How big is the Rock of Gibraltar?

The famous Rock is a mass of ordinary limestone with steep peaks towering about 1,400 feet over sea level. It occupies most of a low¬ lying peninsula off the coast of Southern Spain no larger than two square miles. The height of the Rock and the size of its peninsula are not remarkable. The significance and the famous history of Gibraltar come from its location.

The link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, is the Strait of Gibraltar   eight to 25 miles wide. Here the natural fortress of Gibraltar faces the African coast, only 15 miles away. The steep, frowning cliffs of the Rock command control of the shipping that passes between the inland sea and the western ocean.