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Gibraltar
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Capital: Gibraltar
Population: 33,701
Brief History of Gibraltar:
Gibraltar is located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. This strategic location has caused the area to be occupied by most every major empire in the Mediterranean throughout history. The first inhabitants were Phoenicians around 950 BC. Later Carthage, Rome, the Visigoth Kingdom, and the Arabs would all put settlements here at some point in history.
Spain gained control of the land in the 1400's only to lose it to Britain in the War of Spanish Succession in 1713. The land became an official British colony in 1830. In modern times there are continued issues with the land between England and Spain.
The Geography of Gibraltar
Total Size: 7 square km
Size Comparison: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Geographical Coordinates: 36 8 N, 5 21 W
World Region or Continent: Europe
General Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Geographical Low Point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Geographical High Point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Major cities:
The People of Gibraltar
Type of Government: NA
Languages Spoken: English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National Holiday: National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain
Nationality: Gibraltarian(s)
Religions: Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)
National Symbol: Barbary macaque
National Anthem or Song: Gibraltar Anthem
Economy of Gibraltar
Major Industries: tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco
Agricultural Products: none
Natural Resources: none
Major Exports: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%
Major Imports: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
Currency: Gibraltar pound (GIP)
National GDP: $1,275,000,000
** Source for population (2012 est.) and GDP (2011 est.) is CIA World Factbook.
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