Guernsey
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues
Introduction	Back To Top
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. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
Geography	Back To Top
Land boundaries: 0 km Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast Map references: Europe Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N, 2 35 W Natural resources: cropland Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest Geography - note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port Area: total: 78 sq km land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands Location: Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France Coastline: 50 km Area - comparative: about one-half the size of Washington, DC Irrigated land: NA Environment - current issues: NA Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm Natural hazards: NA Land use: arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA
People	Back To Top
Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2008 est.) Sex ratio: 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: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.65 years male: 77.64 years female: 83.76 years (2008 est.) Literacy: NA Net migration rate: 3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries Median age: total: 42.1 years male: 41 years female: 43 years (2008 est.) Population: 65,726 (July 2008 est.) Education expenditures: NA Population growth rate: 0.228% (2008 est.) Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts Death rate: 10.09 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.6% (male 4,849/female 4,727) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 22,013/female 22,380) 65 years and over: 17.9% (male 4,988/female 6,769) (2008 est.) Birth rate: 8.57 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Government	Back To Top
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency) National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal Government type: parliamentary democracy Political pressure groups and leaders: Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE] Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency) Dependency status: British crown dependency International organization participation: UPU Legislative branch: unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments elections: last held 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court 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 Independence: none (British crown dependency) Country name (Goverment): conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey Political parties and leaders: none; all independents 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 Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice 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) cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Deliberation election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA 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 Judicial branch: Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Economy	Back To Top
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002) Debt - external: $NA Unemployment rate: 0.9% (March 2006 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $44,600 (2005) GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.742 billion (2005) GDP (official exchange rate): $2.742 billion (2005) Exchange rates: Guernsey pound 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004) note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2005 est.) Labor force: 31,470 (March 2006) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (June 2006) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) Exports: $NA Currency (code): Guernsey pound note: the British pound is also legal tender 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. Imports - commodities: coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment Industries: tourism, banking Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002) Population below poverty line: NA% Electricity - production: NA kWh Imports: $NA Currency code: GBP Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Exports - commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables Economic aid - recipient: $NA Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA Budget: revenues: $563.6 million expenditures: $530.9 million (2005) Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications	Back To Top
Internet users: 36,000 (2005) Telephones - main lines in use: 45,100 (2005) Televisions: NA Internet country code: .gg Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: NA Telephones - mobile cellular: 43,800 (2004) Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet hosts: 156 (2008)
Transportation	Back To Top
Ports and terminals: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) Airports: 2 (2007)
Military	Back To Top
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 379 female: 353 (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues	Back To Top
Disputes - international: none

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