Gibraltar: country, peninsula and city

In the southern part of the Pyrenees there is a tiny state called Gibraltar. The country, the photo of which is presented below, since 1704 is part of the UK in the form of its self-governing colony. It includes the rock of the same name and sandy isthmus, which connects it to the mainland. Due to its geographical position, even in ancient times, this territory was of great strategic importance for the whole of Europe. More details about it will be discussed later.

general description

The peninsula itself is a rock 5 kilometers long and 1.2 kilometers wide. The highest point is above sea level at around 426 meters. In form of government, the country of Gibraltar is a constitutional monarchy. It is headed by the governor, who is appointed by the British queen. The total area of the peninsula is 6.5 km ² . Its southern part is washed by the Strait of Gibraltar, the eastern by the Atlantic Ocean, and the western by the Mediterranean Sea. In the north the country borders with Spain. The local relief is predominantly limestone rocks, cut through numerous tunnels.

Gibraltar is a country that, together with Great Britain, joined the European Union in 1973. In connection with this, the same policy applies here, the Schengen agreements and customs regulations, as well as in its other member states. Moreover, local residents have the right to vote at the elections to the European Parliament.

Short story

As noted above, Gibraltar is a country that boasts a very good geographical position. The northern part of the rock is impregnable. It was at the beginning of the eighth century that the Moors invaded Spain. It was here that they founded their first European outpost. To seize it, Europeans took almost five centuries. In the future, the fortress was repeatedly conquered by one another from the Spaniards and the Moors.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, other European states became interested in the territory. In 1704, the allied Anglo-Dutch troops captured the rock in just one day. At the same time, Gibraltar was proclaimed British property. Even the involvement of the French did not help the Spaniards regain this territory. At the end of the twentieth century, the NATO military base was founded here. Today, the peninsula, in fact, became self-governing, because due to successful economic policy, depending on the UK, only formally.

Population and languages

One of the most densely populated areas on the planet is the country of Gibraltar. The population, numbering here about 30 thousand, lives very compactly. This is not surprising, given the modest area of the state. If we talk about ethnic composition, then the Gibraltarians, the British, the Moroccans and the Hindus prevail here. Local authorities are trying to solve the problem of acute shortage of land by draining the coast. Whatever it was, the density of the population as of today exceeds the mark of 4,500 people per square kilometer.

The official status in Gibraltar is English. Along with this, "Yanito" is quite common. It is a mixed colloquial local speech with the Andalusian dialect of Spanish. As for religion, seven out of ten local residents are Catholics. Approximately 10% of local residents profess Islam.

Economy

Gibraltar is a country with a fairly high standard of living . The average annual GDP of this tiny state is about 500 million US dollars. Thus, per capita here is about 17 thousand dollars, which can be called quite a decent indicator. The most developed spheres of activity here are financial and banking, tourism, repair and construction of ships. Due to the peculiarities of the relief, there is no agrarian sector here at all. A fairly significant source of income is the maintenance of ships. In addition, the country Gibraltar earns on the re-export of liquid fuels to the United States, Spain, Britain, Morocco and other states.

Climate

The peninsula is characterized by a Mediterranean mild climate. The hottest time of the year is the period from July to August, when the thermometer bars here reach the level of 29 degrees. In summer there is usually a clear and sunny weather, in connection with which at this time a huge number of beach lovers come here. The coldest month is January. The average daily air temperature at this time is 16 degrees above zero. From November to January, the country experiences the most precipitation. The remaining months are fairly dry. The average annual rainfall is within 800 millimeters.

Interesting Facts

A rock with a sandy isthmus is the country of Gibraltar. Its capital, accordingly, has a similar name.

Many tourists come here not only to see the opposite coast of Africa from the cliff, but also to make purchases, because local prices are much lower than many European countries.

The main tourist attraction of the locals consider the local nature with an abundance of caves, palms, cypresses and more than 600 varieties of flowers.

On the territory of the state you can pay with British pounds or Spanish pesetas. The Gibraltar pound is also in circulation. However, this money is only paper, and coins are borrowed from the UK.

Gibraltar is a country in which there are practically no parking spaces. In this regard, when traveling to her on your car, it is recommended to leave it at a special parking on the border.

Gibraltar is one of the recognized world sailing centers. The yacht center with all the infrastructure is built in the bay.