Gibraltar is a territory which is part of the UK but located at the south of Spain.
Many people have no idea where Gibraltar is situated on the world map, and while you may have friends who have enjoyed a holiday there, most UK residents don’t know a lot about this area at all.
Although it is a very small area, there are around 30,000 people living here. While Spain claims to own Gibraltar, it technically belongs to the UK.
It has been a part of Britain since 1714, and while many attempts have been made to change that, things have remained the same.
What Do the People Want?
Much like Scotland, the area seems to be divided between the people who would rather cease the British rule and those who would prefer to have things stay the way they are now.
According to referendums, which were held in 1967 and then again in 2002, the people voted to keep the situation exactly the same.
However, it would seem that the vast majority of those living in Gibraltar are perfect content with the current situation.
Could Gibraltar End up with UK/Spanish Rule?
The problem which Gibraltar has faced over the years is that Spain constantly wants to claim it as part of their country.
After the Foreign Minister spoke about introducing fees for people crossing the border in 2013, things started to heat up a little bit again.
Since Gibraltar is attached to Spain, many people think that it makes more sense to be a part of this country rather than Great Britain. However, it’s not just as simple as handing over the power to the Spanish government.
According to Paddy Power, the most likely thing to happen will be that the UK and Spain will end up jointly ruling Gibraltar.
With odds of 16/1 for this happening before the end of 2025, it’s clear to see that this doesn’t seem incredibly likely.
It would, however, make much more sense for both Britain and Spain to share the rule over Gibraltar, especially since Spain are heavily involved anyway with the area.
Could Gibraltar Become an Independent EU Member?
Although it doesn’t seem very likely, there is always the chance that Gibraltar could become an independent EU member state.
While this would make it the smallest member of the EU (its size barely reaching 7 km2), its independence could put an end to the debate between Britain and Spain and the fight for the ownership of Gibraltar.
With odds of 40/1 for Gibraltar becoming an independent EU member, it certainly isn’t an idea which is completely unlikely.
While Britain has ruled out Gibraltar’s independence, you never know what the people of this area might decide before the end of 2025.
Betting on the Future Status of Gibraltar
If you think you know what might happen to Gibraltar’s status before the end of 2025, you have until Sunday 26th July 2015 at 10pm.
You’ll have to wait a while to find out the results, but don’t let that put you off – you might get a nice surprise in ten years!