 Heligoland 1809 -- 1864 Ionian Islands 1878 -- 1960 Cyprus 1921 -- 1937 Irish Free State North America 17th century and before 18th century 19th and 20th century 1579 New Albion 1583 -- 1907 Newfoundland 1605 -- 1979 * Saint Lucia 1607 -- 1776 Virginia Since 1619 Bermuda 1620 -- 1691 Plymouth 1623 -- 1883 Saint Kitts 1624 -- 1966 * Barbados 1625 -- 1650 Saint Croix 1627 -- 1979 * Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1628 -- 1883 Nevis 1629 -- 1691 Massachusetts Bay 1632 -- 1776 Maryland since 1632 Montserrat 1632 -- 1860 Antigua 1636 -- 1776 Connecticut 1636 -- 1776 Rhode Island 1637 -- 1662 New Haven 1643 -- 1860 Bay Islands Since 1650 Anguilla 1655 -- 1850 Mosquito Coast 1655 -- 1962 * Jamaica 1663 -- 1712 Carolina 1664 -- 1776 New York 1665 -- 1674 and 1702 -- 1776 New Jersey Since 1666 Virgin Islands Since 1670 Cayman Islands 1670 -- 1973 * Bahamas 1670 -- 1870 Rupert 's Land 1671 -- 1816 Leeward Islands 1674 -- 1702 East Jersey 1674 -- 1702 West Jersey 1680 -- 1776 New Hampshire 1681 -- 1776 Pennsylvania 1686 -- 1689 New England 1691 -- 1776 Massachusetts Bay 1701 -- 1776 Delaware 1712 -- 1776 North Carolina 1712 -- 1776 South Carolina 1713 -- 1867 Nova Scotia 1733 -- 1776 Georgia 1754 -- 1820 Cape Breton Island 1762 -- 1974 * Grenada 1763 -- 1978 Dominica 1763 -- 1873 Prince Edward Island 1763 -- 1791 Quebec 1763 -- 1783 East Florida 1763 -- 1783 West Florida 1784 -- 1867 New Brunswick 1791 -- 1841 Lower Canada 1791 -- 1841 Upper Canada Since 1799 Turks and Caicos Islands 1818 -- 1846 Columbia District / Oregon Country 1833 -- 1960 Windward Islands 1833 -- 1960 Leeward Islands 1841 -- 1867 Canada 1849 -- 1866 Vancouver Island 1853 -- 1863 Queen Charlotte Islands 1858 -- 1866 British Columbia 1859 -- 1870 North - Western Territory 1860 -- 1981 * British Antigua and Barbuda 1862 -- 1863 Stickeen 1866 -- 1871 British Columbia 1867 -- 1931 * Dominion of Canada 1871 -- 1964 Honduras 1882 -- 1983 * Saint Kitts and Nevis 1889 -- 1962 Trinidad and Tobago 1907 -- 1949 Newfoundland 1958 -- 1962 West Indies Federation 1. Occupied jointly with the United States. 2. In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self - government through the Statute of Westminster. See Name of Canada. 3. Gave up self - rule in 1934, but remained a de jure Dominion until it joined Canada in 1949. South America 1631 -- 1641 Providence Island 1651 -- 1667 Willoughbyland 1670 -- 1688 Saint Andrew and Providence Islands 1831 -- 1966 Guiana Since 1833 Falkland Islands Since 1908 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 4. Now a department of Colombia. 5. Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April -- June 1982. Africa 17th and 18th centuries 19th century 20th century Since 1658 Saint Helena 1792 -- 1961 Sierra Leone 1795 -- 1803 Cape Colony Since 1815 Ascension Island Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha 1806 -- 1910 Cape of Good Hope 1807 -- 1808 Madeira 1810 -- 1968 Mauritius 1816 -- 1965 The Gambia 1856 -- 1910 Natal 1862 -- 1906 Lagos 1868 -- 1966 Basutoland 1874 -- 1957 Gold Coast 1882 -- 1922 Egypt 1884 -- 1900 Niger Coast 1884 -- 1966 Bechuanaland 1884 -- 1960 Somaliland 1887 -- 1897 Zululand 1890 -- 1962 Uganda 1890 -- 1963 Zanzibar 1891 -- 1964 Nyasaland 1891 -- 1907 Central Africa 1893 -- 1968 Swaziland 1895 -- 1920 East Africa 1899 -- 1956 Sudan 1900 -- 1914 Northern Nigeria 1900 -- 1914 Southern Nigeria 1900 -- 1910 Orange River 1900 -- 1910 Transvaal 1903 -- 1976 Seychelles 1910 -- 1931 South Africa 1914 -- 1960 Nigeria 1915 -- 1931 South - West Africa 1919 -- 1961 Cameroons 1920 -- 1963 Kenya 1922 -- 1961 Tanganyika 1923 -- 1965 and 1979 -- 1980 Southern Rhodesia 1924 -- 1964 Northern Rhodesia 6. League of Nations mandate. 7. Self - governing Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965 ( as Rhodesia ) and continued as an unrecognised state until the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement. After recognised independence in 1980, Zimbabwe was a member of the Commonwealth until it withdrew in 2003. Asia 17th and 18th century 19th century 20th century 1685 -- 1824 Bencoolen 1702 -- 1705 Pulo Condore 1757 -- 1947 Bengal 1762 -- 1764 Manila and Cavite 1781 -- 1784 and 1795 -- 1819 Padang 1786 -- 1946 Penang 1795 -- 1948 Ceylon 1796 -- 1965 Maldives 1812 -- 1824 Banka and Billiton 1819 -- 1826 Malaya 1824 -- 1948 Burma 1826 -- 1946 Straits Settlements 1839 -- 1967 Aden 1839 -- 1842 Afghanistan 1841 -- 1997 Hong Kong 1841 -- 1946 Sarawak 1848 -- 1946 Labuan 1858 -- 1947 India 1874 -- 1963 Borneo 1879 -- 1919 Afghanistan ( protectorate ) 1882 -- 1963 North Borneo 1885 -- 1946 Unfederated Malay States 1888 -- 1984 Brunei 1891 -- 1971 Muscat and Oman 1892 -- 1971 Trucial States 1895 -- 1946 Federated Malay States 1898 -- 1930 Weihai 1878 -- 1960 Cyprus 1907 -- 1949 Bhutan ( protectorate ) 1918 -- 1961 Kuwait 1920 -- 1932 Mesopotamia 1921 -- 1946 Transjordan 1923 -- 1948 Palestine 1945 -- 1946 South Vietnam 1946 -- 1963 North Borneo 1946 -- 1963 Sarawak 1946 -- 1963 Singapore 1946 -- 1948 Malayan Union 1948 -- 1957 Federation of Malaya Since 1960 Akrotiri and Dhekelia ( before as part of Cyprus ) Since 1965 British Indian Ocean Territory ( before as part of Mauritius and the Seychelles ) League of Nations mandate. Iraq 's mandate was not enacted and replaced by the Anglo - Iraqi Treaty Oceania 18th and 19th centuries 20th century 1788 -- 1901 New South Wales 1803 -- 1901 Van Diemen 's Land / Tasmania 1807 -- 1863 Auckland Islands 1824 -- 1980 New Hebrides 1824 -- 1901 Queensland 1829 -- 1901 Swan River / Western Australia 1836 -- 1901 South Australia since 1838 Pitcairn Islands 1841 -- 1907 New Zealand 1851 -- 1901 Victoria 1874 -- 1970 Fiji 1877 -- 1976 Western Pacific Territories 1884 -- 1949 Papua 1888 -- 1901 Rarotonga / Cook Islands 1889 -- 1948 Union Islands 1892 -- 1979 Gilbert and Ellice Islands 1893 -- 1978 Solomon Islands 1900 -- 1970 Tonga 1900 -- 1974 Niue 1901 -- 1942 * Australia 1907 -- 1953 * New Zealand 1919 -- 1942 and 1945 -- 1968 Nauru 1919 -- 1949 New Guinea 1949 -- 1975 Papua and New Guinea 9. Now part of the * Realm of New Zealand. 10. Suspended member. 11. Now Kiribati and * Tuvalu. 12. Now the * Solomon Islands. 13. Now * Papua New Guinea. Antarctica and South Atlantic Since 1658 Saint Helena Since 1815 Ascension Island Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha Since 1908 British Antarctic Territory 1841 -- 1933 Australian Antarctic Territory ( transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia ) 1841 -- 1947 Ross Dependency ( transferred to the Realm of New Zealand ) 14. Since 2009 part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha ; Ascension Island ( 1922 -- ) and Tristan da Cunha ( 1938 -- ) were previously dependencies of Saint Helena. 15. Both claimed in 1908 ; territories formed in 1962 ( British Antarctic Territory ) and 1985 ( South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ). Territorial disputes involving the United Kingdom Gibraltar Falkland Islands Rockall South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory Phoenician cities and colonies Algeria Cirta Malaca Igigili Hippo Regius Icosium Iol Tipasa Timgad Cyprus Kition Dhali Marion Greece Callista Rhodes Italy Karalis Lilybaeum Motya Neapolis Nora Olbia Panormus Solki Soluntum Tharros Lebanon Amia Ampi Arqa Baalbek Berut Botrys Gebal Sarepta Sur Sydon Tripolis Libya Leptis Magna Oea Sabratha Malta Gozo Għajn Qajjet Mtarfa Maleth Ras il - Wardija Tas - Silġ Mauritania / Morocco Cerne / Arambys Caricus Murus Chellah Lixus Tingis Israel Achziv Acre Arsuf Caesarea Portugal Olissipona Ossonoba Spain Abdera Abyla Akra Leuke Gadir Herna Ibossim Sa Caleta, Ibiza Mahón Malaca Onoba Qart Hadašt Rusadir Sexi Tyreche Syria Amrit Arwad Safita Shuksi Ugarit Tunisia Carthage Hadrumetum Hippo Diarrhytus Kelibia Kerkouane Leptis Parva Sicca Thanae Thapsus Utica Turkey / others Myriandrus Phoenicus / Gibraltar Portals Access related topics Gibraltar portal United Kingdom portal European Union portal Europe portal Find out more on Wikipedia 's Sister projects Media from Commons Travel guides from Wikivoyage News stories from Wikinews Definitions from Wiktionary Textbooks from Wikibooks Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Learning resources from Wikiversity Data from Wikidata Coordinates : 36 ° 8 ′ 28.48 '' N 5 ° 20 ′ 50.53 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 36.1412444 ° N 5.3473694 ° W ﻿ / 36.1412444 ; - 5.3473694 VIAF : 125501644 LCCN : n81103161 ISNI : 0000 0001 2165 9435 GND : 4020965 - 9 BNF : cb14011467j ( data ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gibraltar&oldid=800703387 '' Categories : Gibraltar British Overseas Territories Capitals in Europe Headlands of Europe English - speaking countries and territories European Union Former British colonies and protectorates in Europe Iberian Peninsula Jewish Spanish history Geography of Southwestern Europe Territorial disputes of Spain 1700s in Spain States and territories established in 1704 1704 establishments in the British Empire 1704 establishments in Europe Hidden categories : Articles with Spanish - language external links Webarchive template wayback links CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown Webarchive template webcite links CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Use British English from April 2013 Use dmy dates from December 2015 Articles containing Latin - language text Articles containing Arabic - language text Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2012 All articles containing potentially dated statements All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from May 2010 Articles needing additional references from July 2011 All articles needing additional references Articles with unsourced statements from June 2012 Coordinates on Wikidata Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikinews Wikivoyage Languages Acèh Afrikaans አማርኛ Ænglisc Aragonés Arpetan Asturianu Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Башҡортса Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Boarisch Bosanski Brezhoneg Català Чӑвашла Čeština ChiTumbuka Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch ދިވެހިބަސް Dolnoserbski Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Estremeñu Euskara فارسی Fiji Hindi Føroyskt Français Frysk Gaeilge Gaelg Gagauz Gàidhlig Galego 客家 語 / Hak - kâ - ngî Хальмг 한국어 Hausa Հայերեն हिन्दी Hornjoserbsce Hrvatski Ido বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Interlingue Ирон Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa Kapampangan ქართული Қазақша Kernowek Kinyarwanda Kiswahili Kurdî Кыргызча Ladino Лезги Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Ligure Limburgs Lumbaart Magyar मैथिली Македонски മലയാളം Māori मराठी მარგალური مصرى مازِرونی Bahasa Melayu Mìng - dĕ̤ng - ngṳ̄ Монгол မြန်မာဘာသာ Nāhuatl Nederlands Nedersaksies नेपाली नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Nordfriisk Norfuk / Pitkern Norsk Norsk nynorsk Nouormand Occitan ଓଡ଼ିଆ Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی Patois Piemontèis Plattdüütsch Polski Português Qaraqalpaqsha Română Русский Sardu Scots Shqip Sicilianu සිංහල Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Soomaaliga کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Basa Sunda Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Taqbaylit Татарча / tatarça Tetun ไทย Тоҷикӣ Türkçe Українська اردو Vèneto Tiếng Việt Walon 文言 Winaray Wolof 吴语 ייִדיש Yorùbá 粵語 Zazaki Zeêuws 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 15 September 2017, at 04 : 50. 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Question: who is the rock of gibraltar named after
Answer: named after the Umayyad general Tariq ibn-Ziyad