Gibraltar (; Spanish pronunciation: [xiβɾalˈtaɾ])
is a British Overseas Territory located at
the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.
It has an area of 6.7 km2 (2.6 sq mi) and
is bordered to the north by Spain. The landscape
is dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar at the
foot of which is a densely populated town
area, home to over 30,000 people, primarily
Gibraltarians. It shares a maritime border
with Morocco.
In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar
from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession
on behalf of the Habsburg claim to the Spanish
throne. The territory was ceded to Great Britain
in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht
in 1713. During World War II it was an important
base for the Royal Navy as it controlled the
entrance and exit to the Mediterranean Sea,
which is only 8 miles (13 km) wide at this
naval choke point. It remains strategically
important, with half the world's seaborne
trade passing through the strait. Today Gibraltar's
economy is based largely on tourism, online
gambling, financial services and cargo ship
refuelling.The sovereignty of Gibraltar is
a point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations
because Spain asserts a claim to the territory.
Gibraltarians rejected proposals for Spanish
sovereignty in a 1967 referendum and, in a
2002 referendum, the idea of shared sovereignty
was also rejected.
== History ==
=== 
Prehistory and Ancient History ===
Evidence of Neanderthal habitation in Gibraltar
from around 50,000 years ago has been discovered
at Gorham's Cave. The caves of Gibraltar continued
to be used by Homo sapiens after the final
extinction of the Neanderthals. Stone tools,
ancient hearths and animal bones dating from
around 40,000 years ago to about 5,000 years
ago have been found in deposits left in Gorham's
Cave.Numerous potsherds dating from the Neolithic
period have been found in Gibraltar's caves,
mostly of types typical of the Almerian culture
found elsewhere in Andalusia, especially around
the town of Almería, from which it takes
its name. There is little evidence of habitation
in the Bronze Age, when people had largely
abandoned the tradition of living in caves.During
ancient times, Gibraltar was regarded by the
peoples of the Mediterranean as a place of
religious and symbolic importance. The Phoenicians
were present for several centuries since around
950 BC, apparently using Gorham's Cave as
a shrine to the genius loci, as did the Carthaginians
and Romans after them. Gibraltar was known
as Mons Calpe, a name perhaps of Phoenician
origin. Mons Calpe was considered by the ancient
Greeks and Romans as one of the Pillars of
Hercules, after the Greek legend of the creation
of the Strait of Gibraltar by Heracles. There
is no known archaeological evidence of permanent
settlements from the ancient period. They
settled at the head of the bay in what is
today known as the Campo (hinterland) of Gibraltar.
The town of Carteia, near the location of
the modern Spanish town of San Roque, was
founded by the Phoenicians around 950 BC on
the site of an early settlement of the native
Turdetani people.
=== Middle Ages ===
After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire,
Gibraltar came briefly under the control of
the Vandals, who crossed into Africa at the
invitation of Boniface, the Count (or commander)
of the territory.
The area later formed part of the Visigothic
Kingdom of Hispania for almost 300 years,
from 414 until 711 AD.
Following a raid in 710, a predominately Berber
army under the command of Tariq ibn Ziyad
crossed from North Africa in April 711 and
landed somewhere in the vicinity of Gibraltar
(though most likely not in the bay or at the
Rock itself). Tariq's expedition led to the
Islamic conquest of most of the Iberian peninsula.
Mons Calpe was renamed Jebel Tariq, the Mount
of Tariq, subsequently corrupted into Gibraltar.In
1160, the Almohad Sultan Abd al-Mu'min ordered
that a permanent settlement, including a castle,
be built. It received the name of Medinat
al-Fath (City of the Victory). The Tower of
Homage of the Moorish Castle remains standing
today.
From 1274 onwards, the town was fought over
and captured by the Nasrids of Granada (in
1237 and 1374), the Marinids of Morocco (in
1274 and 1333) and the kings of Castile (in
1309).
=== Modern Era ===
In 1462, Gibraltar was captured by Juan Alonso
de Guzmán, 1st Duke of Medina Sidonia.After
the conquest, Henry IV of Castile assumed
the additional title of King of Gibraltar,
establishing it as part of the comarca of
the Campo Llano de Gibraltar. Six years later,
Gibraltar was restored to the Duke of Medina
Sidonia, who sold it in 1474 to a group of
4350 conversos (Christian converts from Judaism)
from Cordova and Seville and in exchange for
maintaining the garrison of the town for two
years, after which time they were expelled,
returning to their home towns or moving on
to other parts of Spain. In 1501, Gibraltar
passed back to the Spanish Crown, and Isabella
I of Castile issued a Royal Warrant granting
Gibraltar the coat of arms that it still uses
today.
In 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession,
a combined Anglo-Dutch fleet, representing
the Grand Alliance, captured the town of Gibraltar
on behalf of the Archduke Charles of Austria
in his campaign to become King of Spain. The
occupation of the town by Alliance forces
caused the exodus of the population.As the
Alliance's campaign faltered, the 1713 Treaty
of Utrecht was negotiated and ceded control
of Gibraltar to Britain to secure Britain's
withdrawal from the war. Unsuccessful attempts
by Spanish monarchs to regain Gibraltar were
made with the siege of 1727 and again with
the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779 to 1783),
during the American War of Independence.
Gibraltar became a key base for the Royal
Navy and played an important role prior to
the Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805)
and during the Crimean War of 1854–56, because
of its strategic location. In the 18th century,
the peace-time military garrison fluctuated
in numbers from a minimum of 1,100 to a maximum
of 5,000. The first half of the 19th century
saw a significant increase of population to
more than 17,000 in 1860, as people from Britain
and all around the Mediterranean (Italian,
Portuguese, Maltese, Jewish and French) took
up residence in the town.Its strategic value
increased with the opening of the Suez Canal,
as it lay on the sea route between the UK
and the British Empire east of Suez. In the
later 19th century, there were major investments
in improving the fortifications and the port.
=== Contemporary history ===
During the Second World War, Gibraltar's civilian
population was evacuated, mainly to London,
but also to parts of Morocco and Madeira and
to Gibraltar Camp in Jamaica. The Rock was
strengthened as a fortress. The naval base
and the ships based there played a key role
in the provisioning and supply of the island
of Malta during its long siege. As well as
frequent short runs (known as 'Club Runs')
towards Malta to fly off aircraft reinforcements
(initially Hurricanes but later, notably from
the USN aircraft carrier Wasp, Spitfires),
the critical Operation Pedestal convoy was
run from Gibraltar in August 1942. This resupplied
the island at a critical time in the face
of concentrated air attacks from German and
Italian forces. Spanish dictator Francisco
Franco's reluctance to allow the German Army
onto Spanish soil frustrated a German plan
to capture the Rock, codenamed Operation Felix.
In the 1950s, Franco renewed Spain's claim
to sovereignty over Gibraltar and restricted
movement between Gibraltar and Spain. Gibraltarians
voted overwhelmingly to remain under British
sovereignty in the Gibraltar sovereignty referendum,
1967, which led to the passing of the Gibraltar
Constitution Order in 1969. In response, Spain
completely closed the border with Gibraltar
and severed all communication links. The border
with Spain was partially reopened in 1982
and fully reopened in 1985 before Spain's
accession to the European Community.
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. A new Constitution Order was approved
in referendum in 2006. A process of tripartite
negotiations started in 2006 between Spain,
Gibraltar and the UK, ending some restrictions
and dealing with disputes in some specific
areas such as air movements, customs procedures,
telecommunications, pensions and cultural
exchange.In the British referendum on membership
of the European Union 96% of Gibraltarians
voted to remain on an 82% turnout. Spain renewed
calls for joint Spanish–British control
of the peninsula; these were strongly rebuffed
by Gibraltar's Chief Minister. On October
18, 2018, however, Spain seemed to have reached
an agreement with the United Kingdom in relation
to its objections to Gibraltar leaving the
EU with Britain, with Spanish Prime Minister
Pedro Sanchez stating, “Gibraltar will no
longer be a problem in arriving at a Brexit
deal.”
== 
Governance ==
Under its current constitution, Gibraltar
has almost complete internal self-governance
through a parliament elected for a term of
up to four years. The unicameral parliament
presently consists of 17 elected members,
and the Speaker who is not elected, but appointed
by a resolution of the parliament. The government
consists of 10 elected members. The head of
state is the British monarch, currently Queen
Elizabeth II, who is represented by the Governor
of Gibraltar. The governor enacts day-to-day
matters on the advice of the Gibraltar Parliament,
but is responsible to the British government
in respect of defence, foreign policy, internal
security and general good governance.
Judicial and other appointments are made on
behalf of the monarch in consultation with
the head of the elected government.The 2011
election was contested by the Gibraltar Social
Democrats (GSD), Gibraltar Socialist Labour
Party (GSLP)-Gibraltar Liberal Party (GLP)
Alliance and the Progressive Democratic Party
(PDP). The PDP was a new party, formed in
2006 and fielded candidates in the 2007 election,
but none were elected. The head of government
is the Chief Minister (as of December 2011,
Fabian Picardo). 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 British government policy
not to engage in talks about the sovereignty
of Gibraltar without the consent of the people
of Gibraltar.Gibraltar is part of the European
Union, having joined through the European
Communities Act 1972 (UK), which gave effect
to the Treaty of Accession 1972, as a dependent
territory of the United Kingdom under what
was then article 227(4) of the Treaty Establishing
the European Community covering special member
state territories, with exemption from some
areas such as the European Union Customs Union,
Common Agricultural Policy and the Schengen
Area. It is the only British Overseas Territory
which is part of the European Union. After
a 10-year campaign for the right to vote in
European elections, since 2004 the people
of Gibraltar have participated in elections
for the European Parliament as part of the
South West England constituency. On 23 June
2016 Gibraltar voted along with the United
Kingdom in the EU referendum; 96% of its population
voted to remain, but the overall United Kingdom
result gave a 51.9% majority to leaving the
EU. Nevertheless, Spanish President Pedro
Sanchez stated on 18 October 2018 that the
Gibraltar protocol had been "resolved" and
that Spain will hold no objection when Gibraltar
leaves the EU with Britain.Gibraltar was nominated
to be included on the United Nations list
of Non-Self-Governing Territories by the United
Kingdom when the list was created in 1946
and has been listed ever since. The government
of Gibraltar has actively worked to have Gibraltar
removed from the list, and in 2008 the British
government declared Gibraltar's continued
presence on the list an anachronism.Gibraltar
is not a member of the Commonwealth of Nations
in its own right and is represented by the
United Kingdom but was granted Associate Membership
of the Commonwealth Foundation in 2004. Gibraltar
has competed in the Commonwealth Games since
1958.
== Geography ==
Gibraltar's territory covers 6.7 square kilometres
(2.6 sq mi) and shares a 1.2-kilometre (0.75
mi) land border with Spain. The town of La
Línea de la Concepción, a municipality of
the province of Cádiz, lies on the Spanish
side of the border. The Spanish hinterland
forms the comarca of Campo de Gibraltar (literally
"Countryside of Gibraltar"). The shoreline
measures 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) in length.
There are two coasts ("Sides") of Gibraltar:
the East Side, which contains the settlements
of Sandy Bay and Catalan Bay; and the Westside,
where the vast majority of the population
lives. Gibraltar has no administrative divisions
but is divided into seven Major Residential
Areas.
Having negligible natural resources and few
natural freshwater resources, limited to natural
wells in the north, until recently Gibraltar
used large concrete and/or natural rock water
catchments to collect rainwater. 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.Gibraltar's terrain consists of
the 426-metre-high (1,398 ft) Rock of Gibraltar
made of Jurassic limestone, and the narrow
coastal lowland surrounding it. It contains
many tunnelled roads, most of which are still
operated by the military and closed to the
general public.
=== Climate ===
Gibraltar has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen
climate classification Csa), with mild, rainy
winters and warm, dry summers. As is the case
for nearby Algeciras and Tarifa, summers are
significantly cooler and annual temperature
more constant than other cities on the southern
coast of the Iberian peninsula because of
its position on the Strait of Gibraltar. Rain
occurs mainly in winter, with summer being
generally dry. Its average annual temperature
is about 22 °C (72 °F) as a daily high and
15 °C (59 °F) as the overnight low. In the
coldest month, January, the high temperature
averages 16.3 °C (61.3 °F) and the overnight
low is 11 °C (52 °F) and the average sea
temperature is 16 °C (61 °F). In the warmest
month, August, the daily high temperature
is 25 °C (77 °F), the overnight low is 20
°C (68 °F), and the average sea temperature
is 22 °C (72 °F).
=== Flora and fauna ===
Over 500 different species of flowering plants
grow on the Rock. Gibraltar is the only place
in Europe where the Gibraltar candytuft (Iberis
gibraltarica) is found growing in the wild;
the plant is otherwise native to North Africa.
It is the symbol of the Upper Rock nature
reserve. Olive and pine trees are among the
most common of those growing around the Rock.
Most of the Rock's upper area is covered by
a nature reserve which is home to around 230
Barbary macaques, the famous "apes" of Gibraltar,
which are actually monkeys. These are the
only wild apes or monkeys found in Europe.
This species, known scientifically as Macaca
sylvanus, is listed as endangered by the IUCN
Red List and is declining. Three-quarters
of the world population live in the Middle
Atlas mountains of Morocco. Recent genetic
studies and historical documents point to
their presence on the Rock before its capture
by the British, having possibly been introduced
during the Islamic period. A superstition
analogous to that of the ravens at the Tower
of London states that if the apes ever leave,
so will the British. In 1944, British Prime
Minister Winston Churchill, was so concerned
about the dwindling population of apes that
he sent a message to the Colonial Secretary
requesting that something be done about the
situation.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 Barbary
partridges found on the European continent.
In 1991, Graham Watson, Gibraltar's MEP, highlighted
conservationists' fears that urban development,
tourism and invasive plant species were threatening
Gibraltar's own plants as well as birds and
bat species.
=== Environment ===
In May 2016 a report by the World Health Organization
showed that Gibraltar had the worst air quality
in any British territory. The report concentrated
on PM10 and PM2.5 pollutants in the air.
== Economy ==
The British military traditionally dominated
Gibraltar's economy, with the naval dockyard
providing the bulk of economic activity. This,
however, has diminished over the last 20 years,
and is estimated to account for only 7 percent
of the local economy, compared to over 60
percent in 1984. Today, Gibraltar's economy
is dominated by four main sectors: financial
services, online gambling, shipping, and tourism,
which includes duty-free retail sales to visitors.
The territory also has a small manufacturing
sector, with one company supplying ambulances
produced from converted SUV vehicles to the
United Nations and other agencies.In the early
2000s, many bookmakers and online gaming operators
moved to Gibraltar to benefit from operating
in a regulated jurisdiction with a favourable
corporate tax regime. This corporate tax regime
for non-resident controlled companies was
phased out by January 2011 and replaced by
a still favourable fixed corporate tax rate
of 10 percent.Tourism is also a significant
industry. Gibraltar is a popular port 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, but
may be subject to Gibraltar taxes. Many of
the large British high street chains have
branches or franchises in Gibraltar including
Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Mothercare.
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.
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, the Anglo-Egyptian
Bank, entered in 1888, and Credit Foncier
(now Crédit Agricole) entered in 1920.
In 1967, Gibraltar enacted the Companies (Taxation
and Concessions) Ordinance (now an Act), 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 attractive 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 (FSC), which was established
by an ordinance in 1989 (now an Act) 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 development. As of 2012,
Gibraltar has 0.103 Big Four accounting firm
offices per 1,000 population, the second highest
in the world after the British Virgin Islands,
and 0.6 banks per 1,000 people, the fifth
most banks per capita in the world. As of
2017, there is very significant uncertainty
on continuing access to the EU single market
after the forthcoming Brexit.The currency
of Gibraltar is the Gibraltar pound, issued
by the Government of Gibraltar under the terms
of the 1934 Currency Notes Act. These banknotes
are legal tender in Gibraltar alongside Bank
of England banknotes. In a currency board
arrangement, these notes are issued against
reserves of sterling. Clearing and settlement
of funds is conducted in sterling. Coins in
circulation follow British denominations but
have separate designs. Unofficially, most
retail outlets in Gibraltar accept the euro,
though some payphones and the Royal Gibraltar
Post Office, along with all other government
offices, do not.
== Demographics ==
Gibraltar is one of the most densely populated
territories in the world, with a usually-resident
population in 2012 of 32,194 equivalent to
approximately 4,959 inhabitants per square
kilometre (12,840/sq mi). 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.
=== Ethnic groups ===
The demographics of Gibraltar reflect the
many European and other economic migrants
who came to the Rock over 300 years, after
almost all of the Spanish population left
in 1704.
Origin of surnames in the electoral roll by
percentage is: British (27%), Spanish (26%,
mostly Andalusian but also some 2% Menorcan),
Genoese and other Italian (15%), Portuguese
(15%), and Maltese (8%). There are also small
(less than 1%) populations of other groups
such as Moroccans, French, Austrians, Chinese,
Japanese, Polish and Danish.
(*) Includes all nationalities different from
Gibraltarian, UK and other British and Moroccan.
=== Language ===
The official language of Gibraltar is English,
and is used by the government and in schools.
Most locals are bilingual, also speaking Spanish.
However, because of the varied mix of ethnic
groups which reside there, other languages
are also spoken on the Rock. Berber and Arabic
are spoken by the Moroccan community, as are
Hindi and Sindhi by the Indian community.
Maltese is spoken by some families of Maltese
descent.Gibraltarians often converse in Llanito
(pronounced [ʎaˈnito]), a vernacular unique
to Gibraltar. It is based on Andalusian Spanish
with a strong mixture of British English and
elements from languages such as Maltese, Portuguese,
Genoese Italian and Haketia (a Judaeo-Spanish
dialect). Llanito also often involves code-switching
to English and Spanish.
Gibraltarians often call themselves Llanitos.
=== Religion ===
According to the 2012 census, approximately
72.1% of Gibraltarians are Roman Catholics.
The 16th 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
(7.7%), 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 a Plymouth Brethren congregation.
Several of these congregations are represented
by the Gibraltar Evangelical Alliance. There
is also a ward of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, and two congregations
of Jehovah's Witnesses. 7.1% advised that
they have no religion. The Gibraltar Secular
Humanist Society also holds regular meetings.
The third religion in size is Islam (3.6%
of the population). There is also an established
Hindu population (2%), members of the Bahá'í
Faith and a long-established Jewish community,
which, at 763 persons, accounts for 2.4% of
the population. As a share of the total population,
this is the second-largest Jewish population
in the world, trailing only Israel. There
are four functioning Orthodox synagogues in
Gibraltar and several kosher establishments.
== Education ==
Education in Gibraltar generally follows the
English model, operating within a three tier
system. Schools in Gibraltar use the Key Stage
modular approach to teach the National Curriculum.
Gibraltar has 15 state schools, two private
schools and a college of further education,
Gibraltar College. Government secondary schools
are Bayside Comprehensive School for boys
and Westside School for girls, and Prior Park
School Gibraltar is an independent coeducational
secondary school.On 31 March 2015 the government
of Gibraltar announced the adoption of the
University of Gibraltar Act and The University
of Gibraltar opened in September 2015. Previously,
there were no facilities in Gibraltar for
full-time higher education, and consequently,
all Gibraltarian students studied elsewhere
at degree level or its equivalent and also
for certain non-degree courses. The Government
of Gibraltar operates a scholarship/grant
system to provide funding for students studying
in the United Kingdom. All Gibraltarian students
used to follow the UK student loans procedure,
applying for a loan from the Student Loans
Company which was then reimbursed in full
by the Government of Gibraltar. In August
2010, this system was replaced by the direct
payment by the government of grants and tuition
fees. The overwhelming majority of Gibraltarians
continue their studies at university level.
== Health care ==
See Health in Gibraltar
== 
Culture ==
The culture of Gibraltar reflects Gibraltarians'
diverse origins. While there are Spanish (mostly
from nearby Andalusia) and British influences,
the ethnic origins of most Gibraltarians are
not confined to these ethnicities. Other ethnicities
include Genoese, Maltese, Portuguese, and
German. A few other Gibraltar residents are
Jewish of Sephardic origin, Moroccan, or Indians.
British influence remains strong, with English
being the language of government, commerce,
education and the media.
Gibraltar's first sovereignty referendum is
celebrated annually on Gibraltar National
Day (10 September). It is a public holiday,
during which most Gibraltarians dress in their
national colours of red and white. Until 2016,
the tradition had been to also release 30,000
similarly coloured balloons, which represented
the people of Gibraltar. However, this tradition
has now been ended because of the threat that
it poses to wildlife, particularly marine.
The 300th anniversary of Gibraltar's capture
was celebrated in 2004 on Tercentenary Day
(4 August), when in recognition of and with
thanks for its long association with Gibraltar,
the Royal Navy was given the Freedom of the
City of Gibraltar and a human chain of Gibraltarians
dressed in red, white and blue, linked hands
to encircle the Rock. On 4 June 2012, the
Gibraltar Diamond Jubilee Flotilla, inspired
by the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, celebrated
sixty years of the Queen's reign.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 the British Forces
Broadcasting Service which also provides a
limited cable television network to HM Forces.
The largest and most frequently published
newspaper is the Gibraltar Chronicle, Gibraltar's
oldest established daily newspaper and the
world's second oldest English language newspaper
to have been in print continuously with daily
editions six days a week. Panorama is published
on weekdays, and 7 Days, The New People, and
Gibsport are weekly.
Native Gibraltarians have produced some literature
of note. The first in fiction was probably
Héctor Licudi's 1929 novel Barbarita, written
in Spanish, chronicling the largely autobiographical
adventures of a young Gibraltarian man. Throughout
the 1940s and 1950s, several 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 language plays La Lola se va pá 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. Trino Cruz is a bilingual poet
originally writing English but now mainly
in Spanish, who also translates Maghreb poetry.
Of late there have been works by the essayist
Mary Chiappe, such as her volume of essays
Cabbages and Kings (2006) and by M. G. Sanchez,
author of the books Rock Black: Ten Gibraltarian
Stories (2008) and Diary of a Victorian Colonial
(2009). Mary Chiappe and Sam Benady have also
published a series of detective books centred
on the character of the nineteenth-century
Gibraltarian sleuth Bresciano.
Musicians from Gibraltar include Charles Ramirez,
the first guitarist invited to play with the
Royal College of Music Orchestra, successful
rock bands like Breed 77, Melon Diesel and
Taxi, while Gibraltarian bassist Glen Diani
played for Irish/British nu metal group One
Minute Silence. Albert Hammond had top 10
hits in the UK and US and has written many
songs for international artists such as Whitney
Houston, Tina Turner and Julio Iglesias.Gibraltarian
cuisine is the result of a long relationship
between the Andalusian Spaniards and the British,
as well as the many foreigners who made Gibraltar
their home over the past three centuries.
The culinary influences include those from
Malta, Genoa, Portugal, Andalusia and Britain.
This marriage of tastes has given Gibraltar
an eclectic mix of Mediterranean and British
cuisine. Profiteroles, a French choux pastry
ball with a sweet filling of whipped cream,
is considered to be Gibraltar's national dish.
These are often served after a meal including
Calentita, a baked bread-like dish made with
chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and
pepper.
== Sport ==
In 2007, there were 18 Gibraltar sports associations
with official recognition from their respective
international governing bodies. Others 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 a 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.
Gibraltar was confirmed as UEFA's 54th member
on 24 May 2013 as a result of Court of Arbitration
for Sport (CAS) arbitration and played in
Euro 2016 qualifications. Their first match
was a 0–0 draw against Slovakia. Gibraltar's
national team won its first-ever match in
UEFA competition on 13 October 2018, beating
Armenia in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League
D.Subsequently, Gibraltar applied for FIFA
membership but this bid was also turned down.
On 2 May 2016 the CAS upheld the appeal filed
by the Gibraltar Football Association regarding
its request to become a full-time member of
FIFA. CAS ordered FIFA to stop blocking Gibraltar's
application for membership and allow it "without
delay".Cricket enjoys popularity in Gibraltar.
The Gibraltar national cricket team won the
European Cricket Championship Division Two
in 2000 and 2002.
Rugby union is fairly popular and one of the
fastest growing team sports. Gibraltar Rugby
Football Union applied for membership of Europe's
governing body for rugby. Gibraltar is believed
to be the birthplace of the rugby variant
Tag Rugby.The Gibraltar Rifle Association
(GRA) was Gibraltar's most successful team
at the 2009 Island Games, earning four gold
medals.
Darts is also a popular sport, with the Gibraltar
Darts Association (a full member of World
Darts Federation since 1977) running leagues
and other regular tournaments. In 2010, Gibraltar
hosted and won the Mediterranean Cup, competing
against France, Italy, Turkey, Malta and Cyprus.
== Communications ==
Gibraltar has a digital telephone exchange
supported by a fibre optic and copper infrastructure;
the telephone operator Gibtelecom also operates
a GSM network. Internet connectivity is available
across the fixed network. Gibraltar's top-level
domain code is .gi.
International Direct Dialling (IDD) is provided,
and Gibraltar was allocated the access code
+350 by the International Telecommunication
Union. This has been universally valid since
10 February 2007, when the telecom dispute
was resolved.
== Transport ==
Within Gibraltar, the main form of transport
is the car. Motorcycles are also very popular
and there is a good modern bus service. Unlike
in the UK and other British territories, traffic
drives on the right and speed limits are in
km/h, as the territory shares a land border
with Spain. The E15 highway connecting Spain,
France, and the United Kingdom is accessible
from the Spanish side using the CA-34 autovía.
There is a Gibraltar Cable Car that runs from
ground level to the top of the Rock, with
an intermediate station at Apes' Den.
Restrictions on transport introduced by Spanish
dictator Francisco Franco closed the land
frontier in 1969 and also prohibited any air
or ferry connections. In 1982, the land border
was reopened. As the result of an agreement
signed in Córdoba on 18 September 2006 between
Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and Spain, the
Spanish government agreed to relax border
controls at the frontier that have plagued
locals for decades; in return, Britain paid
increased pensions to Spanish workers who
lost their jobs when Franco closed the border.
Telecommunication restrictions were lifted
in February 2007 and air links with Spain
were restored in December 2006.The border
control is the only road border control between
two EU members that is expected to remain
indefinitely (Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania
have border controls which are expected to
be removed around 2020), however Britain plans
to leave the EU. Motorists and pedestrians
crossing the border with Spain are occasionally
subjected to very long delays. Spain has occasionally
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.
=== Air ===
As of 2017, Gibraltar maintains regular flight
connections with London, Manchester and Bristol
in the UK, and with Casablanca and Tangier
in Morocco.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, which began operating
flights under their name in April 2008 when
British Airways re-introduced flights to Gibraltar
under their name. EasyJet have since added
Bristol and Manchester and also operated flights
to Liverpool between 2011 and 2012. Until
entering administration in October 2017, Monarch
Airlines operated the largest number of flights
between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar,
with scheduled services between Gibraltar
and Luton, London Gatwick, Birmingham and
Manchester. The Spanish national airline,
Iberia, operated a daily service to Madrid
which ceased for lack of demand. In May 2009,
Ándalus Líneas Aéreas opened a Spanish
service, which also ceased operations in March
2010. An annual return charter flight to Malta
is operated by Maltese national airline, Air
Malta.
Gibraltar International Airport is unusual
not only because of its proximity to the city
centre 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,
which will end the need to stop road traffic
when aircraft use the runway, were planned
to coincide with the building of a new airport
terminal building with an originally estimated
completion date of 2009, although it has not
been completed because of delays.
The most popular alternative airport for Gibraltar
is Málaga Airport in Spain, some 120 kilometres
(75 mi) to the east, which offers a wide range
of destinations, second to Jerez Airport which
is closer to Gibraltar. In addition, the Algeciras
Heliport across the bay offers scheduled services
to Ceuta.
=== Sea ===
Gibraltar Cruise Terminal receives a large
number of visits from cruise ships. The Strait
of Gibraltar is one of the busiest shipping
lanes in the world.
Passenger and cargo ships anchor in the Gibraltar
Harbour. Also, a ferry links Gibraltar with
Tangier in Morocco. The ferry between Gibraltar
and Algeciras, which had been halted in 1969
when Franco severed communications with Gibraltar,
was finally reopened on 16 December 2009,
served by the Spanish company Transcoma.Ferries
by FRS running twice a week from Gibraltar
to Tanger-Med port provide access to the Moroccan
railway system.
=== Rail ===
While railway track extends to the outskirts
of La Línea from an aborted rail expansion
project in the 1970s, the closest railway
station in Spain is San Roque station, accessible
via buses from La Línea.
== Water supply and sanitation ==
Water supply and sanitation in Gibraltar have
been major concerns for its inhabitants throughout
its history. There are no rivers, streams,
or large bodies of water on the peninsula.
Gibraltar's water supply was formerly provided
by a combination of an aqueduct, wells, and
the use of cisterns, barrels and earthenware
pots to capture rainwater. This became increasingly
inadequate as Gibraltar's population grew
in the 18th and 19th centuries and lethal
diseases such as cholera and yellow fever
began to spread. In the late 19th century,
a Sanitary Commission instigated major improvements
which saw the introduction of large-scale
desalination and the use of giant water catchments
covering over 2.5 million square feet (nearly
250,000 m2). Today Gibraltar's supply of drinking
water comes entirely from desalination, with
a separate supply of saltwater for sanitary
purposes. Both supplies are delivered from
huge underground reservoirs excavated under
the Rock of Gibraltar.
== Police ==
The Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP), Gibraltar
Defence Police (GDP) and Her Majesty's Customs
(Gibraltar) are Gibraltar's principal civilian
law enforcement agencies. Outside the United
Kingdom, the RGP is the oldest police force
of the former British Empire, formed shortly
after the creation of London's Metropolitan
Police in 1829 when Gibraltar was declared
a crown colony on 25 June 1830.In general,
the Gibraltar force follows British police
models in its dress and its mostly male constables
and sergeants on foot patrol wear the traditional
custodian helmet, the headgear of the British
"bobby on the beat". The helmet is traditionally
made of cork covered outside by felt or serge-like
material that matches the tunic. The vehicles
also appear virtually identical to typical
UK police vehicles, but are left hand drive.
The force, whose name received the prefix
"Royal" in 1992, currently numbers over 220
officers divided into a number of units. These
include the CID, drug squad, special branch,
firearms, scene of crime examiners, traffic,
marine and operations units, sections or departments.
On 24 September 2015, the Freedom of the City
of Gibraltar was conferred upon the RGP by
the Mayor, Adolfo Canepa.
== Armed forces ==
Gibraltar's defence is the responsibility
of the United Kingdom tri-services 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.
The Royal Gibraltar Regiment provides the
army garrison with a detachment of the British
Army, based at Devils Tower Camp. The regiment
was originally a part-time reserve force until
the British Army placed it on a permanent
footing in 1990. The regiment includes full-time
and part-time soldiers recruited from Gibraltar
as well as British Army regulars posted from
other regiments.
The Royal Navy maintains a squadron at the
Rock. The squadron is responsible for the
security and integrity of British Gibraltar
Territorial Waters (BGTW). The shore establishment
at Gibraltar is called HMS Rooke after Sir
George Rooke, who captured the Rock for Archduke
Charles (pretender to the Spanish throne)
in 1704. The naval air base was named HMS
Cormorant. Gibraltar's strategic position
provides an important facility for the Royal
Navy and Britain's allies. British and US
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. During the Falklands
War, an Argentine plan to attack British shipping
in the harbour using frogmen (Operation Algeciras)
was foiled. The naval base also played a part
in supporting the task force sent by Britain
to recover the Falklands.
The Royal Air Force station at Gibraltar forms
part of Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar.
Although aircraft are no longer permanently
stationed at RAF Gibraltar, a variety of RAF
aircraft make regular visits and the airfield
also houses a section from the Met Office.Gibraltar
has an important role in UKSIGINT and provides
a vital strategic part of the United Kingdom
communications gathering and monitoring network
in the Mediterranean and North Africa.
== Twin towns and sister cities ==
== 
See also ==
List of Gibraltarians
Chief Justice of Gibraltar
Attorney General of Gibraltar
1943 Gibraltar B-24 crash
Effect of Brexit on Gibraltar
== 
Footnotes ==
Notes
References
== Bibliography ==
== External links ==
Government of Gibraltar
Royal Gibraltar Police
Gibraltar Fire & Rescue Service
