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.

Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 194 km²
Land: 194 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 50 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 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
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use
Arable land: NA%
Permanent crops: NA%
Permanent pastures: NA%
Forests and woodland: NA%
Other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Population: 64,555 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.28% (1998 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

Age structure
0-14 years: 18% (male 5,856; female 5,721)
15-64 years: 67% (male 21,094; female 21,939)
65 years and over: 15% (male 4,001; female 5,944) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.28% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 13.91 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 9.53 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 8.46 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: NA

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.67 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.55 years
Male: 75.61 years
Female: 81.6 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Literacy: NA

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

Government type: NA

Capital: Saint Peter Port

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952): ead of
Government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Vice-Admiral Sir John COWARD (since NA 1994) and Bailiff Mr. Graham Martyn DOREY (since February 1992)
Cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee (other committees) appointed by the Assembly of the States
Elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor appointed by the queen; bailiff appointed by the queen

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (60 seats, 33 popularly elected; members serve six-year terms)
Elections: last held 20 April 1994 (next to be held NA 2000)
Election results: percent of vote_NA; seats_all independents

Judicial branch: Royal Court

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

Economy overview: Financial services account for about 55% 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. Light tax and death duties make the island a popular tax-haven.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $NA

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

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

Industries: tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 3%-4% (1994 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $277.9 million
Expenditures: $248.8 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1995 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

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

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds (£G) per US$1_0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993; note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Electricity
Capacity: NA kW
Production: NA kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh

Telephones: 41,850 (1983 est.)

Telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: 1 submarine cable

Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: none

Disputes international: none