Map of Guernsey | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


Background: The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.


top of page


Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 50 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; about 50% cultivated

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK


top of page


Population: 56,844 (July 1989), growth rate 0.7% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Channel Islander(s; adjective - Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent

Languages: English, French; Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 12 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 11 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 6 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: large, deepwater harbor at St. Peter Port

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: NA%, but universal education

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey

Government type: crown dependency of the UK

Capital: St. Peter Port

Administrative divisions: none (crown dependency of the UK)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (crown dependency of the UK)

National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State - Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952; Head of Government - Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Lt. Gen. Sir Alexander BOSWELL (since 1985; Bailiff and President of the States Sir Charles FROSSARD (since 1982)

Legislative branch: the lieutenant governor and commander in chief is the personal representative of the crown and is entitled to sit and speak in the States of Deliberation (parliament; parliament is composed of the bailiff (president ex officio), 12 conseillers, 2 nonvoting law officers of the crown, 33 popularly elected people's deputies, 10 douzaine representatives, 2 representatives of the States of Alderney; States of Election (electoral college) elects jurats and conseillers - it is composed of the bailiff, 12 jurats, 12 conseillers, 2 law officers, 33 people's deputies, 34 douzaine representatives, and 4 Alderney representatives (for election of conseillers only; Alderney has its own popularly elected president and states (12 members) and its own court; Sark has mixture of feudal and popular government

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (crown dependency of the UK)

Flag description: white with the red cross of St. George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Tourism is a major source of revenue. Other economic activity includes breeding the world-famous Guernsey cattle and raising tomatoes and flowers for export.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: tomatoes, flowers (mostly grown in greenhouses), sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables and fruit; Guernsey cattle

Industries: tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $145.0 million; expenditures $117.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $NA
Commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
Partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports: $NA
Commodities: coal, gasoline and oil
Partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds (LG) per US$1 - 0.5631 (January 1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985; the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound


top of page


Electricity
Capacity: 173,000 kW capacity; 520 million kWh produced, 9,200 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs