Gibraltar, British port city at the southern tip of Iberian Peninsula, Gibraltar.
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, sitting on a limestone rock above the strait between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The rock reaches 426 meters (1,398 feet) in height and dominates the narrow waterway between Europe and Africa, while the town spreads along the western slope facing the harbor.
British forces seized the territory in 1704 during the War of Spanish Succession, and Spain formally ceded it in 1713 through the Treaty of Utrecht. It developed into a strategic Royal Navy base controlling Mediterranean access throughout the following centuries.
Residents use English and Llanito, a vernacular mixing English and Spanish expressions that reflects centuries of contact between British administration and neighboring Spanish communities across the border. Houses along the main street show balconies with wrought-iron railings next to Georgian facades, while British telephone boxes stand beside tapas bars near the harbor.
The local currency is the Gibraltar pound, pegged to British sterling at equal value, though euros and major international currencies are accepted in shops and restaurants. The border with Spain can be crossed on foot or by vehicle, though expect longer waits during peak days or public holidays.
Barbary macaques inhabit the upper rock areas, forming the sole free-living monkey population on the European continent. These primates originated from North Africa and have lived on the rock for several centuries, with a legend stating that British rule will endure as long as they remain.
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