Population: 27,884 (July 2005 est.)

Capital: Gibraltar

Languages: English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Religions: Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

Government: NA

Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Geography: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans

Economy: Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2000 est.)

GDP real growth: NA%

Unemployment rate: 2% (2001 est.)

Internet country code: .gi

Dial code: +350