Gibraltar

Gibraltar, self-governing British colony, 2.3 sq mi (6 sq km) in area, on the rock of Gibraltar at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula. The population is mixed; natives are of English, Genoese, Portuguese, and Maltese descent. The economy rests on light industry, shipping, and tourism, and on the important British naval and airbases. Gibraltar was captured from Spain in 1704. A 1967 referendum showed overwhelming opposition to a return to Spanish rule. The inhabitants currently demand autonomy and entry into the European Union.