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Gibraltar, British dependency, comprising the rocky promontory, called the Rock of Gibraltar (ancient Calpe), that forms the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula and commands the western entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of
Gibraltar separates the Rock from the coast of North Africa. Connecting the Rock with the Spanish mainland is a narrow, sandy isthmus containing a neutral zone that separates the British dependency from Spain. Gibraltar has an area of 5.8 sq. km (2.3sq mi.).The Land
The Rock of Gibraltar is composed of limestone. It arises abruptly from the sea in the east; its slope is more gradual on the west. The maximum elevation is 426 m (1,396 ft). Among the natural caves of the promontory, St. Michael's, with an entrance 335 m (1,100 ft) above the sea, is the largest. Climate is temperate, with temperatures averaging 15.6° C (60° F) in winter and 21.1° C (70° F) in summer. Average annual rainfall is 889 mm (35 in).
The official language is English, although Spanish is widely spoken.
Strait of Gibraltar, narrow passage connecting the Mediterranean Sea on the east with the Atlantic Ocean on the west. It separates northern Africa from the Rock of Gibraltar on the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula. The strait is about 65 km (40 mi.) long and varies in width from about 14 to 39 km (9 to 24 mi.). A channel 8 km (5 mi.) wide, traversing the center of the strait, has a depth of about 300 m (1,000 ft). A continuous current enters from the Atlantic Ocean, and tidal currents ebb and flow along the European and African shores. A westerly flowing undercurrent carries off the salty surplus waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The Pillars of Hercules flanks the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar. The strait has long been considered politically and economically crucial. From the Carthaginians who blockaded it in the 4th century BC to control trade out of the Mediterranean, to the Spanish and Moorish forces who fought for control of it in the 8th to 15th centuries, and the British who have used their base in Gibraltar to strengthen their naval position in several wars since the beginning of the 18th century.
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Last Revised: July 07, 2007 08:51