Long famous as the "key to the Mediterranean," Gibraltar has been a British Overseas Territory since 1713 after being seized during the War of Spanish Succession. Situated near the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula and overlooking one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, the "Rock of Gibraltar," as it's still often known, rises out of the sea on the east side of Algeciras Bay and is linked to mainland Spain by a narrow isthmus.
The town of Gibraltar itself lies on the west side of the Rock. Given its proximity to Spain - you could almost toss a stone from one to the other - Gibraltar is generally easily accessible by bus or even on foot from the mainland, and the port serves as a busy terminus for cruise ships. For such a small country - it only covers an area of four square kilometers - Gibraltar certainly has more than its fair share of tourist attractions.
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