Geography

Gibraltar is situated at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. It is recognised as the southernmost point of Europe. It is also strategically positioned at the western end of the Mediterranean, forming one of the ancient Pillars of Hercules. The approximate location is latitude 36° 7 North and longitude 5°21 - West at its eastern end. The surrounding countries are Spain to the north and Morocco (North Africa) to the south, on the opposite side of the straits 24 km´s away. There are regular air links with the United Kingdom, 2 or 3 flights a day and with Morocco twice a week. There is also a ferry link with Tangiers in Morocco .

The rock itself is a mass of Jurassic limestone which runs from north to south for a length of 6 kilometres and a width of 1.2 kilometres. The north end is a flat sandy isthmus by which the Rock is connected to the Spanish mainland. The Gibraltar/Spain border crosses the isthmus. The northern and eastern face are steep cliffs reaching a maximum altitude of 426 metres above sea-level. Recent reclamation schemes have added a much need 300,000 square metres to Gibraltar’s available land area.

The climate is Mediterranean, a warm, dry summer alternating with a mild wet winter. During the year the daily mean temperatures are within the range of 12°C in January and 24°C in August. Snow and frost are extremely rare. Annual rainfall averages 899 millimetres, however year to year fluctuations are high. A climatic phenomenon very typical of the Rock is the famous Levanter cloud. This is a dense cloud cover which forms on the top of the Rock when humid winds are deflected upwards along the sheer face of the eastern side.