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

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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.


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Location: Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total area total: 194 km²
Land: 194 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 50 km

Maritime claims
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
Arable land: NA%
Permanent crops: NA%
Meadows and pastures: NA%
Forest and woodland: NA%
Other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK


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Population: 64,353 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.98% (1995 est.)

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
0-14 years: 18% (female 5,664; male 5,892)
15-64 years: 66% (female 21,574; male 21,030)
65 years and over: 16% (female 6,059; male 4,134) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.98% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 13.29 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 9.93 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 6.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
Current issues natural hazards: NA
Current issues international agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 6.4 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.34 years
Male: 75.63 years
Female: 81.07 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
Conventional short form: Guernsey

Government type: British crown dependency

Capital: Saint Peter Port

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

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: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
Head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Vice-Admiral Sir John COWARD (since NA 1994); Bailiff Mr. Graham Martyn DOREY (since February 1992)
Cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee (other committees); appointed by the States

Legislative branch: unicameral
Assembly of the States: elections last held NA (next to be held NA); results - no percent of vote by party since all are independents; seats - (60 total, 33 elected), all independents

Judicial branch: Royal Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (British crown dependency)
From the us: none (British crown dependency)

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Financial services account for more than 50% of total income. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Bank profits (1992) registered a record 26% growth. Fund management and insurance are the two other major income generators. Per capita output and living standards are somewhat lower than the levels of the less affluent EU countries.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 9% (1987)

Real gdp per capita: $NA

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, 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: $208.9 million
Expenditures: $173.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)

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
Commodoties: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
Partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports: $NA
Commodoties: 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 (#G) per US$1 - 0.6350 (January 1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990; note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound


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Electricity
Capacity: 173,000 kW
Production: 525 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 9,060 kWh (1992)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 41,900 telephones
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 submarine cable

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs