In the southern part of the Pyrenees 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 the sandy isthmus, which connects it to the mainland. Due to its geographical location, 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. According to the form of government, the country of Gibraltar is a constitutional monarchy. It is led by a 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 on Spain. The local relief is predominantly limestone cliffs cut by numerous tunnels.
Gibraltar is a country that in 1973, together with Great Britain, became part of the European Union. In this regard, the same policies, Schengen agreements and customs rules apply here as in its other member states. Moreover, local residents have the right to vote in elections to the European Parliament.
Short story
As noted above, Gibraltar is a country that boasts a very good geographic location. The northern part of the cliff is impregnable. It was at the beginning of the eighth century that the Moors invading Spain noticed. It was here that they founded their first European outpost. To capture it, the Europeans took almost five centuries. In the future, the fortress was repeatedly conquered from each other by the Spaniards and the Moors.
At the beginning of the eighteenth century, other European states became interested in the territory. In 1704, allied Anglo-Dutch troops captured the rock in just one day. Then 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, a NATO military base was founded here. Today, the peninsula, in fact, has become self-governing, because thanks to a successful economic policy, it is only formally dependent on the UK.
Population and languages
One of the most densely populated areas on the planet is considered to be the country of Gibraltar. The population, the number of which is about 30 thousand, lives very compactly. This is not surprising, given the modest area of the state. If we talk about ethnic composition, then it is dominated by Gibraltarians, the British, Moroccans and Indians. Local authorities are trying to solve the problem of acute land shortage by draining the coast. Be that as it may, the population density 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 the Spanish language. In terms of religion, seven out of ten locals are Catholics. Approximately 10% of the locals practice 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 there is about 17 thousand dollars, which can be called quite a decent indicator. The most developed areas of activity here are financial and banking, tourism, ship repair and construction. Due to the features of the relief, the agricultural sector is generally absent here. A fairly substantial source of income is ship maintenance. In addition, the country of Gibraltar makes money on the re-export of liquid fuels to the USA, Spain, Great 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 posts here reach 29 degrees. In summer, the weather is usually clear and sunny, 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 has the most rainfall. The rest of the months are rather dry. The average annual rainfall is in the range of 800 millimeters.
Interesting Facts
A rock with a sandy isthmus - this is the country of Gibraltar. Its capital, respectively, bears a similar name.
Many tourists come here not only for the opportunity to see the opposite coast of Africa from a cliff, but also for shopping, because local prices are much lower compared to many European countries.
The main tourist attraction locals consider the local nature with an abundance of caves, palm trees, cypress trees and more than 600 varieties of flowers.
On the territory of the state you can pay with British pounds or Spanish pesetas. In circulation is also the Gibraltar pound. However, this money is only paper money, and the coins are borrowed from the UK.
Gibraltar is a country with virtually no parking spaces. In this regard, when traveling into it with your car, it is recommended to leave it at a special parking at the border.
Gibraltar is one of the recognized world centers for sailing. A yacht center with all the infrastructure was built in the bay.