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88-547: Peniscola, often called the " Gibraltar of Valencia ", and locally as "The City in the Sea", is a fortified seaport, with a lighthouse, built on a rocky headland about 220 feet (67 m) high, and joined to the mainland by only a narrow strip of land ( tombolo ). Peníscola is a local evolution of Latin peninsula . The history of the place goes back to the Iberians . Later the town became Phoenician , named Tyreche , then Greek , under

176-561: A British citizen (" an entitlement that cannot be refused ") under section 5 of the Act. Under the subsequent British Overseas Territories Act 2002 , all British Overseas Territories citizens became British citizens on 21 May 2002. Gibraltar is not a sovereign state: its formal international relations are the responsibility of the Government of the United Kingdom. Since Brexit, it is not part of

264-621: A Neanderthal woman's skull was found at Forbes' Quarry , located on the north face of the Rock. However, its significance was not recognized until after the 1856 discovery of the type specimen in the Neander Valley . Excavations in Gorham's Cave , located near sea level on the eastern side of the Rock, found evidence it was used by Neanderthals, and plant and animal remains in the cave gave evidence of Neanderthals' highly varied diet. The Eastern Face of

352-521: A 1.2 km (0.75 mi) land border with Spain. The town of La Línea de la Concepción , a municipality of the province of Cádiz , lies on the Spanish side of the border. The Spanish hinterland forms the comarca of Campo de Gibraltar (literally "Countryside of Gibraltar"). The shoreline measures 12 km (7.5 mi) in length. There are two coasts ("Sides") of Gibraltar: the East Side, which contains

440-549: A bid for city status as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours . The bid was refused, but when researchers looked through the National Archives , they found that it had already been recognised as a city by Queen Victoria in 1842. The status came into force on 29 August 2022. Under its current constitution , Gibraltar has almost complete internal self-governance through a parliament elected for

528-556: A combined uplift of about 26.5 metres (87 ft) in the past 250,000 years. Today, the Rock of Gibraltar forms a peninsula jutting out into the Strait of Gibraltar from the southern coast of Spain . The promontory is linked to the continent by means of a sandy tombolo with a maximum elevation of 3 m (9.8 ft). To the north, the Rock rises vertically from sea level up to 411.5 m (1,350 ft) at Rock Gun Battery . The Rock's highest point stands 426 m (1,398 ft) near

616-531: A half years. The Germans never got close to capturing the rock and so the men were never sealed inside. The team was disbanded to resume civilian life when the war ended. The saying "solid as the Rock of Gibraltar" is used to describe an entity that is very safe or firm. The motto of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and Gibraltar itself is Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti ( Latin for "No Enemy Shall Expel Us"). Approximately 40% of Gibraltar's land area

704-514: A local dialect known as Llanito . Gibraltar's economy rests on financial services, e-gaming, tourism and the port. With one of the world's lowest unemployment rates, the largest part of the labour force are resident in Spain or non-Gibraltarians, especially in the private sector. Since Brexit , Gibraltar is not a member of the European Union but negotiations are under way to have it participate in

792-539: A minimum in the meantime. As of March 2023 , talks remain stalled, with Spain insisting that its Policía Nacional control entry into the Schengen area and the UK demanding that the work be done by officers of the European Union agency Frontex . All other entry points to the Schengen area are controlled by national authorities, supplemented by Frontex in some places. Gibraltar's territory covers 6.8 km2 (2.6 sqmi) and shares

880-524: A place of religious and symbolic importance. The Phoenicians were present for several centuries since around 950 BC, apparently using Gorham's Cave as a shrine to the genius loci , as did the Carthaginians and Romans after them. Gibraltar was known as Mons Calpe , a name perhaps of Phoenician origin. Mons Calpe was considered by the ancient Greeks and Romans as one of the Pillars of Hercules , after

968-526: A potential agreement that would see them sharing sovereignty over Gibraltar. The government of Gibraltar organised a referendum on the plan, and 99% of the population voted to reject it. In 2008, the British government committed to respecting the Gibraltarians' wishes. A new Constitution Order was approved in referendum in 2006. A process of tripartite negotiations started in 2006 between Spain, Gibraltar and

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1056-637: A raid in 710, a predominantly Berber army under the command of Tariq ibn Ziyad crossed from North Africa in April 711 and landed somewhere in the vicinity of Gibraltar (though most likely not in the bay or at the Rock itself). Tariq's expedition led to the Islamic conquest of most of the Iberian peninsula . Mons Calpe was renamed Jabal Ṭāriq ( جبل طارق ), "the Mount of Tariq", subsequently corrupted into Gibraltar . In 1160

1144-502: A report by the World Health Organization showed that Gibraltar had the worst air quality in any British territory. The report concentrated on PM10 and PM2.5 pollutants in the air. Gibraltar's economy is dominated by four main sectors: financial services , online gambling , shipping, and tourism, which includes duty-free retail sales to visitors. The British military traditionally dominated Gibraltar's economy , with

1232-503: A series of unique views of the Bay of Gibraltar , the isthmus, and Spain. When World War II broke out in 1939, the authorities evacuated the civilian population to Morocco , the United Kingdom , Jamaica , and Madeira so that the military could fortify Gibraltar against a possible German attack. By 1942 there were over 30,000 British soldiers, sailors, and airmen on the Rock. They expanded

1320-500: A term of up to four years. The unicameral parliament presently consists of 17 elected members, and the Speaker who is not elected but appointed by a resolution of the parliament. The government consists of 10 elected members. The head of state is the British monarch King Charles III , who is represented by the Governor of Gibraltar . The governor enacts day-to-day matters on the advice of

1408-518: A very minor part of the Rock of Gibraltar. The Little Bay Shale Formation consists of dark bluish-gray, unfossiliferous shale, which is interbedded with thin layers of grit , mudstone , and limestone. It predates the Gibraltar limestone. The Dockyard Shale Formation is an undescribed variegated shale of unknown age that lies buried beneath the Gibraltar's dockyard and coastal protection structures. Although these geological formations were deposited during

1496-639: Is British government policy not to engage in talks about the sovereignty of Gibraltar without the consent of the people of Gibraltar. Gibraltar was part of the European Union , having joined through the European Communities Act 1972 (UK) , which gave effect to the Treaty of Accession 1972 , as a dependent territory of the United Kingdom under what was then article 227(4) of the Treaty Establishing

1584-619: Is a British Overseas Territory and city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula , on the Bay of Gibraltar , near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean ( Strait of Gibraltar ). It has an area of 6.8 km (2.6 sq mi) and is bordered to the north by Spain ( Campo de Gibraltar ). The landscape is dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar , at

1672-463: Is a monolithic limestone mountain 426 m (1,398 ft) high dominating the western entrance to the Mediterranean Sea . It is situated near the end of a narrow 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) long promontory stretching due south into the Mediterranean Sea and is located within the British territory of Gibraltar , and is 27 km north-east of Tarifa , Spain, the southwestern tip of Europe on

1760-620: Is also possible that the original Gibraltar macaques are a remnant of populations that are known to have spread throughout Southern Europe during the Pliocene , up to 5.5 million years ago. Some animals of the Rock have been reintroduced by the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park who have three Barbary macaques . The Rock of Gibraltar, at the head of the Strait , is a prominent headland , which accumulates migrating birds during

1848-660: Is not a member of the Commonwealth of Nations in its own right and is represented by the United Kingdom but was granted Associate Membership of the Commonwealth Foundation in 2004. Gibraltar has competed in the Commonwealth Games since 1958. As a result of the British Nationality Act 1981 , Gibraltarians were made British Overseas Territories citizens by default, but could apply for registration as

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1936-527: Is regarded as having been responsible for setting the old town's style, described by Claire Montado, chief executive of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, as "military-ordnance-style arched doorways, Italianate stucco relief, Genoese shutters, English Regency ironwork balconies, Spanish stained glass and Georgian sash and casement windows." During the Napoleonic Wars , Gibraltar became a key base for

2024-695: Is the Tower of Homage , a massive building of brick and very hard concrete called tapia . The upper part of the tower housed the former occupants' living apartments and Moorish bath. A unique feature of the Rock is its system of underground passages, known as the Galleries or the Great Siege Tunnels . The first of these was dug towards the end of the Great Siege of Gibraltar , which lasted from 1779 to 1783. General Elliot , afterwards Lord Heathfield, who commanded

2112-548: The 1967 Gibraltar sovereignty referendum , which led to the passing of the Gibraltar Constitution Order in 1969. In response, Spain completely closed the border with Gibraltar and severed all communication links. The border with Spain was partially reopened in 1982 and fully reopened in 1985 before Spain's accession to the European Community . In the early 2000s, Britain and Spain were in negotiations over

2200-695: The Almohad Sultan Abd al-Mu'min ordered that a permanent settlement, including a castle, be built. It received the name of Medinat al-Fath (City of the Victory). The Tower of Homage of the Moorish Castle remains standing today. From 1274 onwards, the town was fought over and captured by the Nasrids of Granada (in 1237 and 1374), the Marinids of Fez (in 1274 and 1333) and the kings of Castile (in 1309). Upon

2288-453: The Atlantic Ocean , both northward and southward. The Rock of Gibraltar is a monolithic promontory . The Main Ridge has a sharp crest with peaks over 400 metres (1,300 ft) above sea level, formed by Early Jurassic limestones and dolomites. It is a deeply eroded and highly faulted limb of an overturned fold . The sedimentary strata composing the Rock of Gibraltar are overturned, with

2376-580: The Crown of Aragon . From 1415 to 1423 it was the home of the schismatic Avignon pope Benedict XIII (Pedro de Luna) , whose name is commemorated in the Castell del Papa Luna , the name of the medieval castle, and Bufador del Papa Luna , a curious cavern with a landward entrance through which the seawater escapes in clouds of spray. The castle was originally built in 1307 by the Knights Templar and then in 1319 it

2464-571: The Emirate of Granada . After the conquest, Henry IV of Castile assumed the additional title of King of Gibraltar , establishing it as part of the comarca of the Campo Llano de Gibraltar . Six years later, Gibraltar was restored to the Duke of Medina Sidonia, who sold it in 1474 to a group of 4,350 conversos (Christian converts from Judaism) from Cordova and Seville and in exchange for maintaining

2552-678: The European Parliament as part of the South West England constituency . On 23 June 2016 Gibraltar voted along with the United Kingdom in the EU referendum ; 96% of its population voted to remain, but the overall United Kingdom result gave a 51.9% majority to leaving the EU. Nevertheless, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated on 18 October 2018 that the Gibraltar protocol had been "resolved" and that Spain will hold no objection when Gibraltar leaves

2640-636: The Grand Alliance , captured the town of Gibraltar on behalf of the Archduke Charles of Austria in his campaign to become King of Spain. Subsequently, most of the population left the town, with many settling nearby. As the Alliance's campaign faltered, the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht was negotiated, which ceded control of Gibraltar to Britain to secure Britain's withdrawal from the war. Unsuccessful attempts by Spanish monarchs to regain Gibraltar were made, with

2728-554: The Greek legend of the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar by Heracles . There is no known archaeological evidence of permanent settlements from the ancient period. They settled at the head of the bay in what is today known as the Campo (hinterland) of Gibraltar . The town of Carteia , near the location of the modern Spanish town of San Roque , was founded by the Phoenicians around 950 BC on

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2816-538: The Iberian Peninsula . The rock serves as an impregnable fortress and contains a labyrinthine network of man-made tunnels known as the Tunnels of Gibraltar . Most of the Rock's upper area comprises a nature reserve which is home to about 300 Barbary macaques . It is a major tourist attraction. The Rock of Gibraltar, the northern of the two historic Pillars of Hercules , was known to the Romans as Mons Calpe ("Mount Calpe"),

2904-669: The Neolithic period have been found in Gibraltar's caves, mostly of types typical of the Almerian culture found elsewhere in Andalusia , especially around the town of Almería , from which it takes its name. There is little evidence of habitation in the Bronze Age when people had largely stopped living in caves. During ancient times, Gibraltar was regarded by the peoples of the Mediterranean as

2992-547: The Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP was a new party, formed in 2006 and fielded candidates in the 2007 election, but none were elected. The head of government is the Chief Minister (as of December 2011 , Fabian Picardo ). All local political parties oppose any transfer of sovereignty to Spain, instead supporting self-determination . The main UK opposition parties also support this policy, and it

3080-585: The Royal Navy and played an important role leading up to the Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805). Designated one of four Imperial fortresses (along with Halifax, Nova Scotia , Bermuda , and Malta ), its strategic location made it a key base during the Crimean War of 1854–1856. In the 18th century, the peacetime military garrison fluctuated in numbers from a minimum of 1,100 to a maximum of 5,000. The first half of

3168-568: The Schengen Agreement to facilitate border movements between Gibraltar and Spain. As of March 2023 , talks seem deadlocked. The name is derived from Arabic : جبل طارق , romanized :  Jabal Ṭāriq , lit.   'Mount of Tariq' (named after the 8th-century North African military leader Tariq ibn Ziyad , who began the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula via

3256-554: The Strait of Gibraltar , with half the world's seaborne trade passing through it. The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations as Spain asserts a claim to the territory . Gibraltarians overwhelmingly rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum , and for shared sovereignty in a 2002 referendum . Nevertheless, Gibraltar maintains close economic and cultural links with Spain, with many Gibraltarians speaking Spanish as well as

3344-408: The naval dockyard providing the bulk of economic activity. This, however, has diminished over the last 20 years and is estimated to account for only 7 per cent of the local economy, compared to over 60 per cent in 1984. The territory also has a small manufacturing sector, representing a bit less than 2 per cent of the economy. Gibraltar's labour market employs around thirty thousand workers, 80% in

3432-545: The siege of 1727 , and again with the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779 to 1783), during the American War of Independence . After the destructive Great Siege, the town was almost entirely rebuilt. Giovanni Maria Boschetti, who arrived in Gibraltar in 1784 as a 25-year-old from Milan, where he is thought to have been a stonemason or engineer, built the Victualling Yard (completed in 1812) and many other buildings. Boschetti

3520-551: The 19th century saw a significant increase of population to more than 17,000 in 1860, as people from Britain and all around the Mediterranean – Italian, Portuguese, Maltese, Jewish and French – took up residence in the town. Its strategic value increased with the opening of the Suez Canal , as it lay on the sea route between the UK and the British Empire east of Suez. In the later 19th century, major investments were made to improve

3608-564: The Crown of Castile in 1462. In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession , and it was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. It became an important base for the Royal Navy , particularly during the Napoleonic Wars and World War II , as it controlled the narrow entrance and exit to the Mediterranean Sea ,

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3696-416: The EU continued unchanged until the end of 2020 when it was replaced by the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement . On 31 December 2020, the UK and Spain agreed in principle on a basis for the EU and the UK to negotiate an agreement through which Gibraltar would participate in the Schengen Area , to avoid a hard border with Spain. The arrangements have not entered into force. In 2022, Gibraltar launched

3784-422: The EU with Britain. Gibraltar was nominated to be included on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories by the United Kingdom when the list was created in 1946 and has been listed ever since. The government of Gibraltar has actively worked to have Gibraltar removed from the list, and in 2008 the British government declared Gibraltar's continued presence on the list an anachronism. Gibraltar

3872-423: The European Community covering special member state territories , with exemption from some areas such as the European Union Customs Union , Common Agricultural Policy and the Schengen Area . It is the only British Overseas Territory which was part of the European Union. After a 10-year campaign for the right to vote in European elections , from 2004 to 2019 the people of Gibraltar participated in elections for

3960-409: The European Union, but is a participant in the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement . On 31 December 2020, the UK and Spain agreed in principle on a basis for the EU and the UK to negotiate an agreement through which Gibraltar would participate in the Schengen Area , to avoid a hard border with Spain. The arrangements have not entered into force, but both sides aim to keep delays at the border at

4048-452: The Gibraltar Parliament but is responsible to the British government in respect of defence, foreign policy, internal security and general good governance. Judicial and other appointments are made on behalf of the monarch in consultation with the head of the elected government . The 2011 election was contested by the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD), Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP)- Liberal Party of Gibraltar (LPG) Alliance and

4136-420: The Iberian peninsula because of its position on the Strait of Gibraltar. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry. Its average annual temperature is 21.7 °C (71.1 °F) as a daily high and 15.8 °C (60.4 °F) as the overnight low. In the coldest month, January, the high temperature averages 16.3 °C (61.3 °F) and the overnight low averages 11.2 °C (52.2 °F) and

4224-474: The Nasrid destruction and abandonment of Algeciras c.  1375 and Nasrids' procurement of Gibraltar away from Marinids in 1375, the Nasrids favoured Gibraltar (a worse natural harbor than Algeciras but featuring better defence capabilities) as a military and urban outpost in the Strait, although Gibraltar did not ever reach a large population during this period. In 1462, Gibraltar was captured by Juan Alonso de Guzmán, 1st Duke of Medina Sidonia , from

4312-423: The Rock before British control, having possibly been introduced during the Islamic period. A superstition analogous to that of the ravens at the Tower of London states that if the apes ever leave, so will the British. In 1944, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was so concerned about the dwindling population of apes that he sent a message to the Colonial Secretary requesting that something be done about

4400-422: The Rock comprises steep cliffs and scree slopes descending to the sea, allowing little space for human habitation. In modern times a road (Sir Herbert Miles Road, named after Lieutenant General Sir Herbert Miles , Governor of Gibraltar 1913-1918) has been cut into the shore, its southernmost part being through a tunnel ( Dudley Ward Way , named after Sir Alfred Dudley Ward , Governor of Gibraltar 1962-1965) in

4488-440: The Rock of Gibraltar. Geologists have found various poorly preserved and badly eroded and rolled marine fossils within it. The fossils found in the Gibraltar limestone include various brachiopods , corals , echinoid fragments, gastropods , pelecypods , and stromatolites . These fossils indicate an Early Jurassic age (Lower Lias) for the deposition of the Gibraltar limestone. The Little Bay and Dockyard shale formations form

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4576-434: The Rock. Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where the Gibraltar candytuft ( Iberis gibraltarica ) is found growing in the wild; the plant is otherwise native to North Africa. It is the symbol of the Upper Rock nature reserve . Olive and pine trees are among the most common of those growing around the Rock. Most of the Rock's upper area is covered by a nature reserve which is home to around 230 Barbary macaques ,

4664-461: The Strait of Gibraltar in 711). Evidence of Neanderthal habitation in Gibraltar from around 50,000 years ago has been discovered at Gorham's Cave . The caves of Gibraltar continued to be used by Homo sapiens after the final extinction of the Neanderthals. Stone tools, ancient hearths and animal bones dating from around 40,000 years ago to about 5,000 years ago have been found in deposits left in Gorham's Cave. Numerous potsherds dating from

4752-512: The UK, ending some restrictions and dealing with disputes in some specific areas such as air movements, customs procedures, telecommunications, pensions and cultural exchange. In the British referendum on membership of the European Union 96% of Gibraltarians voted to remain on an 84% turnout. Spain renewed calls for joint Spanish–British control of the peninsula; these were strongly rebuffed by Gibraltar's Chief Minister. On 18 October 2018, however, Spain seemed to have reached an agreement with

4840-413: The United Kingdom in relation to its objections to Gibraltar leaving the EU with the UK, with Spain's prime minister Pedro Sánchez stating, "Gibraltar will no longer be a problem in arriving at a Brexit deal." On 31 January 2020, the UK left the European Union and consequently so did Gibraltar. Under the terms of the transition phase in the Brexit withdrawal agreement , Gibraltar's relationship with

4928-463: The average sea temperature is 16 °C (61 °F). In the warmest month, August, the daily high temperature averages 28.4 °C (83.1 °F), the overnight low averages 21.2 °C (70.2 °F), and the average sea temperature is 22 °C (72 °F). Source 3: Meteoclimat (records except February, July and August record lows) Source 4: Time and Date (dew points and humidity) Over 500 different species of flowering plants grow on

5016-509: The base of the Rock. The western face, where the City of Gibraltar is located, is comparatively less steep. Calcite , the mineral that makes up limestone , dissolves slowly in rainwater. Over time, this process can form caves. For this reason the Rock of Gibraltar contains over 100 caves. St. Michael's Cave , located halfway up the western slope of the Rock, is the most prominent and is a popular tourist attraction. Fossils of Neanderthals have been found at several sites in Gibraltar. In 1848,

5104-437: The boreholes is nowadays supplemented by two desalination plants: a reverse osmosis plant, constructed in a tunnel within the rock, and a multi-stage flash distillation plant at North Mole. Gibraltar's terrain consists of the 426 m-high (1,398 ft) Rock of Gibraltar made of Jurassic limestone , and the narrow coastal lowland surrounding it. It contains many tunnelled roads, most of which are still operated by

5192-427: The early part of the Jurassic Period some 175–200 million years ago, their current appearance is due to far more recent events of about 5 million years ago. When the African tectonic plate collided tightly with the Eurasian Plate , the Mediterranean became a lake that, over the course of time, dried up during the Messinian salinity crisis . The Atlantic Ocean then broke through the Strait of Gibraltar , and

5280-408: The famous "apes" of Gibraltar, which are actually monkeys . These are the only wild apes or monkeys found in Europe. This species, known scientifically as Macaca sylvanus , is listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List and is declining. Three-quarters of the world population live in the Middle Atlas mountains of Morocco . Recent genetic studies and historical documents point to their presence on

5368-537: The festival celebrates comedy is a natural fit; the city was the backdrop for Luis García Berlanga 's comedic masterpiece Calabuch . [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh , ed. (1911). " Peñiscola ". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 98. Gibraltar Gibraltar ( / dʒ ɪ ˈ b r ɔː l t ər / jib- RAWL -tər , Spanish: [xiβɾalˈtaɾ] )

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5456-403: The foot of which is a densely populated town area, home to some 34,003 people, primarily Gibraltarians . Gibraltar was founded as a permanent watchtower by the Almohads in 1160. It switched control between the Nasrids , Castilians and Marinids in the Late Middle Ages , acquiring larger strategic clout upon the destruction of nearby Algeciras c.  1375 . It became again part of

5544-413: The fortifications and the port. During the Second World War , most of Gibraltar's civilian population was evacuated , mainly to London, but also to parts of Morocco and Madeira and to Gibraltar Camp in Jamaica . The Rock was strengthened as a fortress . On 18 July 1940, the Vichy French air force attacked Gibraltar in retaliation for the British bombing of the Vichy navy. The naval base and

5632-415: The frontier workers are Spanish nationals. More than half (55 Percent) of the private sector employee jobs are held by persons who are not Gibraltarians or Other British nationalities. The public sector, on the other hand, employs mainly Gibraltarians and other British (90 Percent) As a consequence, according to Fabian Picardo , Chief Minister of Gibraltar, during Brexit negotiations, a frontier which lacked

5720-410: The garrison of the town for two years, after which time they were expelled, returning to their home towns or moving on to other parts of Spain. In 1501, Gibraltar passed back to the Spanish Crown, and Isabella I of Castile issued a Royal Warrant granting Gibraltar the coat of arms that it still uses. In 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession , a combined Anglo - Dutch fleet, representing

5808-474: The garrison throughout the siege , was anxious to bring flanking fire on the Spanish batteries in the plain below the North face of the Rock. On the suggestion of Sergeant-Major Henry Ince of the Royal Engineers, he had a tunnel bored from a point above Willis's Battery to communicate with the Notch, a natural projection from the North face. The plan was to mount a battery there. There was no intention at first of making embrasures in this tunnel, but an opening

5896-473: The island at a critical time in the face of concentrated air attacks from German and Italian forces. Spanish dictator Francisco Franco 's reluctance to allow the German Army onto Spanish soil frustrated a German plan to capture the Rock, codenamed Operation Felix . In the 1950s, Franco renewed Spain's claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar and restricted movement between Gibraltar and Spain. Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain under British sovereignty in

5984-449: The large British high street chains have branches or franchises in Gibraltar including Morrisons , Marks & Spencer and Mothercare . Branches and franchises of international retailers such as Tommy Hilfiger and Sunglass Hut are also present in Gibraltar, as is the Spanish clothing company Mango . Rock of Gibraltar The Rock of Gibraltar (from the Arabic name Jabal Ṭāriq جبل طارق , meaning "Mountain of Tariq" )

6072-401: The military and closed to the general public. Gibraltar has a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ), with mild, rainy winters and summers that are very warm to hot and humid, but with very little rainfall. As is the case for nearby Algeciras and Tarifa , summers are significantly cooler and annual temperature more constant than other cities on the southern coast of

6160-417: The name Chersonesos (meaning "peninsula"). It was next captured by the Carthaginians under Hamilcar Barca ; legend has it that this is the place where he made his son Hannibal swear an oath that he would never be a friend of Rome. The present castle was built by the Knights Templar between 1294 and 1307. In the fourteenth century it was garrisoned by the Knights of Montesa , and in 1420 it reverted to

6248-403: The necessary fluidity for people to be able to access their places of work would put directly at risk nearly half of the jobs of the Gibraltar workforce. In the early 2000s, many bookmakers and online gaming operators moved to Gibraltar to benefit from operating in a regulated jurisdiction with a favourable corporate tax regime. This corporate tax regime for non-resident controlled companies

6336-1071: The oldest strata overlying the youngest strata. These strata are the Catalan Bay Shale Formation (youngest), Gibraltar Limestone , Little Bay Shale Formation (oldest), and Dockyard Shale Formation (age unknown). These strata are noticeably faulted and deformed. Predominantly of shale , the Catalan Bay Shale Formation also contains thick units composed of either brown calcareous sandstone , soft shaly sandstone interbedded with bluish-black limestone , and interlayered greenish-gray marls and dark gray cherts . The Catalan Bay Shale Formation contains unidentifiable echinoid spines and belemnite fragments and infrequent Early Jurassic (Middle Lias ) ammonites . The Gibraltar limestone consists of greyish-white or pale-gray compact, and sometime finely crystalline, medium to thick bedded limestones and dolomites that locally contain chert seams. This formation comprises about three quarters of

6424-642: The other southern pillar on the African side of the Strait of Gibraltar being Mons Abila , identified today as either Monte Hacho or Jebel Musa , with a distance of about 27 km between the two "pillars". According to ancient legend fostered by the Greeks and the Phoenicians , and later adopted by the Romans, the two pillars marked the western limit of the known world, although the Phoenicians had sailed beyond this point into

6512-492: The passage periods. The vegetation on the Rock, unique in southern Iberia , provides a temporary home for many species of migratory birds that stop to rest and feed before continuing migration for their crossing over the sea and desert. In spring, they return to replenish before continuing their journeys to Western Europe , journeys which may take them as far as Greenland or Russia . The Rock has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International , because it

6600-526: The private sector and 20% in the public sector. The unemployment rate is extremely low, at around 1 per cent. More than half (53 Percent) of the labour force are resident in Spain or are non Gibraltarians. According to the Government of Gibraltar's statistics, around 45 Percent of the total employee jobs, and 58% of the private sector jobs, are held by frontier workers (employees who are normally resident in Spain but are employed in Gibraltar). Around 63 Percent of

6688-512: The resultant flooding created the Mediterranean Sea . The Rock forms part of the Betic Cordillera , a mountain range that dominates southeastern Iberia. The local geology of the region has been uplifting the rock at roughly 0.05 mm (0.0020 in) per year for the past 200,000 years (or a total uplift of around 10 metres (33 ft)), and for at least 50,000 years before that had been uplifted by 0.33 mm (0.013 in) per year for

6776-581: The rock. Towards the south-east end of the Rock close to sea-level is located Gorham's Cave , a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The Moorish Castle is a relic of Moorish rule over Gibraltar, which lasted for 710 years. It was built in the year AD 711, when the Berber chieftain Tariq ibn-Ziyad first landed on the rock that still bears his name. The 17th-century Muslim historian Al-Maqqari wrote that upon landing, Tariq burned his ships. The principal building that remains

6864-726: The role of Valencia . The castle is now a popular tourist attraction and the beaches and surrounding area are a popular family holiday resort. Each summer, Peniscola hosts two music festivals: the International Festival of Ancient and Baroque Music (since 1996) and the International Jazz Festival of Peniscola (since 2004). At the beginning of August, a pyromusical show opens the International Festival of Ancient and Baroque Music. Peniscola hosted an annual comedy film festival that draws Spanish and foreign actors and filmmakers, and features screenings in historic venues. That

6952-501: The settlements of Sandy Bay and Catalan Bay ; and the Westside , where the vast majority of the population lives. Gibraltar has no administrative divisions but is divided into seven Major Residential Areas . Having negligible natural resources and few natural freshwater resources, limited to natural wells in the north, until recently Gibraltar used large concrete or natural rock water catchments to collect rainwater. Fresh water from

7040-512: The ships based there played a key role in the provisioning and supply of the island of Malta during its long siege . As well as frequent short runs, known as "Club Runs", towards Malta to fly off aircraft reinforcements (initially Hurricanes , but later, notably from the USN aircraft carrier Wasp , Spitfires ), the critical Operation Pedestal convoy was run from Gibraltar in August 1942. This resupplied

7128-626: The site of an early settlement of the native Turdetani people. After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire , Gibraltar came briefly under the control of the Vandals , who crossed into Africa at the invitation of Boniface , the Count (or commander) of the territory. The area later formed part of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania for almost 300 years, from 414 until 711 AD. Following

7216-560: The situation. Other mammals found in Gibraltar include rabbits, foxes and bats. Dolphins and whales are frequently seen in the Bay of Gibraltar . Migrating birds are very common and Gibraltar is home to the only Barbary partridges found on the European continent. In 1991, Graham Watson, Gibraltar's MEP , highlighted conservationists ' fears that urban development , tourism and invasive plant species were threatening Gibraltar's own plants as well as birds and bat species . In May 2016,

7304-463: The south end above the strait at O'Hara's Battery . The Rock's central peak, Signal Hill and the top station of the Gibraltar Cable Car , stands at an elevation of 387 m (1,270 ft). The near-cliffs along the eastern side of the Rock drop down to a series of wind-blown sand slopes that date to the glaciations when sea levels were lower than today, and a sandy plain extended east from

7392-471: The tunnel system and made the Rock a keystone in the defence of shipping routes to the Mediterranean. In February 1997, it was revealed the British had a secret plan called Operation Tracer to conceal servicemen in tunnels beneath the Rock in case the Germans captured it. The team in the rock would have radio equipment with which to report enemy movements. A six-man team waited undercover at Gibraltar for two and

7480-658: Was declared a nature reserve in 1993. The flora and fauna of the Gibraltar Nature Reserve are of conservation interest and are protected by law . Within it is a range of animals and plants, but the highlights are the Barbary macaques (the famous Rock apes ), the Barbary partridges , and flowers such as Gibraltar's own chickweed , thyme and the Gibraltar candytuft . The Barbary macaques may have originated from an escape of North African animals transported to Spain; it

7568-444: Was found necessary for ventilation; as soon as it had been made a gun was mounted in it. By the end of the siege, the British had constructed six such embrasures, and mounted four guns. The Galleries, which tourists may visit, were a later development of the same idea and were finished in 1797. They consist of a whole system of halls, embrasures , and passages, of a total length of nearly 304 m (997 ft). From them, one may see

7656-500: Was phased out by January 2011 and replaced by a still favourable fixed corporate tax rate of 10 per cent. Tourism is also a significant industry. Gibraltar is a popular port for cruise ships and attracts day visitors from resorts in Spain. The Rock is a popular tourist attraction, particularly among British tourists and residents in the southern coast of Spain. It is also a popular shopping destination, and all goods and services are VAT free, but may be subject to Gibraltar taxes. Many of

7744-570: Was taken over by the Order of Montesa , they then ceded the castle to the Supreme Pontiff . The castle was also where the Antipope Benedict XIII lived from 1417 until his death in 1423. In 1960 the castle was restored using a pastiche along with addition of new walls which were added for Anthony Mann's film El Cid which was partially filmed there. The town and castle of Peníscola played

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