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Rock of Gibraltar Facts & Worksheets

The Rock of Gibraltar (the Rock) is located near the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. It has a height of 1,398 ft (426 meters).

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The Rock of Gibraltar (the Rock) is located near the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. It has a height of 1,398 ft (426 meters). The said rock serves as the home of around 300 Barbary macaques and the Great Siege Tunnels, which attracts visitors annually. According to the Roman Mythology, this is one of the two Pillars of Hercules, known as Mons Calpe.

See the fact file below for more information on the Rock of Gibraltar or alternatively, you can download our 18-page Rock of Gibraltar worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

GEOLOGICAL MAKEUP OF THE ROCK

  • The Rock of Gibraltar forms a peninsula that extends from the southern coast of Spain towards the Strait of Gibraltar. The sandy tombolo links the promontory (a mass of land projecting into a lowland or a body of water) and the continent, which has an elevation of 9.8 feet.
  • The highest point of the Rock, located above the strait at O’Hara’s Battery, measures at 1,398 feet (426 m).
  • Signal Hill, which is the central peak of the Rock, has a height of 387 meters (1,270 feet). The top station of the Gibraltar Cable Car is also located here.
  • The western side of the Rock, where the City of Gibraltar is situated, is less steep as compared to the eastern side.
  • The north part of the Rock rises 1,350 feet (411.5 m) above the sea level.
  • Calcite is present at the Rock, a mineral that gradually dissolves in rainwater, resulting in the formation of caves.
  • There are over 100 caves at the Rock of Gibraltar. Among these caves, the most prominent tourist attraction is St. Michael’s Cave, which is found on the western slope of the Rock.
  • Fossils of Neanderthals were found in different areas of the Rock in 1848. A Neanderthal woman’s skull was seen at the Forbes’ Quarry, situated at the northern part of the Rock.

FORTIFICATIONS OF THE ROCK

  • The Moorish Castle
    • This castle was built in 711 AD, which reminds people of the rule of the Moors in Gibraltar for 710 years.
    • According to historian Al-Maqqari, Berber chieftain Tariq ibn-Ziyad burned his ships once he landed on the Rock.
    • In the castle is the Tower of Homage, which is a massive building made up of brick and hard concrete known as tapia.
    • Living apartments and Moorish baths of the occupants were found in the upper part of the Tower of Homage.
  • Tunnels/Galleries
    • The Rock of Gibraltar has a system of underground passages that attracts a lot of visitors every year. These are known as the Great Siege Tunnels or the Galleries.
    • the first tunnel was dug towards the end of the Great Siege of Gibraltar.
    • The Great Siege Tunnel was finished in the year 1797.
    • It has a length of about 997 feet (304 m), consisting of a system of halls and passages.
    • From the tunnel, visitors can see the Bay of Gibraltar, the isthmus, and Spain.
    • At present, the tunnel can be visited by tourists as part of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve.

FLORA AND FAUNA

  • The Rock of Gibraltar has a fair share of diverse flora and fauna, and these are protected by law. The Rock has generated a lot of interest when it comes to conservation activities.
  • Barbary macaques, Barbary partridges, flowers like Gibraltar’s thyme, chickweed, and candytuft are among the plants and animals that can be found in the Rock.
  • Migratory birds are also present in the Rock of Gibraltar. During passage periods, they are mostly found at the headland.
  • These birds stay and feed on the Rock’s vast vegetations before they proceed with their journeys towards Western Europe, Greenland, and Russia.
  • BirdLife International declared the Rock of Gibraltar as an Important Bird Area since almost 250,000 raptors pass by the area. It serves as the migratory choke point for these bird species.

Rock of Gibraltar Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Rock of Gibraltar across 18 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Rock of Gibraltar worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Rock of Gibraltar (the Rock) which is located near the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. It has a height of 1,398 ft (426 meters). The said rock serves as the home of around 300 Barbary macaques and the Great Siege Tunnels, which attracts visitors annually. According to the Roman Mythology, this is one of the two Pillars of Hercules, known as Mons Calpe.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Rock of Gibraltar Facts
  • Rocky Jumbled Words
  • The Rock by the Facts
  • The Great Siege of Gibraltar
  • Cause and Effect
  • More of the Moorish Castle
  • What’s in the Great Siege Tunnel?
  • Biodiversity at the Rock
  • A Rocky Art
  • Fossil Alert!
  • The Rock in 3-2-1

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Link will appear as Rock of Gibraltar Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 16, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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