With a last-minute deal guaranteeing Spain a say of the future of Gibraltar after Brexit, an EU summit designed to get all 27 leaders to agree on British Prime Minister Theresa May's exit plan will go ahead as planned.
About:
Governance: Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory. Under the Gibraltar constitution of 2006, Gibraltar is self-governing, with some responsibilities, such as defence and foreign relations, remaining with the British government.
Geography: It is located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.
Gibraltar's territory covers 6.7 square kilometres and shares a 1.2-kilometre land border with Spain. It shares a maritime border with Morocco.
Gibraltar's terrain consists of the 426-metre-high Rock of Gibraltar made of Jurassic limestone, and the narrow coastal lowland surrounding it.
Gibraltar is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and has “NO CONTACT WITH THE ATLANTIC OCEAN”.
History and dispute:
In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession. The territory was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.
The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations because Spain asserts a claim to the territory.
Gibraltarians rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum and, in a 2002 referendum, the idea of shared sovereignty was also rejected.
Significance: It remains strategically important, with half the world's seaborne trade passing through the strait. It is also an important Tourist and cargo ship refuelling centre.
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