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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 40 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Gibraltar
| What events link 1967 and 2002 in the history of Gibraltar? | Gibraltar
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A referendum regarding Gibraltar continuing its association with Britain. In 1967 over 12,000 people voted to remain British, 44 people voted against remaining British. In 2002 17,900 people voted to remain British and 187 voted against remaining British. There has been discussion between Britain and Spain with a view to joint sovereignty, the referendum is not legally binding upon Britain but shows the strong feelings of the population.
| The Spaniards occupied Gibraltar for longer than the Moors. True or false?
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f. The Moors occupied Gibraltar for 727 years to Spain's 266 years. Gibraltar was first settled in 711 AD and has had a turbulent history with no less than 14 sieges. The final siege lasted from 1779 - 1783.
| What does legend say will happen if the apes leave Gibraltar? | Gibraltar
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Gibraltar will cease to be British. This legend was taken very seriously by the British govenment, so much so that the British Army used to be responsible for the feeding and care of the apes but the care has now reverted to the Government of Gibraltar.
| In which year did Franco close the border between Gibraltar and Spain in an attempt to regain sovereignty over Gibraltar? | Gibraltar
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1969. The border was re-opened for pedestrians in 1983 and fully re-opened in 1985.
| Which animals are generally thought of in connection to Gibraltar? | Gibraltar
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Barbary macaques. There is no other location in Europe where you will find free-roaming Barbary macaques.
| What is the title of the civic head of Gibraltar? | Gibraltar
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The Chief Minister. The Chief Minister of Gibraltar is also Leader of the House. The Lieutenant Governor is the Queen's personal representative in Gibraltar, there are Lieutenant Governors in various parts of the world filling similar roles. The Bailiff is the civic head of Jersey, Guernsey also has a Bailiff filling a similar role. Various countries have Prime Ministers including the United Kingdom.
| What is the Gibraltar parliament known as? | Gibraltar
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The House of Assembly. The House of Assembly was established in 1969. The Tynwald is the Isle of Man parliament, the States Assembly can be found in Jersey or Guernsey (each island has one as they have separate governments), and the Houses of Parliament is where you will find the British parliament.
| Which nationality do Gibraltarians consider themselves to be? | Gibraltar
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British. Gibraltar is a British Colony and has been so since the beginning of the 18th century.
| Which is the country geographically closest to Gibraltar? | Gibraltar
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Spain. Gibraltar is situated at the end of a mile long isthmus connected to Spain at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea and twenty miles north of the African coast.
| 2004 was a very big year for Gibraltar, which celebrated 300 years as a British colony. During its major celebrations, particularly on its National Day, the people of Gibraltar don clothes in the national colours of the Rock. What colours are these? | Some Basic Facts About Gibraltar
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Red and white. The national colours of Gibraltar are red and white, the prominent colours of Gibraltar's flag (which is a red castle on a red and white background). Red and yellow are often associated with Spain, so a combination of those two colours are avoided on National Day.
| Gibraltar has its own peculiar dialect, which is a blend of English, Spanish, Genoese and some local words. What is the name of this dialect? | Some Basic Facts About Gibraltar
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Llanito. The common name for the dialect is "llanito". Although Gibraltarian could be a possible name, it is not used. Gibraltese is a made-up answer of mine. As for gibberish, perhaps non-Gibraltarians may think the dialect sounds an awful lot like it since Gibraltarians will switch between Spanish and English at lightning speed!
Gibraltarian. Gibraltarian is the correct name. Gibbo is a slightly derogatory name but has been used by some. The other two options were made up.
10th September. Gibraltar's National Day is celebrated on the 10th of September. The 10th of September is significant as this was the day that the original referendum - when Gibraltarians where asked whether they wished to remain British or not - was held in 1967.
| There is a little village in Gibraltar which has lent its name to the bay in which it is located. What is the name of this little fishing village? | Some Basic Facts About Gibraltar
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Catalan Bay. The correct answer is Catalan Bay, which is located on the Eastern side of the Rock and was originally populated by Genoese many years ago, not Catalans as the name might suggest. Rosia Bay and Marina Bay do exist though. Rosia Bay is located in the South-West of the Rock and was the place where the HMS Victory, and the body of Admiral Lord Nelson, was brought to after the victory at Trafalgar. Marina Bay is one of Gibraltar's marinas and is located close to the airfield. Galician Bay, however, is an invention of mine.
| Gibraltar was once used as a location in a James Bond movie. The scene filmed saw James Bond and other agents parachuting from a plane onto the Upper Rock as part of a training exercise. Which Bond movie was this in? | Some Basic Facts About Gibraltar
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The Living Daylights. This scene was filmed as the opening to the 1987 movie "The Living Daylights", which starred Timothy Dalton as James Bond. It provides a fantastic aerial view of Gibraltar and the landing was filmed on Ministry of Defence property on the Upper Rock (which is usually closed off to the general public).
| Although small, Gibraltar has its own airport, which provides air connections with London, Luton and Heathrow. What, though, is unusual about the airport? | Some Basic Facts About Gibraltar
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The airstrip has a major road running through it. A major road runs through the airstrip and connects the Rock with the border with Spain. When a plane is landing or taking off, the traffic and pedestrians are stopped from crossing the airfield. This is something which is pretty much unique to Gibraltar.
St Michael's Cave. St Michael's Cave is one of the most famous sights on the Rock and is renowned for its beautiful formations, as well as a deep underground lake (which is only open to small guided groups). The main section boasts a stage, where concerts are regularly performed, and parts of the Cave were prepared for use an emergency hospital during WWII. St Bernard, incidentally, is the patron Saint of Gibraltar.
430 metres. The height of the Rock of Gibraltar, to the nearest 10 metres, is 430 metres (equal to about 1,400 feet). The Rock itself is composed mainly of limestone.
English. English is the official language in Gibraltar and is the language that is used in business, education and governmental affairs. Spanish is, however, used a lot in everyday conversation but it is not the official language.
| Gibraltar had been in the hands of the Moors prior to Spanish rule. The Moorish name for Gibraltar (from which the modern name was derived) was Jebel Tarik. But what did it mean? | Some Basic Facts About Gibraltar
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Tarik's Mountain. The name "Jebel Tarik" means "Tarik's Mountain" (Jebel is the Moorish name for "mountain"). The Tarik mentioned here is Tarik Ibn Zeyad, a Moorish general who was ordered to conquer the area in the name of Islam in 711.
240 years. The correct answer is actually 242 years (this was rounded down). The Rock of Gibraltar was under Spanish rule between 1462 and 1704.
1713. Gibraltar was formally ceded to Britain in Article X of the Treaty of Utrecht, which was signed in 1713. 1704 is the year in which Gibraltar fell to an Anglo-Dutch force and 1777 is the year in which the first census of the population was conducted. 1800 is just a random year I threw in.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono. John Lennon and Yoko Ono tied the knot in Gibraltar in the British Consulate Office on March 20th 1969 before proceeding to Amsterdam for their honeymoon. The wedding was kept relatively secret for fear of Beatles fans causing chaos and the couple were only on in Gibraltar for just over an hour. The ceremony was performed by Registrar Cecil Wheeler.
10th September. Gibraltar's National Day occurs every year on the 10th of September, in recognition of the first Referendum held in 1967 where Gibraltarians were asked whether they wished to remain British or not. On National Day, most Gibraltarians can be seen in the streets and numerous events held on that day dressed in the national colours, red and white. National Day, however, is a rather recent creation, having only come into existence in the 1990s.
A castle and key. The flag and coat of arms of Gibraltar feature a red castle with a key, symbolizing the Fortress City of Gibraltar. This national symbol was granted by a Royal Warrant by Queen Isabella of Castille in 1502. The rest of the flag is divided into 2 horizontal sections, 1 white (top) and 1 red (bottom).
| During the time of the Great Siege, it is believed that the national dish of "Calentita" was widely eaten, using the limited ingredients that were available to the local people. "Calentita" is made mostly from ingredient? | Gibraltar's Culture and Customs
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Chickpeas. The major ingredient of "Calentita" (meaning "warm" in Spanish) is chickpea. Chickpea flour, olive oil, salt, pepper and water are the main ingredients for this dish and a recipe for "Calentita" can be found at http://www.gibraltar.gov.uk/food.asp. Although "Calentita" became quite popular during the Great Siege
| The current location of the Gibraltar Museum incorporates the remains of which kind of archaeological site into its construction? | Gibraltar's Culture and Customs
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Moorish Baths. One of the major attractions of Gibraltar's museum are the Moorish Baths, which were discovered in the cellar of what was then known as Bomb House (which has since become the Museum). The Baths are mostly intact and date back to the 14th Century and were believed to be among the best of their kind at the time. Photos of the Baths can be found at the Museum's website at http://www.gib.gi/museum/p111.htm. None of the other abovementioned sites can be found in the Museum, although an artificial "Neanderthal Cave" was created in the museum some years ago and houses the remains of Neanderthal skeletons found in Gibraltar!
Genoese. Gibraltar's culture is a blend of mostly British, Spanish and Genoese culture. Many inhabitants today can trace back their origins to Genoese ancestors and the Genoese influence can be seen not only in a number of words in Gibraltar's local dialect (Llanito), but also in its cooking. The national dish "Calentita" is believed to be related to the Genoese recipe for "faina", both made primarily from chickpeas. Other cultures which have influenced Gibraltarian culture include the Morrocan, Jewish and Indian cultures, which are among Gibraltar's most dominant ethnic minorities.
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