Coveted since antiquity for its strategic position at the entrance to the Mediterranean from the Atlantic, the ‘Rock’ passed through Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman and Visigoth hands. 

It was occupied by the Moors in 711AD. It gets its name from the Spanish version of an Arabic name given to the area during the conquest. 

It came under Spanish control in 1462 as the Moors were driven out of Spain. 

In 1501, Isabella I of Castile issued a Royal Warrant granting Gibraltar the coat of arms that it still uses today. 

In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession on behalf of the Habsburg claim to the Spanish throne. The territory was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. 

It gained its current status as a British Overseas Territory in 2002. 

Since it fell under British control, Spain has continued to push its territorial claims over Gibraltar. And although the diplomatic spats of recent decades have thankfully replaced the sieges and military assaults of previous centuries, the Spanish desire to see Gibraltar become part of Spain again remains undiminished. 

To respond to the Spanish claims, a sovereignty referendum was held on September 10th 1967, in which voters were asked whether they wished to either pass under Spanish sovereignty or remain under British sovereignty, with institutions of self-government. The voter turnout was 100% with 99.64% voting to remain under British sovereignty.