Economic Characteristics

No.6 Convent Place

Ministry for Sports, Culture, Heritage and Youth

Ministry for Education, Financial Services. Gaming, Telecommunications and Justice

Ministry for Tourism, Public Transport and the Port

Ministry for Equality and Social Services

Ministry for Traffic, Health and Safety and Technical Services

Technical Services Department

Building Control

Ministry of Enterprise, Training and Employment

Ministry for Health and Environment

Ministy for Housing and the Elderly

Economic Characteristics

The economy of Gibraltar has a number of specific features, most of which stem from its small size in terms of the territory and population. It indigenous resources are limited. Almost no part of the land area is capable of supporting any kind of agriculture and the small size of the local market is a constraint on the development of many types of domestic economic activity.

In the absence of manufacturing activity of any significance and the lack of other indigenous resources, the economy is heavily dependent on imports, not only for its food and consumer goods but also for building materials, construction equipment and fuel.

Gibraltar’s economy can best be described as a ‘service economy’.

Traditionally it has provided services to the Ministry of Defence augmented by retail and tourism. The economic base of Gibraltar has changed drastically over the last fifteen years with the very significant rundown of the Ministry of Defence. This situation has shifted the economy from public to private sector control.

The current main sectors of the economy today are financial services, tourism/retailing and Port services including ship repair and ship conversion. New economic sectors being promoted are light manufacturing telecommunications and import/export operations. Already some headway has been made with the setting up of a Wine Bottling Plant and the establishment of Satellite Control Centres from the Rock with other similar projects being pursued.