Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a
problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure
limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Gibraltar
Introduction Gibraltar
Background:
Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by
Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was
formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and
2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted
overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.
Geography Gibraltar
Location:
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:
36 8 N, 5 21 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km
Coastline:
12 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Terrain:
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues: limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant
Geography - note:
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North
Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
People Gibraltar
Population:
27,776 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 18.3% (male 2,593; female 2,482)
15–64 years: 66.3% (male 9,458; female 8,946)
65 years and over: 15.4% (male 1,873; female 2,424) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.8 years
male: 38.6 years
female: 39 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
0.22% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
11.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 5.92 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.38 years
male: 76.51 years
female: 82.4 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar
Ethnic groups:
Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese
Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish
2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)
Languages:
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,
Italian, Portuguese
Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Gibraltar
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Gibraltar
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national
referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain
Constitution:
30 May 1969
Legal system:
English law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been