Guernsey

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable

Telephones

41,850 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

NA Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $238.3 million expenditures: $223.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Currency

1 Guernsey (LG) pound = 100 pence

Economic aid

none

Economic overview

Financial services account for about 55% 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.

Electricity

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

Exchange rates

Guernsey pounds (LG) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991); 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

GDP

$NA

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$NA

GDP real growth rate

NA%

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)

Labor force

NA

Unemployment rate

3%-4% (1994 est.)

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

Geographic coordinates

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Geographic note

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

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, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources

cropland

Terrain

mostly level with low hills in southwest lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

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

Data code

GK

Diplomatic representation in US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (of the United Kingdom since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Vice-Admiral Sir John COWARD (since NA 1994) and Bailiff Mr. Graham Martyn DOREY (since February 1992) were appointed by the queen cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee (other committees); appointed by the Assembly of 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)

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

Name of country

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 of government

British crown dependency

US diplomatic representation

none (British crown dependency)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 5,592; female 5,439) 15-64 years: 67% (male 20,636; female 21,472) 65 years and over: 15% (male 3,925; female 5,856) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

13.06 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

9.73 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

UK and Norman-French descent

Infant mortality rate

9.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.22 years male: 75.28 years female: 81.27 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Net migration rate

9.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

62,920 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.28% (1996 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: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female all ages: 0.92 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.56 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Railways

0 km