{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led Spain to close the border and sever all communication links. Between 1997 and 2002, the UK and Spain held a series of talks on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since late 2004, Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar have held tripartite talks with the aim of cooperatively resolving problems that affect the local population, and work continues on cooperation agreements in areas such as taxation and financial services; communications and maritime security; policy, legal and customs services; environmental protection; and education and visa services. A new noncolonial constitution came into force in 2007, and the European Court of First Instance recognized Gibraltar's right to regulate its own tax regime in December 2008. The UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.
Spain and the UK continue to spar over the territory. Throughout 2009, a dispute over Gibraltar's claim to territorial waters extending out three miles gave rise to periodic non-violent maritime confrontations between Spanish and UK naval patrols and in 2013, the British reported a record number of entries by Spanish vessels into waters claimed by Gibraltar following a dispute over Gibraltar's creation of an artificial reef in those waters. Spain renewed its demands for an eventual return of Gibraltar to Spanish control after the UK’s June 2016 vote to leave the EU, but London has dismissed any connection between the vote and its continued sovereignty over Gibraltar. The EU has said that Gibraltar will be ouside the territorial scope of any future UK-EU trade deal and that separate agreements between the EU and UK regarding Gibraltar would require Spain's prior approval.
" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "36 08 N, 5 21 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "Europe" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "7 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "6.5 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "0 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "more than 10 times the size of The National Mall in Washington, D.C." }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "1.2 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Spain 1.2 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "12 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "3 nm" } }, "Climate": { "text": "Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers" }, "Terrain": { "text": "a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar" }, "Elevation": { "lowest point": { "text": "Mediterranean Sea 0 m" }, "highest point": { "text": "Rock of Gibraltar 426 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "none" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "0% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 0% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "0% (2011 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "100% (2011 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "NA" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "occasional droughts; no streams or large bodies of water on the peninsula (all potable water comes from desalination)" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "limited natural freshwater resources: more than 90% of drinking water supplied by desalination, the remainder from stored rainwater; a separate supply of saltwater used for sanitary services" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "note 1: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
note 2: one of only two British territories where traffic drives on the right, the other being the island of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory
" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "29,516 (July 2021 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Gibraltarian(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Gibraltar" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Gibraltarian 79%, other British 13.2%, Spanish 2.1%, Moroccan 1.6%, other EU 2.4%, other 1.6% (2012 est.)", "note": "note: adopted 1994; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, \"God Save the Queen\" is official (see United Kingdom)
" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. Tax rates are low to attract foreign investment. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.
The financial sector, tourism (over 11 million visitors in 2012), gaming revenues, shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, tourism, and the shipping sector contribute 30%, 30%, and 25%, respectively, of GDP. Telecommunications, e-commerce, and e-gaming account for the remaining 15%.
" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2013": { "text": "2.5% (2013 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2012": { "text": "2.2% (2012 est.)" } }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014": { "text": "$2.044 billion (2014 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2013": { "text": "$1.85 billion (2013 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2012": { "text": "$2 billion (2012 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2014 dollars
" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$2.044 billion (2014 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2014": { "text": "$61,700 (2014 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2008": { "text": "$43,000 (2008 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2007": { "text": "$41,200 (2007 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "0% (2016 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "0% (2008 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "100% (2016 est.)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "none" }, "Industries": { "text": "tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "NA" }, "Labor force": { "text": "24,420 (2014 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "NEGL" }, "industry": { "text": "1.8%" }, "services": { "text": "98.2% (2014 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2016": { "text": "1% (2016 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "NA" }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "NA" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "NA" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "475.8 million (2008 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "452.3 million (2008 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "23.3% (of GDP) (2008 est.)" }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "1.1% (of GDP) (2008 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2008": { "text": "7.5% of GDP (2008 est.)" }, "Public debt 2006": { "text": "8.4% of GDP (2006 est.)" } }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "1 July - 30 June" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2014": { "text": "$202.3 million (2014 est.)" }, "Exports 2004": { "text": "$271 million (2004 est.)" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Spain 27.1%, Germany 20.4%, Netherlands 10.8%, Poland 8.6%, France 6.6%, Italy 5.7%, Cote dIvoire 4.5% (2017)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods (2010 est.)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2004": { "text": "$2.967 billion (2004 est.)" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "Spain 15.6%, Italy 13.4%, US 13.3%, Netherlands 10.9%, Greece 8.5%, Russia 6.6%, UK 5.8%, Belgium 4.4% (2017)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "fuels, manufactured goods, foodstuffs" }, "Debt - external": { "text": "NA
" }, "Exchange rates": { "currency": { "text": "Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "0.885 (2017 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2016": { "text": "0.903 (2016 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2015": { "text": "0.9214 (2015 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "0.885 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "0.7634 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity - production": { "text": "238.8 million kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - consumption": { "text": "230.8 million kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "0 kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "0 kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "43,000 kW (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { "text": "78,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "74,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas - production": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - proved reserves": { "text": "0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)" }, "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": { "text": "13.34 million Mt (2017 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "14,865" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "50.35 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "35,510" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "120.28 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities (2018)" }, "domestic": { "text": "automatic exchange facilities; 50 per 100 fixed-line and 120 per 100 mobile-cellular (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 350; landing point for the EIG to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East via submarine cables; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) provides TV and radio broadcasting services via 1 TV station and 4 radio stations; British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) operates 1 radio station; broadcasts from Spanish radio and TV stations are accessible" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".gi" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "27,823" }, "percent of population": { "text": "94.44% (July 2018 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "19,232" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "65 (2018 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "VP-G (2016)" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "1 (2013)" } }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "total": { "text": "1 (2017)" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "1 (2017)" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "29 km (2007)" }, "paved": { "text": "29 km (2007)" } }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "217" }, "by type": { "text": "bulk carrier 8, container ship 24, general cargo 64, oil tanker 21, other 100 (2020)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Gibraltar" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Royal Gibraltar Regiment (2019)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces in 1991 (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any \"shared sovereignty\" arrangement; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy
" } } }