Guernsey
(British crown dependency) |
|
||
Geography |
Location: Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N, 2 35 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 194 sq km
land: 194 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Areacomparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 50 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: 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%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environmentcurrent issues: NA
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographynote: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People |
Population: 64,555 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 5,856; female 5,721)
15-64 years: 67% (male 21,094; female 21,939)
65 years and over: 15% (male 4,001; female 5,944) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.28% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 13.91 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 9.53 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998
est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.67 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.55 years
male: 75.61 years
female: 81.6 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.68 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist
Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: NA
Government |
Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey
Data code: GK
Dependency status: British crown dependency
Government type: NA
National capital: Saint Peter Port
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Vice-Admiral Sir John COWARD (since NA
1994) and Bailiff Mr. Graham Martyn DOREY (since February 1992)
cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee (other committees) appointed by the Assembly of the States
elections:
none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor appointed by the queen; bailiff appointed by the queen
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the States (60 seats, 33 popularly elected; members serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 20 April 1994 (next to be held NA 2000)
election
results: percent of voteNA; seatsall independents
Judicial branch: Royal Court
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
International organization participation: none
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
Economy |
Economyoverview: Financial services account for about 55% of total income. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Bank profits (1992) registered a record 26% growth. Fund management and insurance are the two other major income generators. Light tax and death duties make the island a popular tax-haven.
GDP: $NA
GDPreal growth rate: NA%
GDPper capita: $NA
GDPcomposition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rateconsumer price index: 7% (1988)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 3%-4% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $277.9 million
expenditures: $248.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, banking
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricitycapacity: NA kW
Electricityproduction: NA kWh
Electricityconsumption per capita: NA kWh
Agricultureproducts: tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Exports:
$NA
commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)
Imports:
$NA
commodities: coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)
Debtexternal: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Guernsey (£G) pound = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds (£G) per US$10.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications |
Telephones: 41,850 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: NA
Transportation |
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Military |
Militarynote: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues |
Disputesinternational: none