2001 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2001 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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 St. Peter Port, St. Sampson, Vale, Castel, St. Saviour, St. Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, St. Martin, St. Andrew
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.22% (male 5,285; female 5,151) 15-64 years: 66.67% (male 21,264; female 21,630) 65 years and over: 17.11% (male 4,546; female 6,466) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Airports
2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) Guernsey Military
Area
total: 194 sq km land: 194 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Washington, DC
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. Guernsey Geography
Birth rate
9.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget
revenues: $381.3 million expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital
Saint Peter Port
Climate
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Coastline
50 km
Constitution
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Country name
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey
Currency
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound
Currency code
GBP
Death rate
9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external
$NA
Dependency status
British crown dependency
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (British crown dependency)
Disputes - international
none
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%
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Ethnic groups
UK and Norman-French descent
Exchange rates
Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch
Exports
$NA
Exports - commodities
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
Exports - partners
UK (regarded as internal trade)
Fiscal year
calendar year Guernsey Communications
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 Guernsey Economy
GDP
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
5.7% (1999 est.)
Geographic coordinates
49 28 N, 2 35 W
Geography - note
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port Guernsey People
Government type
NA
Highways
total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
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)
Independence
none (British crown dependency)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, banking
Infant mortality rate
5 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.99% (2000 est.)
International organization participation
none
Internet country code
.gg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
NA
Internet users
NA Guernsey Transportation
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Royal Court
Labor force
31,322 (2000)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%
Languages
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Legal system
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Legislative branch
unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the Bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 People's Deputies elected by popular franchise, 2 Alderney representatives, HM Procureur (Attorney General), HM Comptroller (Solicitor General) and HM Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General) elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.78 years male: 76.78 years female: 82.88 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Guernsey Government
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
Merchant marine
none (2000 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK Guernsey Transnational Issues
National holiday
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Nationality
noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
cropland
Net migration rate
3.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders
none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders
none
Population
64,342 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Population growth rate
0.39% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
NA
Railways
0 km
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: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable
Telephones - main lines in use
44,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular
12,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
NA
Terrain
mostly level with low hills in southwest
Total fertility rate
1.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
0.5% (1999 est.)
Waterways
none