eli5 Why is Gibraltar a British Overseas Territory? What does this mean… Isn’t it a country by itself on the map?

Question

eli5 Why is Gibraltar a British Overseas Territory? What does this mean… Isn’t it a country by itself on the map?

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Answer 1

The English captured Gibraltar from Spain in n the 1700s. It’s a territory outside the British isles that they control, just like they used to do with a lot of other places. It isn’t it’s own country by itself, it’s been a territory under the control of other powers for a long time. Although it has a lot of autonomy, it’s governor technically reports to the British