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Country Guide > Europe > Gibraltar | |
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General Information Area 6.5 sq km (2.5 sq miles). Population 28,231 (2001). Population Density 4343.23 per sq km. Capital Gibraltar. Geography Gibraltar is a large promontory of jurassic limestone, situated in the western entrance to the Mediterranean. The 5km- (3 mile-) long rock contains 143 caves, over 48km (30 miles) of road and as many miles of tunnels. The highest point of the Rock is 426m (1400ft) above sea level. An internal self-governing British Crown Colony, Gibraltar has given its name to the Bay and the Straits, which it overlooks. Spain is to the north and west, and Morocco is 26km (16 miles) to the south. Government British Crown Colony since 1713. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor Sir Francis Richards since 2003. Head of Government: Prime Minister Peter Caruana QC since 1996. Language English is the official language. Most Gibraltarians are bilingual in English and Spanish. Religion Roman Catholic majority, also Church of England, Church of Scotland, Jewish, Hindu and other minorities. Time GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October). Electricity 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. UK-style three-pin plugs are in use. Communications Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 350. Outgoing international code: 00. Fax Facilities are available in some hotels. Mobile telephone GSM 900 network is operated by Gibtel. Coverage spans the whole of Gibraltar and a large part of the sea around. Handsets can be hired from Gibtel, at 25 South Barracks Road. Internet There is at least one Internet cafe – Cyber World, Ocean Heights Gallery, Queensway. ISPs include Gibnet (website: www.gibnet.gi). Telegram Enquire at Gibtel, 60 Main Street; or after office hours at Mount Pleasant, 25 South Barracks Road. Post Airmail within Europe takes one to five days. Airmail flights are usually daily. There is a Poste Restante facility at the main post office in Main Street. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1630 (0900-1415 in summer), Sat 1000-1300. Press Newspapers are in English; some have Spanish sections. The New People, Panorama and Vox are published weekly. The Gibraltar Chronicle (est. 1801) is the only daily. Radio BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. |