Gibraltar profile

Demography and Health

Gibraltar is a small, densely populated territory with a total population of about 39,329 in 2024. The crude birth rate in 2023 was 12.1 births per 1,000 people, while the crude death rate stood at 6.51 deaths per 1,000 people, values that place both indicators around the middle of the observed range (birth rate rank 124, death rate rank 122). Life expectancy at birth is 83.6 years (2023), ranking 11, signaling among the higher life expectancy figures globally for a jurisdiction of its size, and suggesting strong health outcomes and effective public health systems. The natural increase implied by births minus deaths is roughly 5.6 per 1,000 population, indicating positive natural growth even before considering migration. In 2024 Gibraltar recorded net migration of 598 people (rank 72), a sizable influx for a small territory, contributing to population growth beyond natural increase and pointing to ongoing demand for housing, services, and employment opportunities. Taken together, these indicators describe a population that is small and healthy with an aging tendency suggested by the low birth rate, reinforced by a positive migration balance that sustains demographic vitality. The population’s small size (rank 209) underscores the intimate scale of social services, health infrastructure, and community networks that support high life expectancy and relatively stable well-being metrics.

Economy

Direct economic indicators such as GDP, GDP per capita, or sectoral composition are not provided in the data. Nevertheless, the demographic profile implies a mature, high-human-capital economy—characteristics often associated with stable services, finance, and professional sectors—within a compact market. A population of about 39,000 suggests a limited domestic market, making external demand and cross-border services particularly important for growth. The high life expectancy (83.6 years) and low birth rate (12.1 per 1,000) can reflect a skilled, experienced workforce and long-term purchasing power that supports high-value services. The positive net migration of 598 in 2024 further signals a dynamic labor inflow that can sustain specialized service sectors and public services, even as the natural increase remains modest. A notable signal from the limited energy data is the absence of renewable energy consumption in 2021 (0%), which could affect energy costs and competitiveness in energy-intensive service activities. The per capita greenhouse gas emissions of 18.5 t (2023) add another dimension to the economic profile, hinting at energy-use patterns that have implications for costs, sustainability-focused investment, and climate-related policy. Overall, while precise economic metrics are missing, the available indicators point to a small, service-oriented economy with reliance on external openness and a potential agenda for energy efficiency and decarbonization.

Trade and Investment

There are no direct indicators of trade volumes, foreign direct investment, or investment climate in the dataset. The small population size suggests that Gibraltar’s domestic market alone is unlikely to drive large-scale inward investment, reinforcing a likely dependence on external trade in goods and services and on cross-border flows. The presence of positive net migration indicates ongoing demand for housing and services that may interact with investment in real estate and public infrastructure. The renewable energy data—0% renewable energy consumption in 2021—implies energy import dependence, which can influence cost structures and competitiveness for traded services, especially those requiring reliable power. However, without concrete trade and investment metrics, any assessment of openness, trade exposure, or investment performance remains speculative and incomplete. The data gap highlights the need for fuller information to evaluate Gibraltar’s integration into global value chains and its attractiveness to investors.

Governance and Institutions

The dataset does not provide governance, institutional, or public-finance indicators. While the health and demographic outcomes—high life expectancy and positive net migration—suggest a functioning social environment, there is no direct evidence in the data about governance quality, fiscal health, transparency, or rule of law. Given Gibraltar’s status as a British Overseas Territory with a distinctive constitutional framework, governance arrangements likely shape policy on health, immigration, and infrastructure, but such conclusions would require dedicated indicators beyond what is presented here. The absence of governance metrics in this dataset means any assessment must rely on broader sources to understand governance effectiveness, public administration capacity, and fiscal sustainability.

Infrastructure and Technology

The dataset provides limited information on infrastructure and technology. A notable data point is renewable energy consumption, which stands at 0% of total final energy consumption in 2021 (rank 171). This suggests little on-island renewable generation in that year and potential reliance on imported energy, with implications for energy security, costs, and environmental performance. The per capita CO2 emissions of 18.5 t (2023) align with energy-use patterns that may involve transport and building energy demand, though the data do not specify the transport network, broadband, or other critical infrastructure indicators. While Gibraltar’s small geographic footprint can support a compact, well-connected urban environment, the lack of broader infrastructure metrics in the dataset limits assessment of transport efficiency, digital connectivity, and resilience. There is clear potential for infrastructure modernization and energy transition to enhance efficiency, lower emissions, and improve service delivery for residents and businesses.

Environment and Sustainability

Environmentally, the data reveal a stark stance on renewable energy: 0% of total final energy consumption from renewables in 2021 (rank 171), indicating negligible on-site renewable generation and a likely reliance on imported energy sources. This situation can heighten exposure to fossil fuel price volatility and energy security risks, while missing opportunities for local clean energy deployment. Total greenhouse gas emissions per capita are 18.5 t CO2e (2023), ranking 15, which is relatively high for a territory of Gibraltar’s size. The combination of high per-capita emissions and no visible renewables highlights an emissions intensity challenge and a significant decarbonization opportunity. Strategies to pursue include expanding renewable capacity, improving energy efficiency in buildings and industry, electrifying end-use sectors, and exploring regional energy interconnections to reduce emissions and increase energy resilience. The data imply that environmental policy could benefit from a focused transition to low-carbon energy sources and more robust sustainability planning, even as social and economic dynamics continue to evolve in a small but increasingly interconnected territory.