History of Gibraltar the narrowest points in the Mediterranean, only from the coast of Morocco in North Africa. Its position on the bay makes it an advantageous natural anchorage for ships. As one writer has put it, "whoever controls Gibraltar also controls the movement of ships into and out of the Mediterranean. In terms of military and naval power, few places have a more strategic location than Gibraltar." The territory's area measures only . Most of the land area is occupied by the steeply sloping Rock of Gibraltar which reaches a height of . The town of Gibraltar lies at the base of
South African Defence Force 1994, by which time the old SADF was already on its deathbed. However, Black officer candidates from the various Homeland Forces and from South West Africa/SWATF had been accepted since 1981 Units such as the 32 Battalion incorporated many black volunteers from Angola. Conscription was opposed by organisations such as the End Conscription Campaign, but overall, white morale remained high—as indicated by the few recruits tried for serious disciplinary offences. During apartheid, armed SADF troops were used in quelling opposition to minority rule, often directly supporting the South African Police. South African military units were involved in the long-running Mozambican