Gibraltar

I

Introduction

Gibraltar, British dependency, comprising the rocky promontory, called the Rock of Gibraltar (ancient Calpe), that rises on the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and commands the western entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of Gibraltar (see Gibraltar, Strait of) separates the Rock from the coast of North Africa. Connecting the Rock with the Spanish mainland is a narrow, sandy isthmus containing a neutral zone that separates the British dependency from Spain. Gibraltar has an area of 6.5 sq km (2.5 sq mi).

II

The Land and Population

The Rock of Gibraltar is composed of limestone. It arises abruptly from the sea in the east; its slope is more gradual on the west. The maximum elevation is 426 m (1,398 ft). Aloes, cacti, capers, and asparagus grow in the crevices. Certain parts contain grassy glens, in which pigeons, partridges, woodcocks, and the Barbary ape (the only wild monkey of Europe) are found. Among the natural caves of the promontory, Saint Michael's, with an entrance 335 m (1,100 ft) above the sea, is the largest. Climate is temperate, with temperatures averaging 15.6° C (60° F) in winter and 21.1° C (70° F) in summer. Average annual rainfall is 889 mm (35 in).

The population of Gibraltar in 2007 was 27,967. The overall population density was 4,661 persons per sq km (12,072 per sq mi). Most of the civilian inhabitants are of Portuguese, Italian, Maltese, English, or Spanish descent.

The official language is English, although Spanish is widely spoken. About 75% of the population is Roman Catholic, 8% is Anglican, and 9% Muslim. Education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 14. In 2000 some 2,377 students attended 12 primary schools in Gibraltar.

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III

Economy and Government

Because few natural resources are found, the major factors of the economy are the processing of food products, tourism, and shipping. A free port and gambling concessions attract tourists. The Admiralty harbor is an important fortress and strategic naval base. The Gibraltar pound is at par with the pound sterling.

Gibraltar is administered by a governor, who is the representative of the Crown. The governor is advised by the Gibraltar Council, which consists of five elected and four ex officio members. The Council of Ministers makes recommendations to the Gibraltar Council. Legislative powers are vested in the House of Assembly, which consists of a speaker (appointed by the governor), 15 elected members, and 2 ex officio members. About 1,800 British troops were maintained in Gibraltar in the late 1980s, but by 1999 that number had been reduced to about 700.

IV

History

Gibraltar and ancient Abila (now Mount Acho at Ceuta, a Spanish exclave in Morocco) form the classical Pillars of Hercules, which were crowned with silver columns by Phoenician mariners to mark the limits of safe navigation for the ancient Mediterranean peoples. The Rock of Gibraltar was named Jabal Tariq (Arabic, “Mount of Tariq”) in honor of the Muslim general Tariq ibn-Ziyad (died about 720), who invaded Spain in 711. In 1309 Gibraltar was captured by the Castilians but was regained by the Moors in 1333 and held until 1462, when it finally passed from Moorish possession. In 1502, it was annexed to the Spanish crown.

After the sacking of Gibraltar by the Algerian corsair Barbarossa II (Khayr ad-Din, 1483?-1546) in 1540, the Rock was furnished with strong defenses by command of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. On July 24, 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, Gibraltar was captured by combined English and Dutch forces. The English commander took possession in the name of Queen Anne. Nine years later the acquisition was formalized by the Peace of Utrecht.

During the European phase of the American War of Independence, the Spanish, who had entered the conflict against the British, imposed a stringent blockade against Gibraltar as part of an unsuccessful siege that lasted for more than three years (1779-83). On September 14, 1782, the British destroyed the floating batteries of the French and Spanish besiegers. In February 1783 the signing of peace preliminaries ended the siege. In 1830, Gibraltar was named a crown colony.

In World War I, the Rock served as a strategic base for Allied naval units and was used as a coaling station for transports en route to theaters of war in the eastern Mediterranean. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), the town of Gibraltar served as a haven for large numbers of Spanish refugees.

When Britain gave almost complete control over internal affairs to the dependency in 1964, Spain contended that under terms of the Peace of Utrecht it should acquire sovereignty over Gibraltar. The British step led to strained relations between the two countries and economic isolation of the dependency by Spain. In a referendum held on September 10, 1967, the people of Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly to remain under British rule and to reject ties with Spain. Spain, however, pursued its claim and in 1969 closed its border to the 5000 Spanish workers who crossed it daily on their way to work in Gibraltar. The dependency consequently adapted its economy, which benefited from a general diversification, increased tourism, and military spending by the British.

Toward the end of the 1970s Spain began to show more flexibility on the question of Gibraltar. In 1980 an agreement in principle was reached on the reopening of the border, but it was not implemented because of labor problems. It was further delayed in 1981, when the prince and princess of Wales selected the Rock as the first stop on their honeymoon, a choice that Spain regarded as an affront. In 1982, however, both countries again committed themselves to resolving their differences, and in February 1985, for the first time in 16 years, the border with the Spanish mainland was fully reopened.