Interesting facts and information about the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, interesting information and facts.
The country of the Strait of Gibraltar is a human and natural marvel, in which the British present, the Arab-Islamic past and the Spanish geography meet.
It is one of the most important crossings and waterways in the world, that country that is located in Spain and was controlled by Muslims and is now ruled by Britain, one of the strangest and most important places in the world:
The Strait of Gibraltar was named after Gibraltar, whose name was also attributed to the Arab leader Tariq Ibn Ziyad, who sailed to it from Mount Musa (in relation to Musa Ibn Naseer) in Morocco, on his way towards the conquest of Andalusia in the year 711 AD.
As for the European name, it was derived from the Arabic name, so it became in English (Gibraltar) and in Spanish (Gibraltar).
The Strait of Gibraltar is located between the State of Morocco and Spain, and the State of Gibraltar, which is under the sovereignty of Britain. Between the Iberian Peninsula to the north and North Africa to the south.
The western entrance to Gibraltar is located between (Cape Spartel in Morocco) and (Cape the other end in Spain) and to the east the state of Gibraltar. It is supervised internationally by Morocco, Spain and Britain.
Strait of Gibraltar:
The depth of the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar is about 300 meters as a maximum, and its length is about 58 kilometers. As for its width, the shortest distance between the Moroccan point and the Spanish point is only 14 kilometers.
Gibraltar Strait
As for the width of the western entrance, it reaches 43 kilometers between Cape Spartel on the side of Morocco and the head of the other end on the side of Spain. Its width extends from the eastern side by about 23 km, which is the area near the city of Ceuta.
The importance of the Strait of Gibraltar lies in the fact that it is the main passage for goods and services coming from Europe and some Asian and North African countries across the Mediterranean Sea towards the Americas and vice versa.
The Muslims controlled Gibraltar for about six centuries, and the Spaniards seized it in 1309, then the Muslims took it back in 1333, and the Spaniards seized it again in the years 1462 to 1704, when Britain seized it and signed with the Spaniards the Treaty of "Utrecht" in 1713 AD, which stipulates that it be returned to them if they decide abandon it.
Gibraltar State
In the year 1160 AD, Sultan Abd al-Mu’min, the founder of the Almohad state and ruler of North Africa and Andalusia, ordered the construction of a permanent settlement in the region, and he built a castle and called the region the city of conquest. all over Gibraltar.
Gibraltar Castle
Tariq bin Ziyad built a small castle, and the Sultan of the Almohads rebuilt it to overlook the strategic strait and protect the "city of conquest".
Facts and secrets about the Strait of Gibraltar:
The Strait of Gibraltar is an important sea strait that connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, as it separates the continents of Europe and Africa. It is considered one of the most important sea crossings in the world. Morocco and Spain overlook it. Morocco and Spain supervise the strait. In 1981, however, it remained under British self-rule.
Its length is 59 km and the shortest distance is 14 km. The area of Gibraltar is 6.5 km2 and most of its population is British. It has a high population density. The strait witnesses the crossing of 100 thousand ships annually between commercial and touristic ones. It is one of the most active straits and has great strategic, military and economic importance.
The name goes back to the commander Tariq bin Ziyad, who passed through him at the beginning of the Islamic conquests of Spain in 711 AD, and through him he passed through the greatest leaders of the Muslim armies who gave us the greatest heroism in Andalusia, “may God have mercy on them,” and they are:
1- Musa bin Naseer for the conquest of Andalusia.
2- Tariq bin Ziyad for the conquest of Andalusia.
3- Youssef bin Tashfin to crush the Crusaders in the Battle of Zalaqa.
The mountain is a rocky massif 6 km long and 2 km wide. It forms a sea strait 30 km long, 15 to 25 km wide, and 450 meters deep. The water depth is about 300 meters, and the minimum distance between its banks does not exceed 14 km.
Gibraltar is a peninsula located in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa on the southern coast of Spain, and it is an autonomous region belonging to the British Crown since 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht with Spain. The area of the mountain is estimated at 7 square kilometers, and its population does not exceed the capacity of a football field. They are about 50 thousand people, and it is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. The majority of its population is the British, who represent 27% of the population, then the Spaniards, 24%, and other European nationalities.
The British crown appoints the head of the government of Gibraltar, elected by the local parliament, and the government manages economic and internal affairs, with the exception of defense and foreign relations. Britain has an air, sea and intelligence base in the region, as well as a stopping point for British nuclear warships and submarines.
Under the territory's constitution, Gibraltar has internal self-government through an elected parliament, but the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II before her death, represented by the Governor of Gibraltar.
The region formed a major point of contention between Britain and Spain, as Madrid claims sovereignty over Gibraltar and considers it part of its territory, and after the Brexit referendum in Britain in 2016, 96% of Gibraltar's residents voted in favor of remaining with Britain.
One of the strangest airports in the world is "Gibraltar Airport"
Gibraltar Airport
Gibraltar Airport or "North Front" is the only airport in the world whose runway passes in the public road for cars, and this road is closed for every take-off or landing of aircraft.
Source: websites