The Rock of Gibraltar has an area of two and a quarter square miles and is connected by a narrow isthmus to the southern coast of Spain. It has a population of approximately 30,000, of which 20,000 are Gibraltarian. The people are mainly of Italian, Genoese and Maltese descent, and are bilingual in English and Spanish. There is a small but significant Jewish population, a section of Indian traders and latterly a large influx of Moroccan workers. The official language is English and the official currency the pound Sterling, with both UK and Gibraltar coinage in circulation.
Gibraltar is a British Crown Colony and has been so since 1704. The Constitution gives legislative powers to the Governor, who is the Queen's representative, and the House of Assembly. It is a dependent territory, responsibility for which lies with the British Government. It enjoys considerable self-government, although the formal assent of the Governor is required for all legislation. The British Foreign Office
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