| The World Factbook | ||
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Guernsey |
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| Introduction | Guernsey |
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Background:
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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. |
| Geography | Guernsey |
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Location:
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Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France |
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Geographic coordinates:
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49 28 N, 2 35 W |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 78 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands water: 0 sq km land: 78 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about one-half the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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50 km |
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Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
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territorial sea: 3 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast |
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Terrain:
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mostly level with low hills in southwest |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m |
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Natural resources:
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cropland |
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Land use:
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arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port |
| People | Guernsey |
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Population:
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65,031 (July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 15.6% (male 5,161; female 5,013)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,497; female 21,897) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 4,812; female 6,651) (2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 40.6 years
male: 39.6 years female: 41.5 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.31% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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9.16 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 80.17 years
male: 77.17 years female: 83.27 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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UK and Norman-French descent |
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Religions:
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Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
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Languages:
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English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
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Literacy:
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definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Government | Guernsey |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey |
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Dependency status:
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British crown dependency |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Saint Peter Port |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale, Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint Martin, Saint Andrew |
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Independence:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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National holiday:
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Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
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Constitution:
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unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
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Legal system:
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English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff de Vic Graham CAREY (since NA 1999) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments
elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents |
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Judicial branch:
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Royal Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none; all independents |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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none |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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Flag description:
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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 |
| Economy | Guernsey |
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Economy - overview:
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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 environment under which Guernsey operates. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.7% (1999 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3%
industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.99% (2000 est.) |
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Labor force:
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31,322 (2000) |
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Unemployment rate:
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0.5% (1999 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $381.3 million
expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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tourism, banking |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2002) |
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Agriculture - products:
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tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle |
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Exports:
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$NA |
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Exports - commodities:
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tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables |
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Exports - partners:
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UK (regarded as internal trade) |
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Imports:
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$NA |
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Imports - commodities:
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coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment |
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Imports - partners:
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UK (regarded as internal trade) |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA |
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Currency:
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British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound |
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Currency code:
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GBP |
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Exchange rates:
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Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
| Communications | Guernsey |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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55,000 (2001) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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31,500 (2001) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Radios:
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NA |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (1997) |
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Televisions:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.gg |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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NA |
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Internet users:
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NA |
| Transportation | Guernsey |
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Railways:
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5 km |
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Highways:
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total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson |
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Merchant marine:
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none |
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Airports:
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2 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Guernsey |
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Transnational Issues | Guernsey |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004 |