Overview
Gibraltar 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 at the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory has an area of 6.8 km² (2.6 sq mi) and is bordered to the north by Spain. It is home to around 34,000 people, primarily Gibraltarians.
The landscape is dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, at the foot of which lies a densely populated town area. The name "Gibraltar" derives from the Arabic "Jabal Ṭāriq," meaning "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 the Strait of Gibraltar in 711.
History
Prehistory and Ancient Period
Evidence of Neanderthal habitation in Gibraltar from around 50,000 years ago has been discovered at Gorham's Cave. After the final extinction of the Neanderthals, Homo sapiens continued to use the caves, leaving stone tools, ancient hearths, and animal bones dating from around 40,000 to 5,000 years ago.
During ancient times, Gibraltar held religious and symbolic importance for Mediterranean peoples. The Phoenicians were present for several centuries from around 950 BC, using Gorham's Cave as a shrine, as did the Carthaginians and Romans. Gibraltar was known as Mons Calpe and was considered by ancient Greeks and Romans as one of the Pillars of Hercules, according to the Greek legend of Heracles creating the Strait of Gibraltar.
Medieval Period
Gibraltar formed part of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania for nearly 300 years, from 418 until 720 AD. In 711, a predominantly Berber army under Tariq ibn Ziyad crossed from North Africa and initiated the Islamic conquest of most of the Iberian Peninsula. The settlement was subsequently renamed Jabal Ṭāriq, which later became Gibraltar.
In 1160, the Almohad Sultan Abd al-Mu'min ordered the construction of a permanent settlement, including a castle, known as Medinat al-Fath (City of the Victory). The Tower of Homage of the Moorish Castle remains standing from this period. From the 13th century onward, the town was fought over and captured multiple times by the Nasrids of Granada, the Marinids of Fez, and the kings of Castile. Following the Nasrid destruction of nearby Algeciras around 1375, Gibraltar became favored as a military and urban outpost in the Strait, though it did not achieve a large population during this era.
Modern Era
In 1462, Gibraltar was captured by Juan Alonso de Guzmán, 1st Duke of Medina Sidonia, from the Emirate of Granada. It subsequently became part of the Crown of Castile. In 1474, the Duke sold Gibraltar to a group of conversos (Christian converts from Judaism), though they were expelled after two years in 1476. In 1501, Gibraltar reverted to the Spanish Crown, and Isabella I of Castile granted it a coat of arms that remains in use today.
In 1540, Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa captured and ransacked the town, causing devastating casualties among the population. In 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain on behalf of the Archduke Charles of Austria. Most of the Spanish population of 4,000 to 5,000 inhabitants departed, with only about 70 remaining, primarily Genoese traders. The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht formally ceded Gibraltar to Great Britain in perpetuity.
Spain made unsuccessful attempts to reclaim Gibraltar through the siege of 1727 and the Great Siege of Gibraltar lasting from 1779 to 1783 during the American War of Independence. After the destructive Great Siege, the town was almost entirely rebuilt. During the Napoleonic Wars, Gibraltar became a crucial Royal Navy base and played an important role before the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The opening of the Suez Canal further increased its strategic value as it lay on the sea route between Britain and the British Empire east of Suez.
Governance and Sovereignty
Gibraltar remains a British Overseas Territory. The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations, as Spain asserts a claim to the territory. In a 1967 referendum, Gibraltarians overwhelmingly rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty, and they again rejected shared sovereignty proposals in a 2002 referendum.
Despite the sovereignty dispute, Gibraltar maintains close economic and cultural links with Spain. Many Gibraltarians speak Spanish as well as Llanito, a local dialect.
Following Brexit, Gibraltar is no longer a member of the European Union. A draft treaty negotiated in June 2025 would allow Gibraltar to participate in the Schengen Agreement and the European Union customs union. In July 2026, the UK, Spain, Gibraltar, and the EU signed this treaty, removing border controls with Spain.
Economy
Gibraltar's economy rests on online gambling, financial services, tourism, and the port. The territory has one of the world's lowest unemployment rates. A significant portion of the labor force are residents from Spain or non-Gibraltarians, particularly in the private sector.