It's easy to be fooled by Gibraltar. Walk down Main Street and, on the surface, it looks like a quaint place that sells cheap cigarettes and alcohol to tourists who pile off cruise ships and across the border. It's a bit of a curiosity ― a little corner of England that has somehow sprouted by chance at the southern tip of Spain. Gibraltar celebrates its 300th birthday this year, so it is the perfect time to dig a little deeper. What you discover is a vibrant country that is not only proud of its roots, but is sophisticated and savvy enough to have created a dynamic and fast-growing economy. Cross the border to Gibraltar from Spain and watch the tourists flock from the Costa del Sol. Then talk to the people who make Gibraltar tick ― businessmen, lawyers, accountants and financial experts ― who will tell you proudly about the boom that began five years ago, when residential property prices doubled and a rush for office space saw occupancy levels in Europort, the main office complex, rise from under 40% to 97%.
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