United Kingdom - Gibraltar

Status: UK overseas territory

Population: 28,800 (2005)

Time: GMT plus 1–2hr

Currency: Gibraltar pound, at par with pound sterling

Geography

Gibraltar, at the mouth of the Mediterranean sea, is connected to Spain by a 1.6km-long sandy isthmus. To the west, across the Bay of Gibraltar, is the Spanish port of Algeciras; across the Strait of Gibraltar, 21km to the south, is Morocco.

Time: GMT plus 1hr. The clock is advanced by one hour from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

Area: 6.5 sq km

Topography: Gibraltar is a narrow peninsula 4.8km long and 1.2km wide, aligned north/south, and rising to 426m on a limestone and shale ridge, known as ‘the Rock’ (hence Gibraltar’s nickname). There is no natural fresh water, and drinking water is produced by desalination and stored in a reservoir on the Rock.

Climate: The climate is Mediterranean, with winter rainfall brought by westerly winds, and dry summers. Snow and frost are extremely rare. In summer the prevailing winds are easterly. Average annual rainfall (1997–2002) is 699mm.

Environment: The most significant environmental issue is the limited natural freshwater resources; rainwater is collected in large concrete or natural rock water catchments.

Vegetation: Gibraltar has more than 500 species of small flowering plants, including the unique candytuft. Olive and pine trees grow on the higher ground.

Wildlife: Various small mammals are found on the Rock, as well as the Barbary ape (the only wild monkey in Europe) and the only Barbary partridges in Europe.

Transport/Communications: There are 29km of roads, and a system of tunnels within the Rock; some 20,000 motor vehicles are registered.

Despite not being a natural haven, the harbour is extensive, and has been used for centuries as a refitting and revictualling centre for the navies of many nations. The port is able to take large ships and provides a base for transhipment, as well as being a UK naval base.

Gibraltar Airport is 1km north of the town centre on the North Front (the neck of the territory leading to Spain).

The international dialling code is +350. There are 892 main telephone lines and 356 mobile phone subscriptions per 1,000 people (2002).

There are 7,452 TV licence holders and 6,200 internet users (2002).

Society

Population: 28,800 (2005); population density 4,428 per sq km; growth 0.2% p.a.; birth rate 11 per 1,000 people; life expectancy 80 years. Gibraltarians comprise 81% of the population (2001 census), other British nationals 12% and Moroccans 3%.

Religion: Christians (Roman Catholics 78%, Anglicans 7%, others 3%), Muslims 4%, Jewish and Hindu minorities (2001 census).

Language: English and Spanish

Media: The Gibraltar Chronicle is a daily newspaper (established 1801). New People, Panorama (online daily) and Vox are published weekly, and The Gibraltar Magazine is monthly (in print and online).

Education: There are ten years of compulsory education starting at age five, and 3,273 pupils in primary education and 1,914 in secondary education (2002). The pupil–teacher ratio for primary is 21:1 and for secondary 12:1 (2000/01). The school year starts in September.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) Joint Services provide their own school up to secondary age through the Service Children’s Education scheme. Non-MOD children may attend by arrangement. Adult illiteracy is less than 5%.

Health: Infant mortality was an estimated 5 per 1,000 live births in 2005.

Social welfare: Benefit is provided for maternity, unemployment, illness, disability and death, and is funded through contributions.

Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Commonwealth Day (second Monday in March), May Day (Monday in early May), Spring Bank Holiday (last Monday in May), Queen’s Official Birthday (Monday following one of the first three Saturdays in June, in line with the UK), Late Summer Bank Holiday (last Monday in August), National Day (10 September), Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year include Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Economy

Overview: Hitherto dependent on a diminishing UK Ministry of Defence presence, financial services and tourism became increasingly important as Gibraltar sought to diversify its economy. There is considerable trade in re-export to Spain and resale of fuel to shipping.

From the 1990s structural reforms have brought about substantial growth in the private sector.

Trade: Gibraltar lacks natural resources, and has to import fuels and foodstuffs. Re-exports include manufactured goods, fuels, beverages and tobacco.

History

Gibraltar has a long and turbulent history owing to its unique position at a major crossroads of European commerce. It has been a stronghold of the Moors, but Spain held the Rock for 242 years of continuous occupation, during its period of greatest power and expansion in Europe and the Americas. However, when the Spanish King Charles II died in 1701, a disputed succession led to war, with Britain, Holland, Austria and the Holy Roman Empire joining forces to promote their candidate, the Archduke Charles of Austria. An English and Dutch fleet arrived in the Bay of Gibraltar in July 1704, and evicted the Spanish garrison on 4 August of that year. The Treaty of Utrecht (1713) ended the war and ceded Gibraltar to Britain.

Since then, British forces have withstood numerous sieges. The ‘Great Siege’ (1779–83), when the governor, General George Augustus Eliot, withstood a combined Spanish and French attack, was followed by the Treaty of Versailles, which confirmed Britain’s title to Gibraltar. In 1805, after the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Victory was towed into Gibraltar carrying the body of Admiral Nelson. It became of even more strategic importance to Britain with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, providing the main route to colonies in East Africa and Asia.

The Rock was of considerable significance in the two world wars of the 20th century as a centre for refitting ships, an air base and a key point in anti-submarine operations.
Successive Spanish governments have accepted the validity of the Treaty of Utrecht but argued that British sovereignty over the Rock is an anachronism. Spanish policy has been to recover sovereignty by peaceful means. During the 1960s, Franco’s government imposed restrictions on communications between Spain and the Rock. But in a referendum in 1967, Gibraltarians voted 12,138 to 44 to stay British. A new constitution in 1969 emphasised Gibraltar’s UK allegiance, while giving greater internal self-government. Spain responded by closing the border and severing telephone and transport links. Gibraltar joined the European Community in 1973 under the terms of the Act of Accession.

After the death of Franco in 1975 and the restoration of democracy in Spain, attitudes gradually softened and the border was reopened in 1985, in advance of Spain’s entry into the European Community in January 1986.

Constitution

The current constitution was promulgated in 2006 with the intention to provide for a modern relationship between Gibraltar and the UK – not one based on colonialism. It builds on the 1969 Gibraltar Constitution which formalised the devolution to local ministers of responsibility for a range of defined domestic matters.

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.

The parliament comprises a speaker, at least 17 elected members and (since the 2007 elections) four ex-officio members (the principal auditor, the ombudsman, the clerk to the parliament and any other officer prescribed by law). Elections to the parliament take place every four years. All British subjects over the age of 18 who fulfil residence requirements are entitled to vote. The territory comprises a single constituency and there is a block voting system under which each elector may vote for up to ten candidates.

The constitution provides for a police authority and commissions charged with appointing judicial and other public officials.

Politics

Last elections: October 2007

Next elections: 2011

Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by governor

Head of government: Chief Minister Peter Caruana

Ruling party: Gibraltar Social Democrats

Joe Bossano, leader of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP) was chief minister from 1988 until the elections of May 1996. As chief minister he campaigned for Gibraltarian self-determination and opposed the Brussels Process (agreement between the British and Spanish Governments to start negotiations aimed at overcoming all the differences between them on Gibraltar). Bossano did not participate in meetings under the process, but did develop closer relations with the authorities of the Spanish Campo region adjacent to Gibraltar.

The 1996 elections were won by the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD), whose leader, Peter Caruana, became chief minister. The February 2000 elections were again won by the GSD, with eight of 15 elected seats in the house of assembly, and Caruana continued as chief minister. The GSD government favours dialogue with Spain but is also committed to defending the Gibraltarians’ right of self-determination and vigorously opposes any concessions on sovereignty without Gibraltar’s consent.

The Brussels Process was restarted in the summer of 2001 with the aim of achieving a lasting resolution to the Gibraltar dispute. By July 2002, after several months of negotiations, the UK and Spain had reached broad agreement on many of the principles that could underpin a lasting settlement, but a number of issues remained unresolved. On 7 November 2002, the Gibraltar Government held a referendum to ask the people of Gibraltar whether they accepted the principle of joint sovereignty with Spain and 98.5% voted ‘no’.

Caruana and the GSD were returned with eight seats and 52% of votes in the November 2003 elections, and the alliance led by Bossano received 40% (GSLP five seats, Liberal Party two seats).

In the elections of October 2007, GSD won with a reduced vote (49%) but an increased majority (taking 10 seats), and Caruana was returned as chief minister. The GSLP/Liberal coalition received 45% of votes and seven seats.