CIA - The World Factbook

Europe :: Guernsey

(British crown dependency)

page last updated on May 6, 2010

(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)

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Introduction ::Guernsey

Background:

Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.

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

country comparison to the world: 227

land: 78 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands

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:

Current Weather

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

other: NA

Irrigated land:

Natural hazards:

Environment - current issues:

Geography - note:

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People ::Guernsey

Population:

65,632 (July 2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 204

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.3% (male 4,761/female 4,618)

15-64 years: 67.9% (male 22,097/female 22,450)

65 years and over: 17.8% (male 5,087/female 6,619) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 42.7 years

male: 41.8 years

female: 43.5 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.225% (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 178

Birth rate:

8.55 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 218

Death rate:

10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 58

Net migration rate:

3.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

Urbanization:

urban population: 31% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.033 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births

country comparison to the world: 201

male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.14 years

country comparison to the world: 22

male: 77.58 years

female: 82.79 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.42 children born/woman (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 194

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Channel Islander(s)

adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:

British and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries

Religions:

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist

Languages:

English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy:

Education expenditures:

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 including 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; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:

the laws of the UK where applicable apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Suffrage:

16 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); Bailiff Sir Geoffrey ROWLAND (since June 2005)

cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation

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)

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister elected by States of Deliberation

election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments

elections: last held on 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

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE]

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

Economy ::Guernsey

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$2.742 billion (2005)

country comparison to the world: 175

GDP (official exchange rate):

$2.742 billion (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

3% (2005 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$44,600 (2005)

country comparison to the world: 13

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3%

industry: 10%

services: 87% (2000)

Labor force:

31,470 (March 2006)

country comparison to the world: 203

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.4% (June 2006)

country comparison to the world: 106

Agriculture - products:

tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Industries:

tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2002)

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 0.6494 (2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005)

note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Communications ::Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use:

45,100 (2008)

country comparison to the world: 166

Telephones - mobile cellular:

43,800 (2004)

country comparison to the world: 197

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international: 1 submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gg

Internet hosts:

174 (2009)

country comparison to the world: 191

Internet users:

46,100 (2008)

country comparison to the world: 172

Transportation ::Guernsey

Airports:

2 (2009)

country comparison to the world: 209

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Military ::Guernsey

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,404

females age 16-49: 12,510 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 347

female: 350 (2010 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues ::Guernsey

Disputes - international:

none

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