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Gibraltar - The World Fact Book |
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| Introduction | Gibraltar |
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Background:
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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. |
| Geography | Gibraltar |
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Location:
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Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain |
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Geographic coordinates:
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36 8 N, 5 21 W |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 6.5 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km |
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Coastline:
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12 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 NM |
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Climate:
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Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers |
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Terrain:
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a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea |
| People | Gibraltar |
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Population:
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27,776 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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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Median age:
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total: 38.8 years
male: 38.6 years female: 39 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.22% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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11.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 5.92 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 79.38 years
male: 76.51 years female: 82.4 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar |
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Ethnic groups:
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Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991) |
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Languages:
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English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese |
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Literacy:
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definition: NA
total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Government | Gibraltar |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar |
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of the UK |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Gibraltar |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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Independence:
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none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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National holiday:
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National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain |
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Constitution:
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30 May 1969 |
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Legal system:
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English law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003)
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 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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 10 February 2000 (next to be held not later than NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association |
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International organization participation:
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Interpol (subbureau) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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Flag description:
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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 |
| Economy | Gibraltar |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.5% (1998) |
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Labor force:
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14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL% |
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Unemployment rate:
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2% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
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Industries:
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tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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100 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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93 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Agriculture - products:
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none |
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Exports:
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$81.1 million f.o.b. (1997) |
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Exports - commodities:
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(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% |
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Exports - partners:
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UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands , Spain, US, Germany |
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Imports:
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$492 million c.i.f. (1997) |
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Imports - commodities:
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fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is reached, could receive 50 million euros from the EU |
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Currency:
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Gibraltar pound (GIP) |
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Currency code:
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GIP |
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Exchange rates:
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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 |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June |
| Communications | Gibraltar |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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19,000 (1997) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1,620 (1997) |
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Telephone system:
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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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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Radios:
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37,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997) |
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Televisions:
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10,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.gi |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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NA |
| Transportation | Gibraltar |
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Highways:
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total: 46.25 km
paved: 46.25 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Pipelines:
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0 km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Gibraltar |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,008,140 GRT/1,435,595 DWT
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.) 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 |
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Airports:
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1 (2002) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
| Military | Gibraltar |
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Military branches:
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no regular indigenous military forces; British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force |
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Transnational Issues | Gibraltar |
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Disputes - international:
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Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony |