Map of Gibraltar (Click to enlarge)
Gibraltar
Excerpted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.
Gibraltar is an overseas territory
of the United Kingdom.
It is located in south-western Europe adjoining the
southern coast of Spain, a strategic location on the
Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean
and Mediterranean Sea.
Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti,
(Latin: Conquered By No Enemy)
Languages; English (official), an
English-influenced Spanish dialect
called Llanito is also spoken
Capital; (Gibraltar)
Co-ordinates; 36° 07' N, 5° 21' W
Governor and Commander-in-Chief;
Sir Francis Richards
Chief Minister; Peter Caruana
Area; 6.5 km²
Population; 27,776 (2003 Estimate)
Currency; Gibraltar Pound (ISO 4217: GIP)
Time zone; - in summer CET
(UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2)
Anthem; Gibraltar Anthem
National day; 10 September
National colours; red and white
Internet TLD; .gi
Calling Code; 350 (except in Spain)
History
Evidence of human inhabitation of the
Rock dates back to the Neanderthals.
A Neanderthal skull was discovered in St.
Michael's Cave in the nineteenth century,
indeed prior to the "original"
discovery in the Neander Valley.
The Phoenicians are known to have visited
the Rock circa 950 BC and
named the Rock Calpe.
The Carthaginians also visited, however
neither group appears to
have settled permanently.
Plato refers to Gibraltar as one of
the Pillars of Hercules along
with Jebel Musa or Monte Hacho
on the other side of the Strait.
Gibraltar was next
visited by the Romans.
Again no permanent settlement
was established.
Following the fall of the
Roman Empire Gibraltar was
visited by the Vandals and
later the Goths.
The Vandals' stay was temporary,
however the Goths were to
remain on the Iberian peninsula
from 414 to 711. Tariq ibn Ziyad,
leader of the Berbers, landed at
the southern point of the Rock
from present-day Morocco in
his quest for Spain.
The mountain was named Jebel
Tariq (Tariq's mountain).
Over time the final syllable was
dropped from the name and
corrupted to Gibraltar.
Today, Gibraltar is also known
colloquially as 'Gib' or 'the Rock'.
Little was built during the
first four centuries
of Moorish control.
However in 1160 Abdul Maman ordered
that a permanent settlement,
including a castle be built.
The main tower of this castle
remains standing today.
Despite the fortification, the
rock was overrun by Spanish
forces in 1462.
The rock was temporarily owned
by the King of Castile, but later
taken by the Duke of Medina
Sidonia and passed to his son.
Queen Isabella of Castile had her army besiege and retake
Gibraltar for the Spanish kingdom in 1501.
An Anglo-Dutch force led by Sir
George Rooke seized the Rock in 1704.
The territory was ceded to Great
Britain by Spain in the
1713 Treaty of Utrecht.
Despite early attempts by the
Spanish to retake it, most notably
in the Great Siege of 1783, the
Rock has remained British ever since.
During the Second World War the
residents of Gibraltar were
evacuated and the Rock was turned
into a fortress again.
Gibraltar gave the Allied Powers
control of the entry to the
Mediterranean (the other side of
the Strait being under neutral
Spanish territory).
The Rock was a key part of the
Allied supply lines to Malta and
North Africa, and the racecourse
near the border was converted
into an airport.
After the war the residents returned.
In 1954 Queen Elizabeth II
visited Gibraltar.
This prompted Spain, which was then
led by the dictator Generalissimo
Franco to renew its claim to
sovereignty, which had lain dormant
for over one hundred and fifty years.
The somewhat disputed status of Gibraltar
gives its inhabitants a great
deal of national pride.
This can be seen in these flags
hanging from a building in the
tercentenary celebrations of the
capture of the Rock by the British.
Politics
As an overseas territory of the UK,
Gibraltar has had considerable internal
self-government since the introduction
of its present constitution in 1969.
The Governor of Gibraltar, appointed by
Queen Elizabeth II, is responsible
for defence, foreign relations,
internal security and financial stability.
All other matters, defined as 'domestic',
are the responsibility of the Council
of Ministers, with the leader of the
majority party in the elected House
of Assembly appointed as Chief Minister.
The issue of sovereignty continues
to dominate Gibraltarian politics.
Both main political parties, the
Gibraltar Social-Democrats (GSD) and
the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party
(GSLP) are opposed to any transfer
of sovereignty to Spain.
Spain continues to claim sovereignty over the teritory,
and the British Government, whilst stating that no change
would take place without the consent of the people of
Gibraltar, in 2002 accepted the principle of joint sovereignty
between the United Kingdom and Spain.
All Gibraltarian political parties,
and the main UK opposition parties
oppose this move, instead preferring
to support self-determination for
the Gibraltarian nation.
Defence
Defence is the responsibility
of the United Kingdom.
The army garrison is provided by
the Royal Gibraltar Regiment,
originally a part-time reserve
force which was placed on the
permanent establishment of the
British Army in 1990.
The regiment includes full-time
and part-time soldiers recruited
from Gibraltar, as well as British
Army regulars posted
from other regiments.
The Rock is a listening post for
telecommunications throughout
North Africa, and because of its
location it still remains
a key NATO base.
British and US ships
frequently visit the territory.
Geography
The territory covers 6.543 square
kilometres (2.53 square miles).
It shares a 1.2 kilometre land border
with Spain and has 12 kilometres
of shoreline.
Its climate is Mediterranean
with mild winters and warm summers.
Its terrain is a narrow coastal
lowland bordering the 426-metre-high
Rock of Gibraltar.
It has negligible natural resources
and limited natural freshwater resources,
until recently using large concrete or
natural rock water catchments
to collect rain water.
It now has a desalination plant soon
to be replaced by a reverse osmosis
plant (currently operational)
built into the rock itself.
Gibraltar is one of the most densely
populated territories in the world,
with approximately 4,245 people
per km2 (10,979 per sq mile).
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 metres) high.
It contains many miles of roads,
most of which are
closed to the public.
Most of its area is covered by
a nature reserve, which is home
to around 250 Barbary Apes, the
only semi-wild monkeys in Europe.
It is said that if ever the Apes
leave so will the British, so
they are well looked
after by the government.
Economy
The economy is dominated by
offshore banking and tourism.
Political capital is made of
the fact that there are more
companies registered in Gibraltar
than current inhabitants, however
many have ceased trading, indeed
Company number 00001, the Gibraltar
Gas Company Limited, went out of
business some years ago, and
today Gibraltar is 'all electric'.
More than 7 million visitors enter Gibraltar
each year, and Gibraltar is a popular
destination for cruise ships.
Tourists are attracted by duty free
shopping, and a number of
sites located on the Rock itself.
Many Gibraltarians have bought properties
across the border, particularly the
neighbouring town of La Línea de la
Concepción, where property prices are
much lower than on the Rock.
Although land reclamation in 1991 has
lessened the traditionally chronic housing
shortage on the Rock, space remains a
problem and many of the more affluent
Gibraltarians live in Sotogrande on the
Costa del Sol, from which they
commute into Gibraltar.
The currency is Gibraltar pound,
with notes and coins are issued locally.
English banknotes and coins circulate freely.
The euro is not legal tender, but most shops,
bars and restaurants will take small euro
notes and coins, Gibraltar banks will
not accept euro-denominated notes of €100
or larger, although bureaux de change
may accept and change them.
Culture
The King Fahd ben Abdelaziz Al Saaud
Mosque, also known as the Ibrahim-Al-Ibrahim
Mosque, at Europa Point, the most
southerly part of Gibraltar.
Gibraltar is home to people from
all major religions.
Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus
continue to co-exist peacefully
on the Rock.
The culture of Gibraltar reflects
Gibraltarians' diverse origins.
While there are Spanish and British
influences, the ethnic origins of
most Gibraltarians are neither British
or Spanish, including Genoese, Maltese,
Portuguese, and Germans.
Others are Jewish of Sephardic
or North African origin and Hindus.
Historically, cultural ties
with Spain have been strong.
Intermarriage between Gibraltarian
men and Spanish women resulted in
many people having relatives in Spain.
British influence remains strong.
Although Gibraltarians mostly speak
to each other in an English-influenced
Spanish dialect called Yanito, English
is the language of government,
commerce, education and the media.
Gibraltarians going on to higher
education attend university in the UK,
not Spain, as indeed do those
requiring medical treatment
not available on the Rock.
External links
This page was updated and correct December 2004. E.
& O.E.
All text is available under the terms of the
GNU Free Documentation License
(see Copyrights
for details).
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