Europe :: GUERNSEY

- ## Introduction :: GUERNSEY

- 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 or of the European Union. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

- ## Geography :: GUERNSEY

- Location:
  Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
  Geographic coordinates:
  49 28 N, 2 35 W
  Map references:
  Europe
  Area:
  total: 78 sq km
  land: 78 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
  country comparison to the world: 228
  Area - 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:
  mostly flat with low hills in southwest
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed elevation on Sark 114 m
  Natural resources:
  cropland
  Irrigated land:
  NA
  Natural hazards:
  NA
  Environment - current issues:
  NA
  Geography - note:
  large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

- ## People and Society :: GUERNSEY

- Nationality:
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander
  Ethnic groups:
  British and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries
  Languages:
  English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
  Religions:
  Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic
  Population:
  66,080 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 205
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.49% (male 4,956/female 4,619)
  15-24 years: 11.71% (male 3,940/female 3,798)
  25-54 years: 42.05% (male 14,007/female 13,782)
  55-64 years: 12.86% (male 4,237/female 4,260)
  65 years and over: 18.89% (male 5,643/female 6,838) (2015 est.)
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 47%
  youth dependency ratio: 21.6%
  elderly dependency ratio: 25.4%
  potential support ratio: 3.9%
  note: data represents the Channel Islands (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 43.1 years
  male: 41.9 years
  female: 44.2 years (2014 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  0.34% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 164
  Birth rate:
  9.84 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 196
  Death rate:
  8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 73
  Net migration rate:
  2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 41
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 31.4% of total population (2014)
  rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  note: data is for the Channel Islands
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 208
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 82.47 years
  male: 79.79 years
  female: 85.29 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 9
  Total fertility rate:
  1.55 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 186
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

- ## Government :: GUERNSEY

- Country name:
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
  conventional short form: Guernsey
  Dependency status:
  British crown dependency
  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: Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale
  Independence:
  none (British crown dependency)
  National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
  Constitution:
  unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice
  Legal system:
  customary legal system based on Norman customary law, and includes elements of the French Civil Code and English common law
  Suffrage:
  16 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Air Marshall Peter WALKER (since 15 April 2011)
  head of government: Chief Minister Jonathan LE TOCQ (since 12 March 2014); Bailiff Richard COLLAS (since 23 March 2012); note - Chief Minister Peter HARWOOD resigned on 25 February 2014
  cabinet: none; note - the Policy Council, elected by the States of Deliberation, functions mainly as policy coordination body
  elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister indirectly elected by States of Deliberation election last held on 12 March 2014 (next to be held NA)
  election results: Peter HARWOOD (independent) elected chief minister; States of Deliberation vote - 22 of 42
  Legislative branch:
  description: unicameral States of Deliberation (47 seats - 45 People's Deputies and 2 representatives of the States of Alderney; members directly elected by majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - non-voting members include the bailiff (presiding officer), attorney-general, and solicitor-general
  elections: last held on 18 April 2012 (next to be held in 2016)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
  Judicial branch:
  highest resident court(s): Guernsey Court of Appeal (consists of the Bailiff of Guernsey, who is the ex-officio president of the Guernsey Court of Appeal, and at least 12 judges); Royal Court (organized into 3 divisions - Full Court sits with 1 judge and 7 to 12 jurats acting as judges of fact, Ordinary Court sits with 1 judge and normally 3 jurats, and Matrimonial Causes Division sits with a 1 judge and 4 jurats); note - appeals beyond Guernsey courts are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
  judge selection and term of office: Royal Court Balliff, Deputy Balliff and Court of Appeal justices appointed by the British Crown and hold office at Her Majesty's pleasure; jurats elected by the States of Election, a body chaired by the Balliff and a number of jurats
  subordinate courts: Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrate's Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas
  Political parties and leaders:
  none; all independents
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  No More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE]
  Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS
  International organization participation:
  UPU
  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; the red cross represents the old ties with England and the fact that Guernsey is a British Crown dependency; the gold cross is a replica of the one used by Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings
  National symbol(s):
  Guernsey cow, donkey; national colors: red, white, yellow
  National anthem:
  name: "Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear)
  lyrics/music: George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO
  note: adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" remains official (see United Kingdom)

- ## Economy :: GUERNSEY

- Economy - overview:
  Financial services account for about 40% 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. In October 2014, Guernsey signed an OECD agreement to automatically exchange some financial account information to limit tax avoidance and evasion.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $3.42 billion (2013 est.)
  $3.36 billion (2012 est.)
  $3.258 billion (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $2.742 billion (2005 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2013 est.)
  3.1% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 158
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $44,600 (2005 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 28
  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)
  country comparison to the world: 204
  Unemployment rate:
  0.9% (March 2006 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 3
  Population below poverty line:
  NA%
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%
  Budget:
  revenues: $563.6 million
  expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  20.6% of GDP (2005)
  country comparison to the world: 155
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  1.2% of GDP (2005)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.4% (June 2006 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Exports:
  $NA
  Exports - commodities:
  tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
  Imports:
  $NA
  Imports - commodities:
  coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
  Debt - external:
  $NA
  Exchange rates:
  Guernsey pound per US dollar
  0.6003 (2014)
  0.6391 (2013)
  0.63 (2012)
  0.624 (2011)
  0.6472 (2010)

- ## Communications :: GUERNSEY

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 45,100
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 43,800
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70 (2004)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Telephone system:
  domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 44; 1 submarine cable (2011)
  Broadcast media:
  multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey with relays in Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney; satellite packages are available; BBC Radio Guernsey and 1 other radio station operating (2009)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
  Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)
  Internet country code:
  .gg
  Internet users:
  total: 48,300
  percent of population: 74.94% (2009)
  country comparison to the world: 185

- ## Transportation :: GUERNSEY

- Airports:
  2 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 200
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2013)
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port

- ## Military :: GUERNSEY

- Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 12,493
  females age 16-49: 12,272 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 354
  female: 342 (2010 est.)
  Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

- ## Transnational Issues :: GUERNSEY

- Disputes - international:
  none