1988 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1988 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Coastline
50 km
Comparative area
slightly larger than Washington, D.C.
Continental shelf
200 meters or to depth of exploitation
Environment
large, deepwater harbor at St. Peter Port
Ethnic divisions
UK and Norman-French descent
Exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Land use
NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; about 50% cultivated
Language
English, French; NormanFrench dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy
universal education
Nationality
noun — Channel Islander(s); adjective — Channel Islander
Population
52,947 (July 1987), average annual growth rate -0.12%
Religion
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Raptist, Congregational, Methodist
Special notes
52km west of France
Terrain
mostly level with low hills in southwest
Territorial sea
3 nm
Total area
194 km2; land area: 194 km2
Government
Administrative divisions
10 douzaines or parishes
Branches
the Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief is the personal representative of the Crown and is entitled to sit and speak in the States of Deliberation (parliament); parliament is composed of the Bailiff (President ex officio), 12 Conseillers, 2 nonvoting Law Officers of the Crown, 33 popularly elected People's Deputies, 10 Douzaine Representatives, 2 representatives of the States of Alderney; States of Election (electoral college) elects Jurats and Conseillers — it is composed of the Bailiff, 12 Jurats, 12 Conseillers, 2 Law Officers, 33 People's Deputies, 34 Douzaine Representatives, and 4 Alderney representatives (for election of Conseillers only); Alderney has its own popularly elected President and States (12 members) and its own Court; Sark has mixture of feudal and popular government
Capital
St. Peter Port
Communists
none
Government leaders
Lt. Gen. Sir Alexander BOSWELL, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief (since 1985); Sir Charles FROSSARD, Bailiff and President of the States (since 1982)
Legal system
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Official name
Railiwick of Guernsey
Suffrage
universal adult over 18
Type
independent British crown dependency
Economy
Agriculture
principal crops — tomatoes and flowers (mostly grown under glass); sweet peppers, eggplant, plants, other vegetables and fruit; Guernsey cattle
Budget
total revenues for Guernsey and Alderney, 63,836 million pounds; total expenditures for Guernsey and Alderney, 65,708 million pounds (1983)
Electric power
160,000 kW capacity; 510 million kWh produced, 9,620 kWh per capita (1986)
Exports
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables, plants
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
coal, gasoline and oil
Major industries
tourism, banking
Major trade partners
UK (regarded as internal trade)
Monetary conversion rate
0.70 pound sterling=US$l (November 1986)
Communications
Airfield
1 total, 1 usable with permanentsurface runway, 1,463 m (La Villiaze)
Ports
St. Peter Port, St. Sampson
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
1 AM radio station, which broadcasts 24 hours a week; 1 TV station with 4 channels; 41,900 telephones (74.8 per 100 popl.) Defense Forces Defense is the responsibility of the United Kingdom