España/Gibraltar

[R. Richard]

Last night I was out with some people and it turned into quiz night. One question that only I more or less knew the answer to was, “How many countries border España?”
The only part of the answer that I wasn't sure of was, 'Is Gibraltar a country, at least for bordering purposes?'
I suspect that none of you, who haven't live for some time in España, can give the correct answer to the first question, without research (honor system here.)
I suspect that maybe only Og can answer the Gibraltar question.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

Last night I was out with some people and it turned into quiz night. One question that only I more or less knew the answer to was, “How many countries border España?”
The only part of the answer that I wasn't sure of was, 'Is Gibraltar a country, at least for bordering purposes?'
I suspect that none of you, who haven't live for some time in España, can give the correct answer to the first question, without research (honor system here.)
I suspect that maybe only Og can answer the Gibraltar question.

*spoilers*









It's five, right? Andorra, France, Portugal, the UK (that would be Gibraltar, which, as a territory, counts as the UK), and Morocco.

I don't understand what's so complicated about Gibraltar. We consider Puerto Rico part of the US; why wouldn't Gibraltar count as the UK? If anything, I'm waffling on Morocco.

In other news... fifteen days until the Vuelta a España starts!

ETA: Hmmm... I'm kind of waffling on Morocco. I said it because of the water, and then backtracked. But doesn't Spain have territories or something in Africa? Carved out of Morocco?

 

[stephen55]

Morocco is across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain, so I don't think it counts.

Gibraltar is/was a British territory, but according to Spain, it's Spanish soil. When I was there a couple of years ago, a local guide told us that Gibraltar pretty much handles it's own affair now.

France, Portugal and Andorra...certainly. That's it, if you're a fervent Spanish nationalist. Add Gibraltar if you're not.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

Morocco is across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain, so I don't think it counts.

Gibraltar is/was a British territory, but according to Spain, it's Spanish soil. When I was there a couple of years ago, a local guide told us that Gibraltar pretty much handles it's own affair now.

France, Portugal and Andorra...certainly. That's it, if you're a fervent Spanish nationalist. Add Gibraltar if you're not.

Since I already answered, I googled. I came up with Melila and Ceuta, each with about 75,000 people.

I would never have been able to name them, but there you go: two bits of Spain surrounded by Morocco and water.

 

[stephen55]

Since I already answered, I googled. I came up with Melila and Ceuta, each with about 75,000 people.

I would never have been able to name them, but there you go: two bits of Spain surrounded by Morocco and water.

Damn...

I knew it had to be a trick question!

 

[oggbashan]

Damn...

I knew it had to be a trick question!

And during the Second World War Tangier was controlled by Spain, then became an International Zone until 1956 when it was reunited with Morocco.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

So, R. Richard, how many did you and your friends say? Three? Four? Five?

 

[R. Richard]

So, R. Richard, how many did you and your friends say? Three? Four? Five?

I said four plus Gibralter. From a private PM from Oggbashan, I would now say five, concluding that Gibraltar is a country, at least for bordering purposes. HOWEVER, if I were in España, I would say four, 'Because Gibraltar belongs to España!" (Cowardice is the better part of survival.)

Most of the people forgot/didn't know about Andorra. No one else knew about Ceuta and Melilla. One idiot also named the Duchy of Grand Fenwick. (The Duchy of Grand Fenwick is a literary creation, but if it did exist, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick would be located on the border between France and Switzerland (AKA Confœderatio Helvetica.)