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Gibraltar
Last update: Wednesday 10th of March 2010
| Gibraltar | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti (Latin) "Conquered By No Enemy" | |||||
| Anthem: Gibraltar Anthem | |||||
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| Capital (and largest city) | Gibraltar | ||||
| Official languages | English | ||||
| Government | UK overseas territory | ||||
| - Head of state | Queen Elizabeth II | ||||
| - Governor | Lt. Gen. Sir Robert Fulton KBE | ||||
| - Chief Minister | Peter Caruana Q.C. | ||||
| Event | Date | ||||
| - Captured | 1704 | ||||
| - Ceded | 1713 (Treaty of Utrecht) | ||||
| - National Day | 10 September | ||||
| - Constitution Day | 29 January | ||||
| Area | |||||
| - Total | 6.5 km² (229th) 2.5 sq mi | ||||
| - Water (%) | 0 | ||||
| Population | |||||
| - Jul 2005 estimate | 27,921 (220th) | ||||
| - Density | 4,290 /km² (5th) 11,154 /sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2000 estimate | ||||
| - Total | $769 million (197th) | ||||
| - Per capita | $27,900 (n/a) | ||||
| HDI (n/a) | n/a (n/a) (n/a) | ||||
| Currency | Pound sterling (GBP) | ||||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||||
| Internet TLD | .gi | ||||
| Calling code | +3501 | ||||
| 1Before February 10, 2007, 9567 from Spain. | |||||
Gibraltar is a UK overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory shares a land border with Spain to the north. Gibraltar has historically been an important base for the British Armed Forces and is the site of a British naval base. It is probably most famous for the geological formation the Rock of Gibraltar.
The name of the territory is derived from the original Arabic name Jabal Ţāriq (جبل طارق), meaning "mountain of Tariq", or from Gibr al-Ţāriq, meaning "rock of Tariq"). It refers to the Berber Umayyad general Tariq ibn-Ziyad, who led the initial incursion into Iberia in advance of the main Moorish force in 711. Earlier, it was known as Mons Calpe, one of the Pillars of Hercules. Today, Gibraltar is known colloquially as "Gib" or "the Rock".
The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major issue of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations. Spain requests the return of sovereignty, ceded by Spain in perpetuity in 1713. In a 2002 referendum, 88% of Gibraltarians voted on the question "Do you approve of the principle that Britain and Spain should share sovereignty over Gibraltar?". 99% voted "No".
The Moroccan government has been holding talks with its Spanish counterparts to start the project, which would consist of a railway beneath the Strait of Gibraltar carrying freight, passengers and cars. It has been talked about since the early 1980s, but the Moroccans say this time there is the political will.