| Guernsey (British crown dependency) |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Guernsey | Introduction | 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.

Guernsey | Geography | Top of Page

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

Geographic coordinates: | 49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references: | Europe

Area: | total: 194 sq km land: 194 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands

Area - 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 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 sq km

Natural hazards: | NA

Environment - current issues: | NA

Geography - note: | large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Guernsey | People | Top of Page

Population: | 64,342 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: | 0-14 years: 16.22% (male 5,285; female 5,151) 15-64 years: 66.67% (male 21,264; female 21,630) 65 years and over: 17.11% (male 4,546; female 6,466) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: | 0.39% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: | 9.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: | 9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: | 3.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: | 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 79.78 years male: 76.78 years female: 82.88 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: | 1.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA

Nationality: | noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups: | UK and Norman-French descent

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

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

Literacy: | definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Guernsey | Government | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status: | British crown dependency

Government type: | NA

Capital: | Saint Peter Port

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 St. Peter Port, St. Sampson, Vale, Castel, St. Saviour, St. Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, St. Martin, St. Andrew

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 (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: | unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the Bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 People's Deputies elected by popular franchise, 2 Alderney representatives, HM Procureur (Attorney General), HM Comptroller (Solicitor General) and HM Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General) elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch: | Royal Court

Political parties and leaders: | none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders: | none

International organization participation: | none

Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation 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

Guernsey | Economy | Top of Page

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

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: | 5.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)

Population below poverty line: | NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.99% (2000 est.)

Labor force: | 31,322 (2000)

Unemployment rate: | 0.5% (1999 est.)

Budget: | revenues: $381.3 million expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries: | tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate: | NA%

Electricity - production: | NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%

Electricity - consumption: | NA kWh

Electricity - exports: | NA kWh

Electricity - imports: | NA kWh

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

Exports: | $NA

Exports - commodities: | tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables

Exports - partners: | UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports: | $NA

Imports - commodities: | coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners: | UK (regarded as internal trade)

Debt - external: | $NA

Economic aid - recipient: | $NA

Currency: | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code: | GBP

Exchange rates: | Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year: | calendar year

Guernsey | Communications | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 44,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: | 12,000 (1997)

Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: | NA

Television broadcast stations: | 1 (1997)

Televisions: | NA

Internet country code: | .gg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | NA

Internet users: | NA

Guernsey | Transportation | Top of Page

Railways: | 0 km

Highways: | total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Waterways: | none

Ports and harbors: | Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Merchant marine: | none (2000 est.)

Airports: | 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: | total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Guernsey | Military | Top of Page

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK

Guernsey | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none