Gibraltar

**Gibraltar** is a British Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. This means it shares the British King and has the protection of the British Armed Forces. It is in southwest Europe on the Mediterranean Sea. About 32,000 people live there. They are called Gibraltarians.

Gibraltar has always been important as a military base because this is where the Mediterranean Sea narrows to only 14 kilometres (9 miles) at the Strait of Gibraltar. This meant that whichever country controlled Gibraltar could see all ships that came into the Mediterranean Sea.

Gibraltar is most famous for _The Rock of Gibraltar_, a 426 meter high limestone rock rising out of the sea. The rock can be seen for many miles. It is home to the _Barbary Apes_, a type of tail-less macaque which are the only wild monkeys in Europe.

## History

Gibraltar was named for a general who led the Umayyad conquest of Hispania. It belonged to Spain between the years 1501 and 1704, and it was captured by a group of Dutch and British marines during the War of the Spanish Succession (1704). In 1713, Spain signed the _Treaty of Utrecht_. This treaty ended the war and said Gibraltar would be British permanently. However, according to this treaty, if the Crown of Great Britain ever wants to leave the territory, the Crown of Spain will have a prior position in order to claim the sovereignty.

Ever since then, Spain has tried to get Gibraltar back. They attacked the Rock several times in the 18th century.
However, since the 1950s, Spain has tried get Gibraltar by diplomacy (international relations) by putting different kinds of pressure and restrictions on the people of Gibraltar.

Gibraltar was very important in World War II. Since it was in such a good position, it was the perfect place for the British army and navy to have its base. In World War II the people living in Gibraltar were taken to different parts of the world like Jamaica so they could be protected from the war and also leave the Rock for the soldiers. The Rock of Gibraltar was used by these soldiers, and long tunnels were made inside it. These tunnels even had a hospital and living areas for the soldiers.

In 1969 Britain gave Gibraltar a new constitution. This meant that it gave the people of Gibraltar a large amount of self-government.

In 2002 the people of Gibraltar were asked to vote whether they wanted Spain to share Gibraltar with the United Kingdom; almost everyone voted and 98.97% said they did not.

In 2006 Gibraltar voted to approve a new constitution which gave full self-government to the people meaning they can independently create their own laws.

In 2006, Spain signed a deal to stop interfering with Gibraltar telephone lines, and daily flights to Madrid started.

## Other websites

- Government of Gibraltar
- The Unofficial Homepage
- Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (with radio streaming)
- Satellite view of Gibraltar
- Virtual Tour of Gibraltar

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Gibraltar
- **common name**: Gibraltar
- **image flag**: Flag of Gibraltar.svg
- **image coat**: Coat of arms of Gibraltar1.svg
- **symbol width**: 75px
- **image map**: EU-Gibraltar (pre-Brexit).svg
- **image map2**: Gibraltar map-en-edit2.svg
- **map2 width**: 250px
- **map caption2**: Map of Gibraltar
- **national motto**:

- **national anthem**: "God Save the King"
"Gibraltar Anthem"
- **official languages**: English language, English
- **languages type**: Spoken languages
- **capital**: Gibraltar
- **largest settlement type**: district

- **largest settlement**: Westside, Gibraltar, Westside
- **government type**: Representative democracy, Representative democratic Parliamentary system, parliamentary Dependent territory, dependency under constitutional monarchy
- **leader title1**: Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Monarch
- **leader name1**: Charles III
- **leader title2**: Governor of Gibraltar, Governor
- **leader name2**: David Steel (Royal Navy officer), Sir David Steel
- **leader title3**: Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Chief Minister
- **leader name3**: Fabian Picardo
- **leader title4**: Mayor of Gibraltar, Mayor
- **leader name4**: John Gonçalves
- **leader title5**: Government of the United Kingdom, UK government minister
- **leader name5**: Wendy Morton Member of Parliament, MP
- **legislature**: Gibraltar Parliament, Parliament
- **area km2**: 6.7
- **area sq mi**: 2.6
- **percent water**: 0
- **population estimate**: 32,194
- **population estimate rank**: 222nd
- **population estimate year**: 2015
- **population census year**: 2012
- **population density km2**: 4,328
- **population density sq mi**: 11,320
- **population density rank**: 5th
- **gdp ppp**: £1.64 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2013
- **gdp ppp per capita**: £50,941
- **gdp ppp per capita rank**: n/a
- **sovereignty type**: History of Gibraltar, Formation
- **established event1**: Capture of Gibraltar, Captured
- **established date1**: 4 August 1704
- **established event2**: Treaty of Utrecht, Ceded
- **established date2**: 11 April 1713
- **established event3**: Gibraltar National Day, National Day
- **established date3**: 10 September 1967
- **established event4**: Joined the European Economic Community, EEC
- **established date4**: 1 January 1973
- **hdi year**: 2015
- **hdi**: 0.961
- **hdi rank**: 5th
- **currency**: Gibraltar pound (Pound sign, £)
- **currency code**: GIP
- **time zone**: Central European Time, CET
- **utc offset**: +1
- **time zone dst**: Central European Summer Time, CEST
- **utc offset dst**: +2
- **date format**: dd/mm/yyyy
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: +350
- **cctld**: .gi
- **footnote a**: Of mixed Genoa, Genoese, Maltese people, Maltese, Portuguese people, Portuguese and Spanish people, Spanish descent.
- **footnote b**: Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with responsibility for Europe and the Americas.
- **footnote c**: As a Special Member State territories and the European Union, Special Member State territory of the United Kingdom.
- **footnote d**: Coins and sterling notes are issued by the Government of Gibraltar.
- **footnote e**: Unlike all other UK dependencies except the British Indian Ocean Territory, since 16 June 1929.
- **footnote f**: 9567 from Spain before 10 February 2007.
- **footnote g**: The .eu domain is also used, shared with other European Union member states. <big>

Postcodes in the United Kingdom#Overseas territories, UK Postcode: GX11 1AA</big>