IssuesGhana
Disputes - international:
Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Gibraltar
Introduction
Gibraltar
Background:
Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led to Spain closing the border and severing all communication links. A series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite talks on other issues have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to remove restrictions on air movements, to speed up customs procedures, to implement international telephone dialing, and to allow mobile roaming agreements. Britain agreed to pay increased pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed. Spain will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly. A new noncolonial constitution came into effect in 2007, but the UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.
Geography
Gibraltar
Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
Geographic coordinates:
36 08 N, 5 21 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
a little less than one half the size of Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km
Coastline:
12 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Terrain:
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant
Geography - note:
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
People
Gibraltar
Population:
28,002 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 16.9% (male 2,426/female 2,309) 15–64 years: 66.6% (male 9,507/female 9,153) 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,103/female 2,504) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.3 years male: 39.8 years female: 40.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.125% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
10.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.06 years male: 77.17 years female: 83.09 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.65
