Gibraltar (2003) | Spratly Islands (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 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.) |
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Agriculture - products | none | - |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 3 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: less than 5 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea |
Area - comparative | about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | NA |
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. | The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 50 islands are occupied by China (about 450 soldiers), Malaysia (70-90), the Philippines (about 100), and Vietnam (about 1,500). Brunei is a claimant but has no outposts. (2002) |
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.) |
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Capital | Gibraltar | - |
Climate | Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers | tropical |
Coastline | 12 km | 926 km |
Constitution | 30 May 1969 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
Currency | Gibraltar pound (GIP) | - |
Death rate | 8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Disputes - international | Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony | all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the island; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct" |
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 | 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. | Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. |
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) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m |
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 | NA |
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: 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 |
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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 | 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% |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 36 8 N, 5 21 W | 8 38 N, 111 55 E |
Geography - note | strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea | strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs |
Highways | total: 29 km
paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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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.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (1998) | - |
International organization participation | Interpol (subbureau) | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
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 | total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese | - |
Legal system | 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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.38 years
male: 76.51 years female: 82.4 years (2003 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: NA
total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
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Location | Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain | Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines |
Map references | Europe | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 NM | NA |
Merchant marine | 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.) |
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Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam |
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 |
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Natural hazards | NA | typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals |
Natural resources | NEGL | fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential |
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 | 27,776 (July 2003 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 0.22% (2003 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Gibraltar | none; offshore anchorage only |
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.) |
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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) |
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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 | a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar | flat |
Total fertility rate | 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 2% (2001 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | none |