Some Basic Facts About Gibraltar Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When was the Treaty of Utrecht - the document which formally ceded Gibraltar to British rule - signed?

Answer: 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.

2. Before the Rock was handed over to the British, how long (roughly) had Gibraltar been under Spanish rule?

Answer: 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.

3. 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?

Answer: 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.

4. The first Neanderthal skull was found in Gibraltar, not in the Neander Valley.

Answer: True

This is true! A skull of a female Neanderthal was discovered in Forbes' Quarry in March 3rd 1848 by Lieutenant Edmund Flint. The significance of the find, however, was not recognised then and the skull was set aside for 16 years - the Neanderthal remains in the Neander Valley, Germany, were found eight years after the Gibraltar skull. Had the find been reported sooner, Neanderthal Man would have actually been Gibraltar Man (or woman).

5. Which is the official language of Gibraltar?

Answer: 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.

6. How tall is the Rock of Gibraltar (to the nearest 10 metres)?

Answer: 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.

7. One of the most famous sights in Gibraltar is a cave. What is the name of this cave?

Answer: 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.

8. Gibraltar is famed for its free-living baboons, who live up the Rock and are visited by thousands of tourists each year.

Answer: False

Gibraltar is renowned for its Barbary Apes, not baboons. The Barbary Ape is a species of tail-less monkey which came originally from Morocco. The Barbary Ape population has increased significantly in recent years and it is believed that Winston Churchill brought some over from Africa to boost the population.

There is a local myth that should the Barbary Apes ever leave Gibraltar, the Rock would cease to be British.

9. Although small, Gibraltar has its own airport, which provides air connections with London, Luton and Heathrow. What, though, is unusual about the airport?

Answer: 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.

10. 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?

Answer: 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).

11. 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?

Answer: 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.

12. When is Gibraltar's National Day celebrated?

Answer: 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.

13. What is the official name for a native of Gibraltar?

Answer: 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.

14. 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?

Answer: 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!

15. 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?

Answer: 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.

Source: Author DigitalAngel

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor minch before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Learn a few little tidbits of trivia about this very small British colony on the south of Spain, which celebrates its Tercentenary (300 years) of British rule in 2004.

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