Flag of Gibraltar
What the flag looks like
Two horizontal bands of white over red, the white twice as tall, with a red three-towered castle on the white and a gold key hanging from its gate onto the red.
What it means
The castle and key come from the arms granted to Gibraltar by Spain's Catholic Monarchs in 1502; the key represents Gibraltar as the key to the Mediterranean.
How to remember it
Gibraltar
is a white-over-red flag like Poland's
, but with a red castle sitting on a tall white band and dangling a golden key into the red.
Fun facts
- In a 1967 referendum, 12,138 Gibraltarians voted to remain under British sovereignty and 44 voted to pass to Spain.
- Gibraltar is home to Europe's only wild monkeys, the Barbary macaques.
Gibraltar at a glance
- Status
- British Overseas Territory
- Sovereign state
- United Kingdom
- Also claimed by
- Spain
- Capital
- Gibraltar
- Region
- British Overseas Territory
- Population
- 37,936
- Area
- 7 km²
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Gibraltar pound (£)
- Flag adopted
- 1982
Flags often confused with Gibraltar
- Poland: Gibraltar and Poland are both white over red. Poland's bands are equal and plain; Gibraltar's white band is twice as tall and carries a red castle with a gold key hanging into the red.