I.

Introduction

Gibraltar, British dependency, comprising the rocky promontory, called the Rock of Gibraltar (ancient Calpe), that commands the western entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of Gibraltar separates the Rock from the coast of North Africa. Connecting the Rock with the Spanish mainland is a narrow, sandy isthmus containing a neutral zone that separates the British dependency from Spain. Gibraltar has an area of 6.5 sq km (2.5 sq mi). Although it is commonly thought to be the southernmost point on the Iberian Peninsula, that is in fact Punta de Tarifa, located about 27 km (17 mi) to the south-west.