French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2006) | Gibraltar (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | - | none |
Airports | - | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 7,829 sq km
land: 7,829 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware | about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 11.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 00/01 est.) |
Capital | - | Gibraltar |
Climate | antarctic | Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers |
Coastline | 1,232 km | 12 km |
Constitution | - | 30 May 1969 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises abbreviation: TAAF |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar |
Currency | - | Gibraltar pound (GIP) |
Death rate | - | 8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA) | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US | Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is reached, could receive 50 million euros from the EU |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion. | Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 93 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 100 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant |
Ethnic groups | - | Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese |
Exchange rates | - | Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003)
head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | - | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% |
Exports - partners | - | UK 27.7%, Switzerland 14.3%, Germany 12%, France 6.9%, Spain 6.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Ukraine 4.6% (2002) |
Fiscal year | - | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 43 00 S, 67 00 E | 36 8 N, 5 21 W |
Geography - note | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean | strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea |
Highways | - | total: 29 km
paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | - | Germany 27.3%, Spain 21.8%, UK 12.1%, Italy 8% (2002) |
Independence | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1.5% (1998) |
International organization participation | - | Interpol (subbureau) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
Labor force | - | 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | English law |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later than NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 79.38 years
male: 76.51 years female: 82.4 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land" | Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands) |
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, Hong Kong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006) |
total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,008,140 GRT/1,435,595 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 58, chemical tanker 14, container 20, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 6, Ireland 1, Monaco 2, Norway 3, United Kingdom 13 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | - | no regular indigenous military forces; British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force |
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 |
Nationality | - | noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar |
Natural hazards | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes | NA |
Natural resources | fish, crayfish | NEGL |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | 0 km |
Political parties and leaders | - | Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2006 est.) |
27,776 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.22% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Gibraltar |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991) |
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.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 19,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 1,620 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic | a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 2% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |