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Guernsey |
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Past | Guernsey | ||
| 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. | ||
Environment | 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 | ||
| Area - comparative: | about one-half the size of Washington, DC | ||
| Land boundaries: | 0 km | ||
| Coastline: | 50 km | ||
| Maritime claims: | 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 | ||
| Natural resources: | cropland | ||
| Land use: | arable land: NA% | ||
| Irrigated land: | NA | ||
| Natural hazards: | NA | ||
| Environment - current issues: | NA | ||
| Geography - note: | large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port | ||
People | Guernsey | ||
| Population: | 65,573 (July 2007 est.) | ||
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 4,914/female 4,784) | ||
| Median age: | total: 41.7 years | ||
| 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.) | ||
| Gender ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | ||
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births | ||
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.53 years | ||
| Total fertility rate: | 1.4 children born/woman (2007 est.) | ||
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA | ||
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA | ||
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA | ||
| Nationality: | noun: Channel Islander(s) | ||
| Ethnic groups: | 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 | ||
Government | Guernsey | ||
| Country name: | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey | ||
| Dependency status: | British crown dependency | ||
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy | ||
| Capital: | name: Saint Peter Port | ||
| 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: | 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) | ||
| Legislative branch: | unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments | ||
| 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 | ||
Business | Guernsey | ||
| Business - overview: | Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - 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. | ||
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $2.742 billion (2005) | ||
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $2.742 billion (2005) | ||
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2005 est.) | ||
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $44,600 (2005) | ||
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 3% | ||
| Labor force: | 31,470 (March 2006) | ||
| Unemployment rate: | 0.9% (March 2006 est.) | ||
| Population below poverty line: | NA% | ||
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% | ||
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.4% (June 2006) | ||
| Budget: | revenues: $563.6 million | ||
| Agriculture - products: | tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle | ||
| Industries: | tourism, banking | ||
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% | ||
| Electricity - production: | NA kWh | ||
| Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: NA | ||
| 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 | ||
| Exports - partners: | UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2006) | ||
| Imports: | $NA | ||
| Imports - partners: | UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2006) | ||
| Economic aid - recipient: | $NA | ||
| Debt - external: | $NA | ||
| Currency (code): | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound | ||
| Currency code: | GBP | ||
| Exchange rates: | Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) | ||
| Fiscal year: | calendar year | ||
Communications | Guernsey | ||
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 45,100 (2005) | ||
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 43,800 (2004) | ||
| Telephone system: | general assessment: NA | ||
| 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: | 2,734 (2007) | ||
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | NA | ||
| Internet users: | 36,000 (2005) | ||
Transportation | Guernsey | ||
| Airports: | 2 (2007) | ||
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 2 | ||
| Roadways: | total: NA | ||
| Ports and terminals: | Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson | ||
Security | Guernsey | ||
| Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK | ||
International | Guernsey | ||
| Disputes - international: | none | ||
| This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008 Source: The World Factbook | |||
