Gibraltar (2005) | Baker Island (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,529/female 2,426)
15-64 years: 66% (male 9,442/female 8,970) 65 years and over: 16.2% (male 2,008/female 2,509) (2005 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | none | - |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | one abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m covered with vegetation and unusable (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Area | total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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 US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. |
Birth rate | 10.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY00/01 est.) |
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Capital | Gibraltar | - |
Climate | Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers | equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun |
Coastline | 12 km | 4.8 km |
Constitution | 30 May 1969 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island |
Death rate | 9.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $NA (2000 est.) | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Disputes - international | in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | - |
Economy - overview | Self-sufficient 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. | no economic activity |
Electricity - consumption | 96.76 million kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - production | 104 million kWh (2002) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 8 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 | no natural fresh water resources |
Ethnic groups | Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans | - |
Exchange rates | Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound |
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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 | - |
Exports - commodities | (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% | - |
Exports - partners | France 19.4%, Spain 14.1%, Turkmenistan 12.1%, Switzerland 11.7%, Germany 10.1%, UK 9.1%, Greece 6.8% (2004) | - |
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 | the flag of the US is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 36 8 N, 5 21 W | 0 13 N, 176 28 W |
Geography - note | strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea | treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife |
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 | - |
Imports - commodities | fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs | - |
Imports - partners | Spain 19.9%, Russia 18.4%, UK 10.8%, Italy 8.8%, Germany 7.5%, US 5.1%, Sweden 4.7%, France 4.2% (2004) | - |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco | - |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (1998) | - |
International organization participation | Interpol (subbureau), UPU | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal | - |
Labor force | 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (1999) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60% | - |
Land boundaries | total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese | - |
Legal system | English law | the laws of the US, where applicable, apply |
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 February 2008) 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: 79.67 years
male: 76.8 years female: 82.7 years (2005 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 | Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia |
Map references | Europe | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 161 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 2, cargo 96, chemical tanker 21, container 22, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 142 (Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 105, Greece 12, Iceland 1, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Latvia 1, Norway 8, Sweden 2, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, United Kingdom 3, United States 2) (2005) |
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Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment | defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard |
Military branches | Royal Gibraltar Regiment | - |
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 | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | none | guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
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 | 27,884 (July 2005 est.) | uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 0.17% (2005 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Gibraltar | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census) | - |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 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: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 24,512 (2002) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 9,797 (2002) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997) | - |
Terrain | a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar | low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef |
Total fertility rate | 1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.) | - |
Transportation - note | - | there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast |
Unemployment rate | 2% (2001 est.) | - |