2000 Edition

Background

The island of 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.

Area

land

194 sq km

note

includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands

total

194 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Climate

temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Coastline

50 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location on Sark 114 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Geography - note

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

NA%

forests and woodland

NA%

other

NA%

permanent crops

NA%

permanent pastures

NA%

Location

Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

territorial sea

3 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

cropland

Terrain

mostly level with low hills in southwest

Age structure

0-14 years: 16% (male 5,302; female 5,167) 15-64 years: 67% (male 21,171; female 21,523) 65 years and over: 17% (male 4,480; female 6,437) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

10.17 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

9.85 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

UK and Norman-French descent

Infant mortality rate

5.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.75 years (2000 est.)

male

76.65 years

total population

79.65 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

NA%

Nationality

adjective

Channel Islander

noun

Channel Islander(s)

Net migration rate

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

64,080 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.42% (2000 est.)

Religions

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist

Sex ratio

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.35 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (British crown dependency)

Capital

Saint Peter Port

Constitution

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Country name

conventional long form

Bailiwick of Guernsey

conventional short form

Guernsey

Data code

GK

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

cabinet

Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch

head of government

Lieutenant Governor Sir John COWARD (since NA 1994) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA)

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

International organization participation

none

Judicial branch

Royal Court

Legal system

English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the States (59 voting members - 12 councilors serving six-year terms, half elected every three years; 33 deputies elected from multi- or single-member districts every four years; 10 representatives from parish authorities; 2 representatives from Aldenay; the bailiff and deputy bailiff; and 2 non-voting members - the Attorney General and the Solicitor General both appointed by the monarch

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

elections

last held 20 April 1994 (next to be held NA 2000)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Political parties and leaders

none; all independents

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Budget

expenditures

$298.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

revenues

$300.8 million

Currency

1 Guernsey pound = 100 pence

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - exports

NA kWh

Electricity - imports

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

NA%

hydro

NA%

nuclear

NA%

other

NA%

Exchange rates

Guernsey pounds per US$1 - 0.6092 (January 2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables

Exports - partners

UK (regarded as internal trade)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.15 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

10%

services

86% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $18,100 (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.3% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners

UK (regarded as internal trade)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.7% (1997 est.)

Labor force

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

0.5% (1997 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

1 submarine cable

Telephones - main lines in use

41,850 (1983)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

NA

Airports

2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

NA km

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none

GUINEA