Map of Guernsey | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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. Guernsey is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK. However the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.


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

Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N 2 35 W

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 78 km²
Land: 78 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Comparative: about one-half the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 50 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

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

Terrain

Elevation

Natural resources

Land use

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population
Growth rate: 0.228% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Channel Islander
Adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries

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

Religions: Anglican Roman Catholic Presbyterian Baptist Congregational Methodist

Demographic profile

Age structure
65 years and over: 17.9% (male 4,988/female 6,769) (2008 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 42.1 years
Male: 41 years
Female: 43 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.228% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 8.57 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 10.09 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male/female
Total population: 0.94 male/female (2008 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.53 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 5.05 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.98 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.65 years
Male: 77.64 years
Female: 83.76 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

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: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Saint Peter Port
Geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government but there are 10 parishes including Castel Forest Saint Andrew Saint Martin Saint Peter Port Saint Pierre du Bois Saint Sampson Saint Saviour Torteval Vale

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: the laws of the UK where applicable apply; 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), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005)
Head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 1 May 2008)
Cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
Elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Deliberation
Election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch: Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

International organization participation: UPU

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 and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Financial services - banking fund management insurance - account for about 23% of employment and about 55% of total income in this tiny prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism manufacturing and horticulture mainly tomatoes and cut flowers have been declining. Financial services construction retail and the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $2.742 billion (2005)

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (2005 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $44,600 (2005)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3%
Industry: 10%
Services: 87% (2000)

Agriculture products: tomatoes greenhouse flowers sweet peppers eggplant fruit; Guernsey cattle

Industries: tourism banking

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 31,470 (March 2006)

Unemployment rate: 0.9% (March 2006 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $563.6 million
Expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.4% (June 2006)

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: $N/A
Commodities: tomatoes flowers and ferns sweet peppers eggplant other vegetables
Partners: UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2006)

Imports: $N/A
Commodities: coal gasoline oil machinery and equipment
Partners: UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates
Note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound


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Electricity
Production: NA kWh
Consumption: NA kWh
Exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 45,100 (2005)
Mobile cellular: 43,800 (2004)

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: NA
International: 1 submarine cable

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .gg
Hosts: 156 (2008)
Users: 36,000 (2005)

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 (2007)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Saint Peter Port Saint Sampson


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs