Gibraltar
history
(Latin)
According to the Jane's Country Risk Ratings 2008, which measures the stability of 235 countries, territories and political entities in the world, Gibraltar is the 5th most stable territory worldwide, and the highest ranked British territory. The ratings are based on five fundamental categories: political, social, economic, external and military and security.»New Online Service Ranks the Worldâs Most Unstable Entities, IHS Media Desk, March 25, 2008. Gibraltar has almost complete internal self-government, the Governor retaining responsibilities for external affairs, defence, internal security and the public service.»http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmfaff/147/147i.pdf UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee 2007-2008 Report, pg 16
The sovereignty of Gibraltar has been a major point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations. Gibraltar was ceded by Spain to the Crown of Great Britain in perpetuity, under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, though Spain asserts a claim to the territory and seeks its return.[http://www.maec.es/es/MenuPpal/Actualidad/Publicaciones%20de%20la%20D.G.C.E/Publicaciones%20no%20periodicas/Documents/Informe_Gibraltar20080227.pdf Informe sobre la cuestiĂłn de Gibraltar], Spanish Foreign Ministry In a referendum held in 2002, Gibraltarians rejected by an overwhelming majority (99%) a proposal of shared sovereignty on which Spain and Britain were said to have reached "broad agreement". The British government has committed itself to respecting the Gibraltarians' wishes.»Corrected transcript of evidence taken before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee; 2008-03-28; Answer to Question 257 by Jim Murphy: »The UK Government will never â "never" is a seldom-used word in politics â enter into an agreement on sovereignty without the agreement of the Government of Gibraltar and their people. In fact, we will never even enter into a process without that agreement.
There is evidence of human habitation in Gibraltar in Gorham's Cave between 128,000 and 24,000 BCE, by Neanderthal man, an extinct species of the genus Homo. Gibraltar was the last known holdout of Neanderthal man. Evidence at the cave shows the Neanderthals likely used it as a shelter for 100,000 years, sustained by the diversity of wildlife and plants in the surrounding areas. Cro-Magnon man took over Gibraltar around 24,000 BCE.
Within recorded history, the first inhabitants were the Phoenicians, around 950 BCE. Subsequently, Gibraltar became known as one of the Pillars of Hercules, after the Greek legend of the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar. The Carthaginians and Romans also established semi-permanent settlements.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Gibraltar came briefly under the control of the Vandals. The area later formed part of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania until the Kingdom's collapse from the Muslim conquest in 711 CE.
The Almohad Sultan Abd al-Mu'min built the first permanent settlement in the 1150s. He ordered the construction of a fortification on the Rock, the remains of which are still present in the form of the Moorish Castle. Gibraltar would later become part of the Kingdom of Granada until 1309, when Castillian troops briefly occupied it. In 1333, the Marinids, who had invaded Muslim Spain, conquered it, but ceded Gibraltar to the Kingdom of Granada in 1374. Finally, the Duke of Medina Sidonia reconquered it in 1462, finally ending 750 years of Moorish control.
However, during the quarrels that took place during the reign of Henry IV, the town and municipality of Gibraltar were restored to the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1468. In 1474, Medina Sidonia sold Gibraltar to a population of Jewish conversos from CĂłrdoba and Seville, led by Pedro de Herrera in exchange for maintaining the garrison of the town for two years. A group of 4,350 Jews established themselves in the town. However, this lasted only two years. In 1476, the Duke of Medina Sidonia expelled the Conversos to CĂłrdoba and the Inquisition.
In 1501 Gibraltar passed again under the hands of the Spanish Crown, which had been established in 1479. In 1501, in Toledo, Isabella of Castile issued a Royal Warrant granting Gibraltar the coat of arms that it still uses today.
The naval Battle of Gibraltar took place on 25 April 1607 during the Eighty Years' War when a Dutch fleet surprised and engaged a Spanish fleet anchored at the Bay of Gibraltar. During the four-hour action, the entire Spanish fleet was destroyed.
Franco-Spanish troops failed to retake the town. The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the war, awarded Britain sovereignty over Gibraltar. In this treaty, Spain ceded Gibraltar (Article X) and Minorca (Article XI) to the United Kingdom in perpetuity. Great Britain has retained sovereignty over Gibraltar (though not Minorca) ever since, despite attempts by Spain to recapture it.
Due to military incursions by Spain various fortifications were established and occupied by British troops in the area which came to be known as "the British Neutral Ground". This was the area to the north of the city wall, militarily conquered and continuously occupied by the British except during time of war. (The sovereignty of this area, which today contains the airport, cemetery, a number of housing estates and the sports centre, is separately disputed by Spain.)
, 13 September 1782.]]
During the American Revolution, the Spanish, who had entered the conflict against the British, imposed a stringent blockade against Gibraltar as part of an unsuccessful siege (the Great Siege of Gibraltar) that lasted for more than three years, from 1779 to 1783. On 14 September 1782, the British destroyed the floating batteries of the French and Spanish besiegers. The signing of peace preliminaries in February 1783 ended the siege."Gibraltar." Microsoft Encarta 2006 »DVD. Microsoft Corporation, 2005.
Gibraltar subsequently became a key base for the Royal Navy, first playing an important part prior to the Battle of Trafalgar. Its strategic value increased with the opening of the Suez Canal as it controlled the sea route between the UK and its colonies and Dominions east of Suez, such as India and Australia.
During World War II, the British evacuated Gibraltar's women and children and turned the Rock into a fortress. They also converted the civilian racecourse into an airfield. Spain's reluctance to allow the German Army onto Spanish soil frustrated a German plan to capture the Rock, codenamed Operation Felix, later named Llona. Germany's Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr, secretly opposed Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, and filed a pointedly negative assessment of the options. Hitler sent Canaris to negotiate with Franco, but, according to some sources, Canaris privately told Franco it would be foolish for him to join or cooperate with the Axis.Anthony Cave Brown, Bodyguard of Lies, Harper& Row, 1975, p. 239 Franco subsequently made exorbitant demands for his cooperation, and erected concrete barriers on roads leading to the Pyrenees.
In 1981 it was announced that the honeymoon for the royal wedding between Prince Charles and Diana Spencer would start from Gibraltar. The Spanish Government responded that King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia had declined their invitation to the ceremony as an act of protest.
The border with Spain was partially reopened in 1982, and fully reopened in 1985 prior to Spain's accession into the European Community. Joint talks on the future of The Rock held between Spain and the United Kingdom have occurred since the late 1980s under the Brussels Agreement.
In July 2002 proposals for joint sovereignty with Spain were revealed by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. A second sovereignty referendum was organised in Gibraltar in November 2002, which rejected any idea of joint sovereignty by 17,900 (98.97%) votes to 187 (1.03%). The British Government restated that, in accordance with the preamble of the Constitution of Gibraltar that "the UK will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes."»http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm081009/debtext/81009-0021.htm
"La CuestiĂłn de Gibraltar" (), as it is termed by Spain, continues to affect SpainâUnited Kingdom relations.
September 2006 saw representatives of the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Spain conclude talks in CĂłrdoba, Spain, with a landmark agreement on a range of issues affecting the Rock and the Campo de Gibraltar removing some of the restrictions imposed by Spain. This agreement resolved a number of longstanding problems; improved flow of traffic at the frontier, use of the airport, recognition of the +350 telephone code and the settlement of the long-running dispute regarding the pensions of former Spanish workers in Gibraltar who lost their jobs when Spain closed its border in 1969.
The Trilateral process is ongoing, and the British Government now states as policy that it will not enter into talks about sovereignty with Spain without the consent of the Government and people of the territory.»Transcript of evidence taken before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee
In December 2008, Gibraltar won its EU case on regional selectivity providing for a new tax system.»European Court Judgement A public holiday in January 2009 was announced to celebrate this milestone.»Chief Minister's statement
In 2009 there were a number of Spanish incursions into waters around Gibraltar, claimed as territorial waters by both the United Kingdom and Spain, leading to intervention by the Gibraltar Police and a diplomatic protest by the UK,»Britain tells Spain violation unacceptable»Return of the Armada plus an incursion into the port area which is not disputed.
In July 2009 Miguel Ăngel Moratinos, became the first serving Spanish foreign minister to visit Gibraltar for a meeting of the trilateral forum.
The Parliament of Gibraltar is elected for a term of up to four years. The head of Government is the Chief Minister (as of March 2010, Peter Caruana QC). The Government consists of ten elected members.
The unicameral Parliament presently consists of seventeen elected members, and the Speaker who is not elected, but appointed by a resolution of the Parliament.The Gibraltar Parliament »http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/the-gibraltar-parliament There are three political parties currently represented in the Parliament: the governing Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD), and two opposition parties - the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP) and the Gibraltar Liberal Party which are in an electoral alliance and form a single parliamentary grouping.
The 2007 election was contested by the GSD, GSLP-Liberal Alliance, the PDP and two independents. Two parties which fielded candidates in the 2003 election did not present candidates in the 2006 election; the Reform Party was wound up and Gibraltar Labour Party absorbed into the GSD in a merger in 2005. A new party, the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) was formed in 2006 and fielded candidates in the 2007 election, but none were elected.
Gibraltar is a part of the European Union, having joined under the British Treaty of Accession (1973), with exemption from some areas such as the Customs Union and Common Agricultural Policy. After a ten-year campaign to exercise the right to vote in European Elections, from 2004, the people of Gibraltar participated in elections for the European Parliament as part of the South West England constituency.
In March 2006, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw announced that a new Gibraltar constitution had been agreed upon and would be published prior to a referendum on its acceptance in Gibraltar that year. In July, in a statement to the UK Parliament, Geoff Hoon, the Minister for Europe, stated that the new Constitution "confirms the right of self-determination of the Gibraltarian people", but mentioned that this right is limited insofar as Article X of the Treaty of Utrecht "gives Spain the right of refusal should Britain ever renounce Sovereignty". On 30 November 2006, a referendum was held to approve a new constitution. The turnout was 60.4% of eligible voters, of whom 60.24% voted to approve the constitution; 37.75% voted against. The remainder returned blank votes. The Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, welcomed the result as a step forward for Gibraltar's political development.
All local political parties oppose any transfer of sovereignty to Spain, instead supporting self-determination. The main UK opposition parties also support this policy and it is currently UK Government policy not to engage in talks about the sovereignty of Gibraltar without the consent of the people of Gibraltar.»Statement by the Minister for Europe
from the south]]
looking north]]
)]]
The territory covers . It shares a land border with Spain. On the Spanish side is the town La LĂnea de la ConcepciĂłn, a municipality of CĂĄdiz province. The part of CĂĄdiz province next to Gibraltar is called Campo de Gibraltar, literally Gibraltar Countryside. The shoreline measures in length. There are two coasts (sides) of Gibraltarâ the East Side, which contains the settlements of Sandy Bay and Catalan Bay, and the Westside, where the vast majority of the population lives.
Having negligible natural resources and few natural freshwater resources, limited to natural wells in the north, until recently Gibraltar used large concrete or natural rock water catchments to collect water. Fresh water from the boreholes is supplemented by two desalination plants: a reverse osmosis plant, constructed in a tunnel within the rock, and a multi-stage flash distillation plant at North Mole.
The Rock itself is made of limestone and is high. It contains many tunnelled roads, most of which are operated by the military and closed to the public.
) in The Alameda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens]]
Over 500 different species of flowering plants grow on The Rock. One of them, the Gibraltar candytuft (Iberis gibraltarica), is endemic to Gibraltar, being the only place in Europe where it is found growing in the wild. It is the symbol of the Upper Rock nature reserve. Among the wild trees that grow all around The Rock, olive and pine trees are some of the most common.
Most of its upper area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 230 Barbary Macaques, commonly known as apes, the only wild monkeys found in Europe.C. Michael Hogan (2008) »Barbary Macaque: Macaca sylvanus, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg They sometimes visit the town area. Recent genetic studies and historical documents point to their presence on the Rock before its capture by the British. A superstition analogous to that of the ravens at the Tower of London states that if the monkeys ever leave, so will the British. In 1944 British leader Winston Churchill was so concerned about the dwindling monkey population that he sent a message to the Colonial Secretary requesting that something be done about the situation.»BBC news - Churchill sends telegram to protect apes Other mammals found in Gibraltar include rabbits, foxes and bats. Dolphins and whales are frequently seen in the Bay of Gibraltar. Migrating birds are very common and Gibraltar is home to the only specimens of Barbary Partridges found on the European continent.
Its average annual temperature is : during the day and at night. In the coldest month - January, the typically temperature ranges from during the day, at night, the average sea temperature is . In the warmest month - August, the typically temperature ranges from during the day, above at night, the average sea temperature is . Average number of days above is 181, average number of days above is 5-6 (2 in July, 3 in August). Average morning relative humidity: 82%, evening relative humidity: 64%.»Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Gibraltar Sunshine hours is till 2,778 per year, from 150 in November (5 hours of sunshine every day) to 341 in July (11 hours of sunshine every day).
|accessdate = }}
The Major Residential Areas are listed below, with population figures from the Census of 2001:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#f0f0f0;"
! !! Residential area !! Population !! % of total
|align="right"| 1. || East Side ||align="right"| 429 ||align="right"| 1.56%
|align="right"| 2. || North District ||align="right"| 4,116 ||align="right"| 14.97%
|align="right"| 3. || Reclamation Areas ||align="right"| 9,599 ||align="right"| 34.91%
|align="right"| 4. || Sandpits Area ||align="right"| 2,207 ||align="right"| 8.03%
|align="right"| 5. || South District ||align="right"| 4,257 ||align="right"| 15.48%
|align="right"| 6. || Town Area ||align="right"| 3,588 ||align="right"| 13.05%
|align="right"| 7. || Upper Town ||align="right"| 2,805 ||align="right"| 10.20%
|align="right"| || Remainder ||align="right"| 494 ||align="right"| 1.79%
|align="right"| || Gibraltar ||align="right"| 27,495 ||align="right"| 100%
|}
form an integral part of Tourism in Gibraltar]]
as seen from the northern end of Eastern Beach.]]
The British military traditionally dominated the economy of Gibraltar, with the naval dockyard providing the bulk of economic activity. This has however diminished in the last twenty years, and it is estimated to account for only 7% of the local economy, compared to over 60% in 1984. Today, Gibraltar has an extensive service-based economy, dominated by financial services and tourism.
Recently, many bookmakers and online gaming operators have relocated to Gibraltar to benefit from operating in a regulated jurisdiction with a favourable corporate tax regime. However, this corporate tax regime for non-resident controlled companies is due to be phased out by 2010.
Tourism is also a significant industry. Gibraltar is a popular stop for cruise ships and attracts day visitors from resorts in Spain. The Rock is a popular tourist attraction, particularly among British tourists and residents in the southern coast of Spain. It is also a popular shopping destination, and all goods and services are VAT free. Many of the large British high street chains have branches or franchises in Gibraltar including Marks & Spencer, Bhs, Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Adams, Mothercare, Early Learning Centre, Monsoon, Next, Peacocks and the supermarket Morrisons. Branches and franchises of international retailers such as Tommy Hilfiger and Sunglass Hut are also present in Gibraltar, as is the Spanish clothing company Mango.
Figures from the CIA World Factbook show the main export markets in 2006 were United Kingdom 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%, Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% while the corresponding figures for imports are Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%, Netherlands 6.8% and United States 4.7%.
The Gibraltar Government state that economy grew in 2004/2005 by 7% to a GDP of ÂŁ599,180,000. Based on statistics in the 2006 surveys, the Government statisticians estimate it has grown by 8.5% in 2005/6 and by 10.8% in 2006/7 and that the GDP is probably now around 730 million. Inflation was running at 2.6% in 2006 and predicted to be 2% to 3% in 2007. Speaking at the 2007 budget session, Peter Caruana, the Chief Minister said "The scale of Gibraltar's economic success makes it one of the most affluent communities in the entire world."
Preliminary work was begun in 2004 on a 10-year project to construct a new hotel and marina project on the Eastside of the Rock, overlooking Spain's Costa del Sol. Designed by world-famous British architect Norman Foster, the 2 billion euro mega-project will feature three, 200-metre long finger quays and a sweeping kilometre-long curved breakwater to surround them, totaling over 300,000 square metres of infill. The project, known as Sovereign Bay, will include several hotels and casinos and is scheduled for completion in 2014.»http://www.fosterandpartners.com/Projects/1268/Default.aspx The deep-draft breakwater will be capable of berthing large ocean liners within the "bay", while the marina will accommodate 500 private boats. Spanish news outlets expressed outrage over the Sovereign Bay project in January 2009, particularly over the fact that infill material to create the quays and breakwater was reportedly coming from Spanish quarries in Andalucia.»http://www.zibb.com/article/4738650/Gibraltar+accused+of+illegal+expansion+into+Spanish+waters
A number of British and international banks have operations based in Gibraltar. Jyske Bank claims to be the oldest bank in the country, based on Jyske's acquisition in 1987 of Banco Galliano, which began operations in Gibraltar in 1855. An ancestor of Barclays Bank, the Anglo-Egyptian Bank, entered in 1888, and Credit Foncier, now Credit Agricole Indosuez, entered in 1920.
In 1967, Gibraltar enacted the Companies (Taxation and Concessions) Ordinance, which provided for special tax treatment for international business. This was one of the factors leading to the growth of professional services such as private banking and captive insurance management. Gibraltar has several positive attributes as a financial centre, including a common law legal system and access to the EU single market in financial services. The Financial Services Commission, which was established by an ordinance in 1989 that took effect in 1991, regulates the finance sector. In 1997, the Department of Trade and Industry established its Gibraltar Finance Centre (GFC) Division to facilitate the development the financial sector's development.
Currently the FSC has licensed about 17 banks to provide full banking services in Gibraltar. Some banks are licensed by the EEA (European Economic Community) rather than the FSC and are subject to their home countriesâ regulatory authorities. Lastly, five banks have only representative offices in Gibraltar.
Under the terms of the 1934 Currency Notes Act, the Government of Gibraltar issues banknotes that are legal tender alongside Bank of England banknotes in Gibraltar.»European Central Bank Monthly Bulletin, April 2006, page 96 A currency board issues these notes against reserves of sterling.[http://books.google.com/books?id=KSVw5Pu8Wm0C&pg=PA40&dq=gibraltar+pound+currency+board&as_brr=3#PPA40,M1 Managing a Global Enterprise], William R. Feist, James A. Heely, Min H. Lu, page 40[http://books.google.com/books?id=4GJgJNBQvGUC&pg=PT4&dq=%22gibraltar%22
"Conquered by no enemy."
|national_anthem = Gibraltar Anthem
|royal_anthem = God Save the Queen
|official_languages = English
|languages_type = Unofficial languages
Vernacular
|languages = Spanish
Llanito
|capital = Gibraltar
|latd=36 |latm=8 |latNS=N |longd=5 |longm=21 |longEW=W
|largest_settlement_type = Most populated district
|largest_settlement =
Westside
|ethnic_groups = Gibraltarian (of mixed Genoese, Maltese, Portuguese and Andalusian descent), other British, Moroccan and Indian
|demonym = Gibraltarian
|government_type = British Overseas Territory
|leader_title1 = Head of state
|leader_title2 = Governor
|leader_title3 = Chief Minister
|leader_name1 = HM Queen Elizabeth II
|leader_name2 =
|leader_name3 = Peter Caruana
|accessionEUdate = 1 January 1973
|area_rank = 229th
|area_magnitude = 1 E6
|area_km2 = 6.8
|area_sq_mi = 2.6
|percent_water = 0%
|population_estimate = 29,286 (2008 estimate)»Abstract of Statistics 2008
|population_estimate_rank = 209th
|population_estimate_year = Jan 2008
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density_km2 = 4,290
|population_density_sq_mi = 11,154
|population_density_rank = 3rd
|GDP_PPP = $1066 million
|GDP_PPP_rank = 197th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $38,200
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = n/a
|sovereignty_type = Event
|sovereignty_note = Date
|established_event1 = Captured
|established_event2 = Ceded
|established_event3 = National Day
|established_event4 = Constitution Day
|established_date1 = 4 August 1704Gibraltar was captured on 24 July 1704, Old Style, and 4 August 1704, New Style
|established_date2 = 11 April 1713The treaty was signed on 31 March 1713, Old Style, and 11 April 1713, New Style - Peace and Friendship Treaty of Utrecht between France and Great Britain (Treaty of Utrecht)
|established_date3 = 10 September
|established_date4 = 29 January
|HDI = n/a
|HDI_rank = n/a
|HDI_year = n/a
|HDI_category = n/a
|currency = Gibraltar pound ÂŁ
|currency_code = GIP
|country_code = .gi, GI, GIB, 292, GBZ
|time_zone = CET
|utc_offset = 1
|time_zone_DST = CEST
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|date_format = dd/mm/yyyy
|drives_on = right
|cctld = .gi
|calling_code = 350
|patron_saint = Bernard of Clairvaux & Our Lady of Europe
|footnote1 = »http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/national-symbols
|footnote2 = As a Special Member State territory of the United Kingdom.
|footnote3 = Coins and sterling notes are issued by the Government of Gibraltar.
|footnote4 = Unlike all other UK dependencies but the BIOT.
|footnote5 = The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union members.
|footnote6 = Before 10 February 2007, 9567 from Spain.
}}
Gibraltar () is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar.
The territory covers and shares a land border with Spain to the north. Gibraltar has historically been an important base for the British Armed Forces and is the site of a Royal Navy base.
Etymology
The name Gibraltar is the Spanish derivation of the Arabic name Jabal TÄriq (ŰŹŰšÙ Ű·Ű§Ű±Ù), meaning "mountain of Tariq".
It refers to the geological formation, the Rock of Gibraltar, which in turn was named after the Berber Umayyad general Tariq ibn-Ziyad who led the initial incursion into Iberia in advance of the main Moorish force in 711 under the command of Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I. Earlier, it was known as Mons Calpe, one of the Pillars of Hercules. Today, Gibraltar is known colloquially as Gib or The Rock.
History
of Gibraltar.]]
The Moorish period
On 30 April 711, the Umayyad general Tariq ibn Ziyad led a Berber-dominated army across the Strait from Ceuta. He first attempted to land at Algeciras but failed. Subsequently, he landed undetected at the southern point of the Rock from present-day Morocco. However, the first four centuries of Moorish control brought little development.
The Spanish period
, 25 April 1607.]]
Although the Duke of Medina Sidonia had been left in sole possession of Gibraltar, the town was claimed by the king Henry IV, who added it to the Crown patrimony while adding King of Gibraltar to his many titles. In 1462, the king added the territory of the ruined town of Algeciras to Gibraltar, thus creating his extensive municipal term, a hinterland to be known as the Campo Llano de Gibraltar.
The British period
During the War of the Spanish Succession, English »the British attacked the Rock of Gibraltar and Dutch troops, allies of Archduke Charles, the Austrian pretender to the Spanish Crown, formed a joint fleet and attacked various towns on the southern coast of Spain. On 4 August 1704, after six hours of bombardment starting at 5:00 am, the fleet, under the command of Admiral Sir George Rooke, assisted by Field Marshal Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt, comprising some 1800 Dutch marines and the English Royal Marines, captured the town of Gibraltar and claimed it in the name of the Archduke Charles. The provided certain assurances but commanders lost control, drunken sailors and marines engaged in rape and pillaged the town, desecrating most Catholic churches, whilst townspeople carried out reprisal killingsAndrews, Allen, [http://www.archive.org/stream/proudfortressthe011406mbp#page/n37/mode/2up Proud Fortress The Fighting Story Of Gibraltar], p32-33:Jackson, Sir William, Rock of the Gibraltarians, p100-101Andrews, Allen, [http://www.archive.org/stream/proudfortressthe011406mbp#page/n37/mode/2up Proud Fortress The Fighting Story Of Gibraltar], p32-33Jackson, Sir William, Rock of the Gibraltarians, p100-101:Rock of Contention. A History of Gibraltar. George Hills (1974). London: Robert Hale. pp. 173-174. ISBN 0-7091-4352-4. By 7 August 1704, after order was restored, almost all the population felt that staying in Gibraltar was too dangerous and left without further violence for nearby areas of Spain.
Spanish Civil War
After Britain recognised the Franco regime in 1938, Gibraltar had two Spanish Consulates, a Republican one and a Nationalistic one. During the Spanish Civil War there were several incidents that touched Gibraltar. In May 1937, HMS Arethusa had to tow HMS Hunter into port after Hunter hit a mine off Almeria that killed and wounded several British sailors. In June 1937, the German pocket battleship Deutschland arrived in Gibraltar with dead and wounded after Republican planes bombed it in Ibiza in retaliation for the Condor Legion's bombing of Guernica. In August 1938, the Republican destroyer Jose Luis Diez took refuge in Gibraltar after taking casualties from the guns of the National cruiser Canarias. The one incident that resulted in the death of Gibraltarians occurred in January 1938 when a submarine of unknown origin, though probably Italian, sank the SS Endymion, a small freighter taking a cargo of coal to Cartagena, which was in Republican hands.
World War II
's memorial in Gibraltar. He led Polandâs government in exile during World War II, died on 4 July 1943, when the British bomber he was in crashed into the sea after taking off from Gibraltar.»General's body to be exhumed]]
Recent history
In the 1950s, Spain, under the dictatorship of Franco, renewed its claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar, sparked in part by the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Rock's capture. For the next thirty years, Spain restricted movement between Gibraltar and Spain, in application of one of the articles of the Treaty. Gibraltar's first sovereignty referendum was held on 10 September 1967, in which Gibraltar's voters were asked whether they wished either to pass under Spanish sovereignty (when Spain was under the dictatorship of Franco), or remain under British sovereignty, with institutions of self-government. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour of continuance of British sovereignty, with 12,138 to 44 voting to reject Spanish sovereignty. This led to the passing of the Gibraltar Constitution Order, granting autonomy in May 1969, which the Government of Spain strongly opposed. In response, in June Spain completely closed the border with Gibraltar and severed all communication links.
Politics
, Peter Caruana QC]]
, Sir Adrian Johns]]
The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented by the Governor of Gibraltar. Under its 2006 Constitution Gibraltar is internally self-governing with an elected parliament.»http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/topical-speeches/162-chief-ministers-un-speech Chief Minister's UN Speech "Mr Chairman, nobody who visits Gibraltar and observes its society and self government can objectively think that Gibraltar, in reality, remains a colony." Speech to the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation 8 October 2009»http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/1386334/Gibraltar-makes-plans-for-self-government.html David Blair, Gibraltar makes plans for self-government, Daily Telegraph, 28 February 2002 "GIBRALTAR'S parliament approved an ambitious package of constitutional reform yesterday designed to give the colony almost complete self-government." Defence, foreign policy and internal security are formally the responsibility of the Governor, the representative of HM the Queen as head of State, who is responsible for judicial and other appointments made on her behalf in consultation with the head of the elected government.»http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookInternal/140416/140426/gibraltar/ The Secretariat of the Commonwealth: "The governor represents the British monarch who is head of state and retains direct responsibility for all matters not specifically allocated to local ministers: principally external affairs, defence and internal security"»http://www.pwc.com/gi/en/about-us/about-gibraltar.jhtml PriceWaterhouseCoopers "About Gibraltar"»http://www.gpa.gi/about_the_Gibraltar_Police_Authority.html Gibraltar Police Authority, About the Gibraltar Police Authority - Other Duties and Responsibilities - Accountability: "1. to be accountable to the Governor on policing aspects of national security including internal security (section 12); 2. to be accountable to the Government for those parts of the Annual Policing Plan which do not relate to national security (section 15)."»http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/latest_news/press_releases/2007/133-2007.pdf Gibraltar Chief Ministerâs address at the United Nations Committee of 24 on 5 June 2007: The new Constitution "maximises self Government in all areas of Governance except defence, external affairs and internal security which, under our own Constitution vest in the Governor as a matter of distribution of powers."»http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/3851047.stm Regions and territories: Gibraltar "Gibraltar is self-governing in all areas except defence and foreign policy."»http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr00-01/english/library/erp02.pdf Page 6, "Lords of Appeal in Ordinary in the House of Lords are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, but the Lord Chancellor's opinion is generally sought. This method of appointment is a matter of practice and convention, not of written law." Gibraltar nonetheless remains on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories though politicians both from the British Foreign Office and Gibraltar wish to see it removed citing that Gibraltar has effectively been decolonised. Spain opposes any attempt to remove it from the list.»http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/gacol3192.doc.htm Special Committee on Decolonisation hears petitioner from Gibraltar as Spain opposes its removal from list of Non-Self-Governing Territories "the representative of Spain opposed any attempt to remove it from the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories undergoing decolonisation"
Climate
The climate is Mediterranean / Subtropical with mild winters and warm summers. There are two main prevailing winds, an easterly one known as the Levante coming from the Sahara in Africa which brings humid weather and warmer sea and the other as Poniente which is westerly and brings fresher air in and colder sea. Its terrain consists of the 430 metre»http://www.gibraltar.gov.uk/hol/WhatToSee/upper_rock.asp (1,400 ft) high Rock of Gibraltar and the narrow coastal lowland surrounding it. Rain occurs mainly in winter, the summers are generally dry.
Subdivisions
Gibraltar has no administrative divisions. It is, however, divided into seven Major Residential Areas, which are further divided into Enumeration Areas, used for statistical purposes.
Demographics
Shrine of Our Lady of Europe in Europa Point.]] .]] .]]
Gibraltar is one of the most densely populated territories in the world, with a population of 29,286 estimated in 2008Statistics Office, Government of Gibraltar: »Abstract of Statistics 2008, approximately . The growing demand for space is being increasingly met by land reclamation; reclaimed land currently comprises approximately one tenth of the territory's total area.
One of the main features of Gibraltarâs population is the diversity of their ethnic origins. The demographics of Gibraltar reflects Gibraltarians' racial and cultural fusion of the many European and non-European immigrants who came to The Rock over three hundred years. They are the descendants of economic migrants that came to Gibraltar after the majority of the Spanish population left in 1704.
The main ethnic groups, according to the origin of names in the electoral roll, are Britons (27%), Spanish (26%, mostly Andalusians but also some 2% of Minorcans), Genoese and other Italians (19%), Portuguese (11%), Maltese (8%), and Jews (3%). There is a large diversity of other groups such as Moroccans, Indians, French, Austrians, Chinese, Japanese, Polish and Danish.Archer, Edward G.: [http://books.google.com/books?id=2ip0C6odET4C&lpg=PP1&dq=archer%20identity%20empire%20gibraltar&hl=es&pg=PA35#v=snippet&f=false Gibraltar, identity and empire]. Routledge Advances in European Politics
The actual composition of the population by nationality from the 2001 census is as follows:
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Nationality ! Number ! Percentage |- | Gibraltarian | 22,882 | 83.2 |- | Other British | 2,627 | 9.6 |- | Moroccan | 961 | 3.5 |- | Spanish | 326 | 1.2 |- | Other EU | 275 | 1.0 |- | Other | 424 | 1.5 |}
Gibraltarâs population density is the 5th highest in the world: 4,558.8 persons/km2.
Life expectancy is very high, similar to other EU-mediterranean countries/territories or other British overseas territories: 80.19 years.[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html?countryName=Gibraltar&countryCode=gi®ionCode=eu&rank=20#gi List by the CIA World Factbook (2009 estimates)]
Fertility rate is 1.65 births per woman. The rate is slightly higher than the European average, but it has seen the biggest downward change in any European country/territory during the last 10 years (more than 20%).
Other indicators are similar to those of other countries and territories in Gibraltar's European environsââThe World Factbookââ. CIA:
- Average population growth: 0.13% (2009 est.)
- Median age: 41 (2008 est.)
- Net migration: 0.00 migrants per 1,000 population (2009 est.)
- Sex ratio: 1.05 males/female at birth and 1.00 males/female overall (2009 est.)
Religion
Gibraltar's main religion is Christianity, with the majority (78%) of Gibraltarians belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. The sixteenth century Saint Mary the Crowned is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar, and also the oldest Catholic church in the territory. Other Christian denominations include the Church of England (7%), whose Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the cathedral of the Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe; the Gibraltar Methodist Church, Church of Scotland, various Pentecostal and independent churches mostly influenced by the House Church and Charismatic movements, as well as two Plymouth Brethren congregations. There is also a ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Jehovah's Witnesses.
The second religion in size is Islam (4% of the population»Abstract of Statistics 2008, Office of Statistics, Government of Gibraltar). There are also a number of Hindu Indians, members of the BahĂĄ'Ă Faith»Official Gilbraltarian Baha'i Website and a long-established Jewish community.
The official language of Gibraltar is English, and it is used by the Government and in schools. Most locals are bilingual, also speaking Spanish, due to Gibraltar's proximity to Spain. However, because of the varied mix of ethnic groups which reside there, other languages are spoken on The Rock. Arabic is spoken by the Moroccan community, as are Hindi and Sindhi by the Indian community of Gibraltar. Hebrew is also spoken by the Jewish community and the Maltese language is still spoken by some families of Maltese descent.
Gibraltarians often converse in Llanito (). It is an Andalusian Spanish based and unique to Gibraltar. It consists of an eclectic mix of Andalusian Spanish and British English as well as languages such as Maltese, Portuguese, Italian of the Genoese variety and Haketia (Ladino). Andalusian Spanish is the main constituent of Llanito, but is also heavily influenced by British English. However, it borrows words and expressions of many other languages, with over 500 words of Genoese and Hebrew origin. It also often involves code-switching to English.
Gibraltarians also call themselves Llanitos.
.]]
Education in Gibraltar generally follows the English system operating within a three tier system. Schools in Gibraltar follow the Key Stage system which teaches the National Curriculum. Gibraltar has fifteen state schools, one MOD school, one private school and one »College of Further Education. As there are no facilities in Gibraltar for full-time higher education, all Gibraltarian students must study elsewhere at degree level or equivalent and certain non-degree courses. The Government of Gibraltar operates a scholarshipgrant system to provide funding for students studying in the United Kingdom. All Gibraltarian students follow the student loans procedure of the UK, where they apply for a loan from the Student Loans Company which is then reimbursed in full by the Government of Gibraltar. In 2008, there were 224 Gibraltarian students enrolled in UK universities.
The culture of Gibraltar reflects Gibraltarians' diverse origins. While there are Andalusian and British influences, the ethnic origins of most Gibraltarians are not confined to British or Andalusian ethnicities. Other ethnicities include Genoese, Maltese, Portuguese, and German. A few other Gibraltar residents are Jewish of Sephardic origin, North African, or Indians.
British influence remains strong. English is the language of government, commerce, education, and the media. Gibraltarians going on to higher education attend university in the UK. Patients requiring medical treatment not available on the Rock receive it as private patients paid for by the Gibraltar Government either in the United Kingdom, or more recently in Spain.
There exists a small but interesting amount of literary writings by native Gibraltarians. The first prominent work of fiction was probably HĂ©ctor Licudi's 1929 novel Barbarita, written in Spanish. It is a largely autobiographical account of the adventures and misadventures of a young Gibraltarian man. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, several noteworthy anthologies of poetry were published by Leopoldo Sanguinetti, Albert Joseph Patron, and Alberto Pizzarello. The 1960s were largely dominated by the theatrical works of Elio Cruz and his two highly acclaimed Spanish plays La Lola se va pĂĄ Londre and Connie con cama camera en el comedor. In the 1990s, the Gibraltarian man-of-letters Mario Arroyo published Profiles (1994), a series of bilingual meditations on love, loneliness and death. Of late there have been interesting works by the essayist Mary Chiappe such as her volume of essays Cabbages and Kings (2006) and by the UK-educated academic M. G. Sanchez, author of the hard-hitting novel Rock Black 0-10: A Gibraltar fiction (2006).
Musicians from Gibraltar include Charles Ramirez, the first guitarist invited to play with the Royal College of Music Orchestra, and successful rock bands like Breed 77, Melon Diesel and Taxi.
The best known Gibraltarian musician is Albert Hammond, who has had top 10 hits in the UK & US, and has written many songs for international artists such as Whitney Houston, Tina Turner and Julio Iglesias among many others.
, one for every person living on The Rock.]]
Gibraltar National Day commemorates Gibraltar's first sovereignty referendum when the people of Gibraltar voted to reject Spanish sovereignty or association by a massive majority. It is celebrated annually on 10 September, the same day the referendum was held in 1967. The day is a public holiday, during which most Gibraltarians dress in their national colours of red and white.
Since the first Gibraltar National Day in 1992 until recently, the day's main event has been a political rally which was held at Grand Casemates Square. In recent years, the main event has been held at John Mackintosh Square and hosted by the Mayor of Gibraltar from the balcony of the City Hall. The main event culminates with the symbolic release of 30,000 red and white balloons representing the people of Gibraltar.
The Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell described the event as "...a magnificent celebration of the Gibraltarian people, showing not only their pride in being British, but also their love of their homeland â The Rock itself."Hansard 27 October 2004: Column 1436
In 2007 there were eighteen Gibraltar Sports Associations with official recognition from their respective International Governing Bodies. Others, including the Gibraltar National Olympic Committee, have submitted applications for recognition which are being considered. The Government supports the many sporting associations financially. Gibraltar also competes in the bi-annual Island Games, which it hosted in 1995. Football is the most popular sport in Gibraltar. The Gibraltar Football Association applied for full membership of UEFA, but their bid was turned down in 2007 in a contentious decision. Cricket enjoys massive popularity in Gibraltar. The Gibraltar national cricket team recently won the European Cricket Championships. Rugby union is fairly popular, and Campo Gibraltar RFC now play in the Andalusian second division.
Gibraltar has a digital telephone exchange supported by a fibre optic and copper infrastructure. The main telephone operator, »Gibtelecom, also operates a GSM network and is an Internet Service provider.
A local company Gibnet Limited, started the first Internet service in January 1996 and later changed its name to Sapphire Networks Limited.
International Direct Dialling is provided, and Gibraltar was allocated the access code 350 by the International Telecommunication Union. This works from all countries with IDD, including Spain, which has accepted its use since 10 February 2007, when the telecom dispute was resolved. Gibraltar mobile and fixed service numbers are eight digits.
Dial-up, ADSL, and high-speed Internet lines are all available, as are some Wi-Fi hotspots in hotels. Local operator CTS is rolling out WiMAX. The TLD country code for Gibraltar is .gi, corresponding to Gibraltar's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code of .
The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation operates a television and radio station on UHF, VHF and medium-wave. The radio service is also Internet-streamed. Special events and the daily news bulletin are streamed in video.
The other local radio service is operated by British Forces Broadcasting Service who also provide a limited cable network for television to HM Forces.
The largest and most frequently published newspaper is the Gibraltar Chronicle, Gibraltarâs oldest established daily newspaper and the worldâs second oldest English language newspaper to have been in print continuously
with daily editions six days a week. Panorama is published on weekdays, and Vox, 7 Days, The New People, and Gibsport are weekly.
Within Gibraltar, the main form of transport is the car. Motorbikes are popular and there is a good modern bus service. Unlike in other British territories, traffic drives on the right, as the territory shares a land border with Spain.
There is a cable car which runs from ground level to the top of the rock, with an intermediate station at the apesâ den.
Restrictions on transport introduced by the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco closed the land frontier in 1969 and prohibited any air or ferry connections. In 1982, the land border was reopened. As the result of an agreement signed in Cordoba on 18 September 2006 between Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and Spain, the Spanish government agreed to relax the border controls at the frontier that have plagued locals for decades; in return, Britain will pay increased pensions to workers who lost their jobs when Franco closed the border. Restrictions on telephones were removed in 2007 and restrictions on movements at the airport were removed on 16 December 2006.
Gibraltar maintains regular flight connections to London and Manchester. Scheduled flights to Morocco and Madrid proved unsustainable due to insufficient demand.
GB Airways operated a service between Gibraltar and London and other cities for many years. The airline initially flew under the name "Gibraltar Airways." In 1989, and in anticipation of service to cities outside the UK, Gibraltar Airways changed its name to GB Airways with the belief that a new name would incur fewer political problems. As a franchise, the airline operated flights in full British Airways livery. In 2007 GB Airways was purchased by EasyJet who operate flights under their name from April 2008 when British Airways re-introduced flights to Gibraltar under their name. Monarch Airlines operate a daily scheduled service between Gibraltar and Luton. From September 2008 they operate a scheduled service to Manchester, UK. The Spanish national airline, Iberia, operated a daily service to Madrid which ceased due to lack of demand. In May 2009 Ăndalus LĂneas AĂ©reas opened a Spanish service. An annual return charter flight to Malta is operated by Maltese national airline, Air Malta.
Gibraltar Airport is unusual not only due to its proximity to the centre of the city resulting in the airport terminal being within walking distance of much of Gibraltar but also because the runway intersects Winston Churchill Avenue, the main north-south street, requiring movable barricades to close when aircraft land or depart. New roads and a tunnel for Winston Churchill Avenue, which will end the need to stop road traffic when aircraft use the runway, are planned to coincide with the building of a new airport terminal building with an originally estimated completion date of 2009, and images of the proposals:
although due to delays this is now more likely to be 2010 or even 2011.
Motorists, and on occasion pedestrians, crossing the border with Spain have been subjected to long delays and searches by the Spanish authorities. Spain has closed the border during disputes or incidents involving the Gibraltar authorities, such as the Aurora cruise ship incident and when fishermen from the Spanish fishing vessel Piraña were arrested for illegal fishing in Gibraltar waters.
The most popular alternative airport for Gibraltar is Malaga Airport in Spain, some 120 km (75 mi) to the east, which offers a wide range of destinations.
Gibraltar receives a large number of visits from cruise ships, and the Strait of Gibraltar is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
Passenger and cargo ships anchor in the port of Gibraltar. Also, a daily ferry links Gibraltar with Tangier, Morocco. The ferry between Gibraltar and Algeciras, which had been halted in 1969 when the Spanish dictator severed the communications with Gibraltar, was finally reopened on December 16, 2009, served by the Spanish company Transcoma.»New ferry 'repairs 40 year gap' says Spanish Diplomat, Gibraltar Chronicle, December 17, 2009
There are no train or tram services within Gibraltar.
: Ships from the Spanish Navy do not call at Gibraltar.
: British and U.S. nuclear submarines frequently visit the Z berths at Gibraltar. A Z berth provides the facility for nuclear submarines to visit for operational or recreational purposes, and for non-nuclear repairs.
The Rock is believed to be a SIGINT listening post. Its strategic position provides a key GCHQ and National Security Agency location for Mediterranean and North African coverage.
During the Falklands War, an Argentine plan to attack British shipping in the harbour using frogmen (Operation Algeciras) was foiled.»http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/jul/24/gibraltar.falklands The naval base also played a part in supporting the task force sent by Britain to recover the Falklands.
On 6 March 1988, as part of Operation Flavius, the British SAS killed three members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Gibraltar. The three, Mairéad Farrell, Sean Savage, and Daniel McCann, were there on an IRA operation to plant a car bomb targeting the British Army band. All three IRA members were unarmed at the time, but a car they had hired was subsequently discovered in Spain with of Semtex explosive. The incident became the subject of a contentious Thames Television documentary, Death on the Rock. The ensuing "Death on the Rock" controversy prompted a major political row in the UK.
An inquest ruled the SAS's action to be lawful. The families of the deceased took the case to the European Court of Human Rights. In 1995 it held by ten votes to nine that the British government had violated Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It also ruled that the three killed had been engaged in an act of terrorism, consequently dismissing unanimously the applicants' claims for damages, for costs and expenses incurred by the original inquest and for any remaining claims for just satisfaction.
Health care
All Gibraltarians are entitled to free health care in public s and clinics at the hospital and primary health care centre. All other British citizens are also entitled to free of charge treatment on the Rock on presentation of a valid British passport during stays of up to 30 days. Other EU nationals are equally entitled to treatment on presentation of a valid European Health Insurance Card. Dental treatment and prescribed medicines are also free of charge for Gibraltarian students and pensioners. First-line medical and nursing services are provided at the Primary Care Centre, with more specialised services available at St. Bernard's. Psychiatric care is provided by King George V Hospital.»Gibraltar Health Authority
Cuisine
Gibraltarian cuisine is the result of a rich diversity of civilizations, from the Arabs to the Andalucian Spaniards and the British. The culinary influences include those from Malta, Genoa, Portugal and Andalusia. This marriage of tastes has given Gibraltar an eclectic mix of Arabic cuisine, Mediterranean and British cuisine. Calentita, a baked bread-like dish made with chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and pepper, is considered Gibraltar's national dish.
Music
The music of Gibraltar is undergoing a renaissance with a multitude of local bands playing original material and covers. Local venues have begun accepting Gibraltarian bands and those from nearby Spain, resulting in a varied mix of live performances every weekend as well as some weekday nights.
Tercentenary
In 2004, Gibraltar celebrated the 300th anniversary of its capture. In recognition of and with thanks for its long association with Gibraltar, the Royal Navy was given the freedom of the City. Another event saw nearly the entire population, dressed in red, white and blue, link hands to form a human chain encircling the Rock.
Military
Gibraltar's defence is the responsibility of the tri-service British Forces Gibraltar. In January 2007, the Ministry of Defence announced that the private company - SERCO - would provide services to the base. The announcement resulted in the affected trade unions striking.
Gibraltar and the Falklands War
Town Twinnings
Current
Gibraltar is currently twinned with the following European cities:
Past
Gibraltar was once twinned with the following British town:
Gibraltar Local Disability Movement]
- Culture
- [http
- //www.marksanchez.info/onlinewritings/writerslist.html Literary Figures with connections to Gibraltar, 1700â1900]
- »Musicians with Gibraltar connections, 1600â1950
- Television, radio and news media
- [http
- //www.gbc.gi Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation] (with radio streaming)
- »BFBS - British Forces Broadcasting Gibraltar
- »Gibfocus
- Newspapers with online editions
- [http
- //www.chronicle.gi The Gibraltar Chronicle]
- »Panorama Daily
- »VOX - Gibraltar weekly, with site updated daily
- »The New People