Gibraltar Location:
36°8'N, 5°21'W
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory shares a border with Spain to the north. Gibraltar has historically been an important base for the British Armed Forces and is the site of a Royal Navy base.
Gibraltar Geography:
The territory covers 2.53 square miles (6.543 km2). It shares a three-quarter mile (1.2 km) land border with Spain and has 7½ miles (12 km) of shoreline. There are two coasts (sides) of Gibraltar – the East Side, which contains the settlements of Sandy Bay and Catalan Bay, and the West Side, where the vast majority of the population lives.
The climate is Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers. There are two main prevailing winds, an easterly one known as the Levante coming from the Sahara in Africa which brings humid weather and warmer sea and the other as Poniente which is westerly and brings fresher air in and colder sea. Its terrain consists of the 1,396 foot (426 m) high Rock of Gibraltar and the narrow coastal lowland surrounding it.
Having negligible natural resources and limited natural freshwater resources, limited to natural wells in the north, until recently Gibraltar used large concrete or natural rock water catchments to collect water. 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. [3]
Gibraltar is one of the most densely populated territories in the world, with approximately 11,154 people per square mile (4,290/km2). The growing demand for space is being increasingly met by land reclamation, which comprises approximately one tenth of the territory's total area.
The Rock itself is made of limestone and is 1,396 feet (426 m) high. It contains many miles of tunnelled roads, most of which are operated by the military and hence closed to the public.
Most of its upper area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 230 Barbary Macaques, commonly known as 'apes', they are the only wild monkeys found in Europe. They sometimes visit the town area. Recent genetic studies and historical documents point to their presence on the Rock before its capture by the British. A superstition analogous to that of the ravens at the Tower of London states that if the monkeys ever leave, so will the British.
Gibraltar People:
Population
- Jul 2005 estimate 27,921 (220th)
- Density 4,290 /km2 (5th)
11,154 /sq mi
Gibraltar Government:
Government British overseas territory
- Head of state Queen Elizabeth II
- Governor Lt. Gen. Sir Robert Fulton KBE
- Chief Minister Peter Caruana Q.C.
Gibraltar Communication:
Gibraltar has a digital telephone exchange supported by a fibre optic and copper infrastructure. The telephone operator Gibtelecom also operates a GSM network.
International subscriber dialling is provided, and Gibraltar was allocated the access code 350 by the International Telecommunication Union. This works from all countries with IDD, including Spain, which has accepted it since February 10, 2007 when the telecom dispute was resolved.
Dial-up, ADSL, high-speed Internet lines are available, as are some wifi hotspots in hotels.
The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation operate a television and radio station on UHF, VHF and medium-wave. The radio service is also Internet-streamed. Special events are streamed in video.
There are also a number of newspapers in Gibraltar. The largest and most frequent is The Gibraltar Chronicle, the second oldest daily newspaper in the world (first published 1801) with daily editions six days a week. Panorama who publish on week days, and the weekly newspapers - Vox, 7 Days, The New People, and Gibsport.
Gibraltar Economy:
The British military traditionally dominated the economy of Gibraltar, with the naval dockyard providing the bulk of economic activity. This has however diminished in the last twenty years, and it is estimated to account for only 7% of the local economy, compared to over 60% in 1984.
Today, Gibraltar has an extensive service-based economy, dominated by financial services and tourism.
A number of British and international banks have operations based Gibraltar. Recently, many bookmakers and online gaming operators have relocated 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 is due to be phased out by 2010.
Tourism is also a significant industry. Gibraltar is a popular stop 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. Many of the large British high street chains have branches in Gibraltar, including Marks and Spencer, BHS, Dorothy Perkins, and the supermarket Morrisons.
Figures from the CIA World Factbook show that Gibraltar has a GDP of over £432 million ($769 million) with a per capita figure of £15,700 ($28,000). The main export markets in 2004 were France (19.4%), Spain (14.1%), Turkmenistan (12.1%), Switzerland (11.7%), Germany (10.1%), the United Kingdom (9.1%), and Greece (6.8%).
The unit of currency in use is the Gibraltar Pound issued by the Government of Gibraltar at parity with the Pound Sterling.[4]
Gibraltar More Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar | 
