Gibraltar

Gibraltar is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. It is located in southwestern Europe adjoining the southern coast of Spain, a strategic location on the Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, also placing it between Europe and Africa. The British Armed Forces had a major presence on the territory, and although the forces' presence now is much reduced, there are many reminders of their previous importance.

The issue of sovereignty over Gibraltar is a major issue of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations. Spain often requests the return of sovereignty over Gibraltar. A majority of 98.97% of the population voted in a referendum in November, 2002 not to share sovereignty.

Gibraltar is a part of the European Union, having joined under the British Treaty of Accession, with exemption from some areas such as the Customs Union & Common Agricultural Policy.

The name of the rock comes from the Arabic name of Jebel Tarik (جبل طارق) meaning Tariq's mountain. It refers to the Ummayad general Tariq ibn-Ziyad who led the Muslim conquest of Spain in 711 at the head of an army of Berbers, Syrians and Yemenis. Earlier it was Calpe, one of the Columns of Hercules. Today, Gibraltar is also known colloquially as 'Gib' or 'the Rock'.

Geography

The territory covers 6.543 square kilometres (2.53 square miles). It shares a 1.2 kilometre land border with Spain and has 12 kilometres of shoreline. There are two coasts (sides) of Gibraltar - the East Side which contains the settlements of Sandy Bay and Catalan Bay and the West Side where the vast majority of the population lives.

The climate is Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers. Its terrain is a narrow coastal lowland bordering the 426-metre-high Rock of Gibraltar. It has negligible natural resources and limited natural freshwater resources, until recently using large concrete or natural rock water catchments to collect rain water. It now has a desalination plant soon to be replaced by a reverse osmosis plant (currently operational) built into the rock itself.

Gibraltar is one of the most densely populated territories in the world, with approximately 4,245 people per km2 (10,979 per sq mile). The growing demand for space is being increasingly met by land reclamation, which comprises approximately one tenth of the territory's total area.

The Rock itself is made of limestone and is 426 metres (1,396 feet) high. It contains many miles of roads, most of which are closed to the public. Most of its area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 250 Barbary Apes, the only semi-wild monkeys in Europe. Superstition holds that if ever the Apes leave so will the British, so they are well looked after by the government (a situation rather analogous to the ravens of the Tower of London).

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar