Rock of Gibraltar
The Rock of Gibraltar (from the Arabic name Jabal Ṭāriq جبل طارق) is a monolithic limestone promontory located in the British territory of Gibraltar, near the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, and near the entrance to the Mediterranean. It is 426 m (1,398 ft) high. Most of the Rock's upper area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 300 Barbary macaques. These macaques, as well as a labyrinthine network of tunnels, attract many tourists each year.
Rock of Gibraltar | |
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Western face of the Rock of Gibraltar, in April 2006 | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 426 m (1,398 ft) |
Prominence | 423 m (1,388 ft) |
Coordinates | 36°07′28.1″N 05°20′35.2″W |
Geography | |
Location of the Rock of Gibraltar's summit
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Location | Gibraltar |
Parent range | Betic Cordillera |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Jurassic |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Gibraltar Cable Car, Road, Hike |
The Rock of Gibraltar, one of the two traditional Pillars of Hercules, was known to the Romans as Mons Calpe, the other pillar being Mons Abila, either Monte Hacho or Jebel Musa on the African side of the Strait. According to ancient myths fostered by the Greeks and the Phoenicians, and later perpetuated by the Romans, the two points marked the limit to the known world, although the Phoenicians had actually sailed beyond this point into the Atlantic, both northward and southward.
The Mediterranean Sea surrounds Gibraltar.