Is Gibraltar part of the United Kingdom?

Question

Accepted Answer

No. Gibraltar is a self-governing British Overseas Territory with the King as head of state and its own Government, Parliament, laws and courts, while the UK is responsible for its defence and external relations.
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory and is not part of the United Kingdom. The King is head of state, but Gibraltar is self-governing, with its own Government, Parliament, laws and courts. Under the Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006, approved by referendum on Thursday 30 November 2006, the people of Gibraltar have the degree of self-government compatible with British sovereignty, and the UK remains responsible for Gibraltar's external relations. The UK is also responsible for defence.
The Constitution keeps the preamble first adopted in 1969, in which the UK Government undertakes never to enter arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes. Spain maintains a claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar.
Gibraltar joined the European Economic Community with the UK in 1973 as a European territory for whose external relations the UK was responsible, though it was outside the customs union and VAT area. In the 2016 EU referendum on Thursday 23 June 2016, 95.9% of votes cast in Gibraltar were to remain, but Gibraltar left the EU with the UK on Friday 31 January 2020.
Its relationship with the EU is now governed by the UK/EU Agreement in respect of Gibraltar, signed on Tuesday 14 July 2026, which has applied provisionally since Wednesday 15 July 2026. It creates a customs union between the EU and Gibraltar and allows physical barriers at the land border with Spain to be removed, with Schengen entry checks carried out at Gibraltar's port and airport. Gibraltar is not formally joining the Schengen area or the EU. The agreement states that it is without prejudice to the UK's and Spain's positions on sovereignty.
Gibraltarians are British. People who are British overseas territories citizens through a connection with Gibraltar automatically became British citizens on Tuesday 21 May 2002, and people born in Gibraltar since then to a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen or a settled parent are also British citizens. British passports for Gibraltar residents are issued and renewed by the Civil Status and Registration Office in Gibraltar.

Is Gibraltar part of the United Kingdom?

Short answer

Detailed answer

Sovereignty

Gibraltar and the EU

Citizenship and passports