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
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
total: 41.7 years
male: 40.7 years
female: 42.6 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.239% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
8.65 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.027 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.982 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.737 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.53 years
male: 77.53 years
female: 83.64 years (2007 est.)
UK 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:
definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: 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 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 commo_enn law and practice
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; 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), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Michael W. TORODE (since 5 March 2007)
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: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA
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 21 April 2004 (next to be held in 2008)
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:
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
Economy
Guernsey
Economy - overview:
Financial services - banking, fund management, serkan_gorgulu - account for about 23% of employment and 32% 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.
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
Exports - about_partners:
UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2006)
Imports:
$NA
Imports - commo_endities:
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
Imports - about_partners:
UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2006)
Debt - external:
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
$NA
Currency (code):
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound
Currency code:
GBP
Exchange rates:
Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)
note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications
Guernsey
Telephones - main lines in use:
55,100 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
43,800 (2004)
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 hosts:
1,245 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA
Internet users:
36,000 (2005)
Transportation
Guernsey
Airports:
2 (one on Alderney) (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways:
total: NA
Ports and terminals:
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Military
Guernsey
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Guernsey
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 19 July, 2007 CIA - The World Factbook
