The Rock of Gibraltar is a monolithic limestone promontory located in Gibraltar, off the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It is 426 metres high. The Rock is Crown property of the United Kingdom, and borders Spain. Most of the Rock's upper area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 250 Barbary Macaques; they are the only wild monkeys found in Europe. These macaques, as well as a labyrinthine network of tunnels, attract a large number of tourists each year. The Rock of Gibraltar (sometimes called the Pillar of Hercules or by its Latin name, Calpe[1]) is a monolithic limestone promontory located in Gibraltar, off the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.[2] It is 426 metres (1,396 feet) high. The Rock is Crown property of the United Kingdom, and borders Spain. The sovereignty of Gibraltar was transferred to the Kingdom of Great Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 after the War of the Spanish Succession.[3] Most of the Rock's upper area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 250 Barbary Macaques - the only wild primates found in Europe. These macaques, as well as a labyrinthine network of tunnels, attract a large number of tourists each year. The Rock of Gibraltar was one of the Pillars of Hercules and was known to the Greeks as Mons Calpe, the other pillar being Mons Abyla or Jebel Musa on the African side of the Strait. In ancient times the two points marked the limit to the known world, a myth originally fostered by the Phoenicians
The Rock of Gibraltar is a monolithic limestone promontory (36°08′43″N 05°20′35″W). The geological formation was created during the Jurassic period some 200 million years ago, when the African tectonic plate collided tightly with the Eurasian plate. The Mediterranean became a lake that, over the course of time, dried up during the Messinian salinity crisis. The Atlantic Ocean then broke through the Strait of Gibraltar, and the resultant flooding created the Mediterranean Sea. The Rock forms part of the Betic Cordillera, a mountain range that dominates south-eastern Iberia. Today, the Rock of Gibraltar forms a peninsula jutting out into the Strait of Gibraltar from the southern coast of Spain. To the north, the Rock rises vertically from sea level up to 411.5 metres at Rock Gun Battery. The Rock's highest point stands 426 metres (1396 feet) above the strait. The near-cliffs along the eastern side of the Rock drop down to a series of wind-blown sand slopes that date to the glaciations, when sea levels were lower than today, and a sandy plain extended east from the base of the Rock. Its western face is comparatively less steep. A panoramic view from the top of the Rock of Gibraltar looking north. Calcite, the mineral which makes up limestone, dissolves slowly in rainwater. Over time, this process can form caves. Since the Rock of Gibraltar is made of limestone, it is not surprising that it contains over 100 caves. St. Michael's Cave, located halfway up the western slope of the Rock, is the most prominent and is a popular tourist attraction. Gorham's Cave is located near sea level on the steep eastern face of the Rock. It is noteworthy because archaeological excavations in the cave have found evidence that Neanderthals used it as far back as 30,000 years ago. It is especially significant because plant and animal remains found in the cave (and others nearby) indicate that the Neanderthals had a highly varied diet.
Gibraltar is Famous Worldwide for its Dramatic Rock. It is located in a strategic position at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. It overlooks the Straits of Gibraltar and is linked to Spain by a narrow isthmus. Gibraltar is imposing but small. It measures less than six square kilometres in total. It is inhabited by around 30,000 people made up of Gibraltarians, British, Moroccans, Indians and Spanish. There is also a colony of the famous apes, the only ones in Europe to run free in a semi-wild state. Gibraltar is a British self-governing colony. It has a Governor, Sir Robert Fulton, who is the Queen's representative on the Rock and Commander-in Chief of the British Forces stationed there. Britain is responsible for Gibraltar's foreign affairs, defence and the political stability of the colony. However, the Rock has its own Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, plus a House of Assembly and a government, which oversees the day-to-day affairs of the Rock. Gibraltar is a member of the European Union by virtue of Britain's membership. However, Gibraltar is outside the Customs Union so travellers from EU member states can still enjoy duty free purchases now banned to travellers within the EU.
