Introduction

Background: |  |

`
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 is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK or of the European Union. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
`

Geography

Location: |  |
`Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France`
Geographic coordinates: |  |
`49 28 N, 2 35 W`
Map references: |  |
`Europe`
Area: |  |
`total: 78 sq km country comparison to the world: 226 land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands`
Area - comparative: |  |
`about one-half the size of Washington, DC`
Land boundaries: |  |
`0 km`
Coastline: |  |
`50 km`
Maritime claims: |  |
`territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm`
Climate: |  |
`temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast`
Terrain: |  |
`mostly level with low hills in southwest`
Elevation extremes: |  |
`lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed elevation on Sark 114 m`
Natural resources: |  |
`cropland`
Land use: |  |
`arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA`
Irrigated land: |  |
`NA`
Natural hazards: |  |
`NA`
Environment - current issues: |  |
`NA`
Geography - note: |  |
`large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port`

People

Population: |  |
`65,068 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 203`
Age structure: |  |
`0-14 years: 14.9% (male 5,036/female 4,670) 15-64 years: 68% (male 22,195/female 22,049) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 4,952/female 6,166) (2011 est.)`
Median age: |  |
`total: 42.2 years male: 41.1 years female: 43.2 years (2011 est.)`
Population growth rate: |  |
`0.438% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 155`
Birth rate: |  |
`10.13 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 190`
Death rate: |  |
`8.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 87`
Net migration rate: |  |
`2.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 30`
Urbanization: |  |
`urban population: 31% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)`
Sex ratio: |  |
`at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)`
Infant mortality rate: |  |
`total: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 207 male: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)`
Life expectancy at birth: |  |
`total population: 82.16 years country comparison to the world: 6 male: 79.5 years female: 84.95 years (2011 est.)`
Total fertility rate: |  |
`1.54 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 181`
HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |  |
`NA`
HIV / AIDS - people living with HIV / AIDS: |  |
`NA`
HIV / AIDS - deaths: |  |
`NA`
Nationality: |  |
`noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander`
Ethnic groups: |  |
`British and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries`
Religions: |  |
`Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist`
Languages: |  |
`English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts`
Literacy: |  |
`NA`
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): |  |
`NA`
Education expenditures: |  |
`NA`

Government

Country name: |  |
`conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey`
Dependency status: |  |
`British crown dependency`
Government type: |  |
`parliamentary democracy`
Capital: |  |
`name: Saint Peter Port geographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October`
Administrative divisions: |  |
`none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes: Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale`
Independence: |  |
`none (British crown dependency)`
National holiday: |  |
`Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)`
Constitution: |  |
`unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice`
Legal system: |  |
`customary legal system based on Norman customary law, and includes elements of the French Civil Code and English common law`
Suffrage: |  |
`16 years of age; universal`
Executive branch: |  |

`
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Air Marshall Peter WALKER (since 15 April 2011)
head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 1 May 2008); Bailiff Sir Geoffrey ROWLAND (since June 2005)
cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
(For more information visit theWorld Leaders website )
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister elected by States of Deliberation
election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA
`

Legislative branch: |  |

`
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; note - there are also 10 Douzaine representatives - one from each parish, 2 representatives from Alderney and the appointed attorney general and soliciter general); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments
elections: last held on 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
`

Judicial branch: |  |
`Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)`
Political parties and leaders: |  |
`none; all independents`
Political pressure groups and leaders: |  |
`Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE]`
International organization participation: |  |
`UPU`
Diplomatic representation in the US: |  |
`none (British crown dependency)`
Diplomatic representation from the US: |  |
`none (British crown dependency)`
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; the red cross represents the old ties with England and the fact that Guernsey is a British Crown dependency; the gold cross is a replica of the one used by Duke William of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings
`

National anthem: |  |
`name: "Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear) lyrics/music: George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO note: adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" remains official (see United Kingdom)`

Economy

Economy - overview: |  |

`
Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account for about 23% of employment and about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Financial services, construction, retail, and the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.
`

GDP (purchasing power parity): |  |
`$2.742 billion (2005) country comparison to the world: 178`
GDP (official exchange rate): |  |
`$2.742 billion (2005)`
GDP - real growth rate: |  |
`3% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 126`
GDP - per capita (PPP): |  |
`$44,600 (2005) country comparison to the world: 14`
GDP - composition by sector: |  |
`agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)`
Labor force: |  |
`31,470 (March 2006) country comparison to the world: 203`
Unemployment rate: |  |
`0.9% (March 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 4`
Population below poverty line: |  |
`NA%`
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |  |
`lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%`
Budget: |  |
`revenues: $563.6 million expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)`
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |  |
`3.4% (June 2006) country comparison to the world: 97`
Agriculture - products: |  |
`tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle`
Industries: |  |
`tourism, banking`
Industrial production growth rate: |  |
`NA%`
Electricity - production: |  |
`NA kWh`
Electricity - consumption: |  |
`NA kWh`
Electricity - exports: |  |
`0 kWh (2002)`
Electricity - imports: |  |
`0 kWh (2002)`
Exports: |  |
`$NA`
Exports - commodities: |  |
`tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables`
Imports: |  |
`$NA`
Imports - commodities: |  |
`coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment`
Debt - external: |  |
`$NA`
Exchange rates: |  |
`Guernsey pound 0.6388 (2010) 0.6175 (2009) 0.4993 (2007) 0.5418 (2006)`

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: |  |
`45,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 165`
Telephones - mobile cellular: |  |
`43,800 (2004) country comparison to the world: 197`
Telephone system: |  |
`general assessment: NA domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 44; 1 submarine cable`
Broadcast media: |  |
`multiple UK terrestrial television broadcasts - received via a transmitter in Jersey with relays in Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney - will begin switching from analog to digital broadcasts in November 2010; satellite packages are available; BBC Radio Guernsey and 1 other radio station operating (2009)`
Internet country code: |  |
`.gg`
Internet hosts: |  |
`197 (2010) country comparison to the world: 195`
Internet users: |  |
`48,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 174`

Transportation

Airports: |  |
`2 (2010) country comparison to the world: 199`
Airports - with paved runways: |  |
`total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2010)`
Ports and terminals: |  |
`Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port`

Military

Manpower fit for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 12,493 females age 16-49: 12,272 (2010 est.)`
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: |  |
`male: 354 female: 342 (2010 est.)`
Military - note: |  |
`defense is the responsibility of the UK`

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: |  |
`none`

PAGE LAST UPDATED ON MAY 25, 2011