Guernsey

Airports

total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1

Highways

total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA

Ports

Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Telecommunications

broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 41,900 telephones; 1 submarine cable

Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Agriculture

tomatoes, flowers (mostly grown in greenhouses), sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Budget

revenues: $208.9 million expenditures: $173.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)

Currency

1 Guernsey (#G) pound = 100 pence

Economic aid

none

Electricity

capacity: 173,000 kW production: 525 million kWh consumption per capita: 9,060 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Guernsey pounds (#G) per US$1 - 0.6699 (January 1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$NA commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

Imports

$NA commodities: coal, gasoline, and oil partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

tourism, banking

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7% (1988)

National product

GDP $NA

National product per capita

$NA

National product real growth rate

9% (1987)

Overview

Financial services account from more than 50% 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.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total area: 194 sq km land area: 194 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands

Climate

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

Coastline

50 km

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Location

Western Europe, in the English Channel, 52 km west of France between UK and France

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources

cropland

Note

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Terrain

mostly level with low hills in southwest

Administrative divisions

none (British crown dependency)

Assembly of the States

elections last held NA (next to be held NA); results - no percent of vote by party since all are independents; seats - (60 total, 33 elected), all independents

Capital

Saint Peter Port

Constitution

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Digraph

GK

Diplomatic representation in US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Lt. Gen. Sir Michael WILKINS (since NA 1990); Bailiff Mr. Graham Martyn DOREY (since February 1992) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee (other committees); appointed by the States

Flag

white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

Judicial branch

Royal Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

none

Names

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Political parties and leaders

none; all independents

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

British crown dependency

US diplomatic representation

none (British crown dependency)

Birth rate

13.21 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

9.97 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

UK and Norman-French descent

Infant mortality rate

6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

NA

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.15 years male: 75.45 years female: 80.88 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Net migration rate

6.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

63,719 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

1.01% (1994 est.)

Religions

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

Total fertility rate

1.68 children born/woman (1994 est.)