| Country name | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic "Jabal Tariq," which means "Mountain of Tariq" and which refers to the Rock of Gibraltar |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK |
| Government type | parliamentary democracy (Parliament); self-governing overseas territory of the UK |
| Capital | name: Gibraltar geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic "Jabal Tariq," which means "Mountain of Tariq" and which refers to the Rock of Gibraltar |
| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| National holiday | National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or join Spain |
| Constitution | history: previous 1969; latest passed by referendum 30 November 2006, entered into effect 14 December 2006, entered into force 2 January 2007 amendments: proposed by Parliament and requires prior consent of the British monarch (through the Secretary of State); passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote in Parliament followed by simple majority vote in a referendum; note – only sections 1 through 15 in Chapter 1 (Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms) can be amended by Parliament |
| Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
| Citizenship | see United Kingdom |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; and British citizens with six months residence or more |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir David STEEL (since 11 June 2020) head of government: Chief Minister Fabian PICARDO (since 9 December 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; 17 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by majority vote and 1 appointed by Parliament as speaker; members serve 4-year terms) (e.g. 2019) elections: last held on 17 October 2019 (next to be held in 2023) (e.g. 2019) election results: percent of vote by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 52.5% (GSLP 37.0%, LPG 15.5%), GSD 25.6%; seats by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 10 (GSLP 7, LPG 3), GSD 6; composition of elected members - men 15, women 2, percent of women 11.8% (e.g. 2019) |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of at least 3 judges, including the court president); Supreme Court of Gibraltar (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judges appointed by the governor upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 7-member body of judges and appointees of the governor; tenure of the Court of Appeal president based on terms of appointment; Supreme Court chief justice and judges normally appointed until retirement at age 67 but tenure can be extended 3 years subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Magistrates' Court; specialized tribunals for issues relating to social security, taxes, and employment |
| Political parties and leaders | Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibraltar or LPG [Joseph GARCIA] Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Keith AZOPARDI] Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Fabian PICARDO] GSLP-Liberal Alliance (includes GSLP and LPG) Together Gibraltar or TG [Marlene HASSAN-NAHON] |
| International organization participation | ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Flag description | two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band; the design is that of Gibraltar's coat of arms granted on 10 July 1502 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain; the castle symbolizes Gibraltar as a fortress, while the key represents Gibraltar's strategic importance - the key to the Mediterranean |
| National symbol(s) | Barbary macaque; national colors: red, white, yellow |
| National anthem | name: Gibraltar Anthem lyrics/music: Peter EMBERLEY note: adopted 1994; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom) |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
