| Guernsey |
Flag:
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Map:
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| 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. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. |
| Geography and Environmental |
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 |
| Area Total: 78 sq km |
| Area Land: 78 sq km |
| Area Water: 0 sq km |
| Area Note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands |
| Area Comparative: about one-half the size of Washington, DC |
| Coastline: 50 km |
| 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 |
| Elevation Extremes Highest Point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m |
| Natural Resources: cropland |
| Land Use Arable Land: NA% |
| Land Use Permanent Crops: NA% |
| Land Use Other: NA% |
| Irrigated Land: NA |
| Natural Hazards: NA |
| Environment Current Issues: NA |
| Geography Note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port |
| Population |
| Population: 65,573 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age Structure 0 to 14 Years: 14.8% (male 4,914/female 4,784) |
| Age Structure 15 to 64 Years: 67.4% (male 21,897/female 22,298) |
| Age Structure 65 Years And Over: 17.8% (male 4,955/female 6,725) (2007 est.) |
| Median Age Total: 41.7 years |
| Median Age Male: 40.7 years |
| Median Age Female: 42.6 years (2007 est.) |
| Population Growth Rate: 0.239% (2007 est.) |
| Birth Rate: 8.65 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death Rate: 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex Ratio At Birth: 1.03 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Under 15 Years: 1.027 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio 15 to 64 Years: 0.982 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio 65 Years And Over: 0.737 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Total Population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Infant Mortality Rate Total: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Infant Mortality Rate Male: 5.12 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Infant Mortality Rate Female: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Life Expectancy At BirthTotalPopulation: 80.53 years |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Male: 77.53 years |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Female: 83.64 years (2007 est.) |
| Total Fertility Rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| HIV AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: NA |
| HIV AIDS People Living With HIV AIDS: NA |
| HIV AIDS Deaths: NA |
| Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
| Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
| Literacy Definition: NA |
| Literacy Total Population: NA% |
| Literacy Male: NA% |
| Literacy Female: NA% |
| 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 Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale |
| Legal System: English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
| Economy |
| Overview: Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account for about 23% of employment and 32% 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) |
| GDP Real Growth Rate: 3% (2005 est.) |
| GDP Composition By Sector Agriculture: 3% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Industry: 10% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Services: 87% (2000) |
| Labor Force: 31,470 (March 2006) |
| Unemployment Rate: 0.9% (March 2006 est.) |
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation Rate Consumer Prices: 3.4% (June 2006) |
| Industries: tourism, banking |
| Industrial Production Growth Rate: NA% |
| Energy |
| Electricity Production: NA kWh |
| Electricity Production By Source Fossil Fuel: NA |
| Electricity Production By Source Hydro: NA |
| Electricity Production By Source Nuclear: NA |
| Electricity Production By Source Other: NA |
| 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 |
| Exports Partners: UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004) |
| Imports: $NA |
| Imports Commodities: coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment |
| Imports Partners: UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004) |
| Debt External: $NA |
| Economic Aid Recipient: $NA |
| Communications |
| Telephones Main Lines In Use: 55,100 (2004) |
| TelephonesMobileCellular: 43,800 (2004) |
| Telephone System General Assessment: NA |
| Telephone System Domestic: NA |
| Telephone System International: 1 submarine cable |
| Radio Broadcast Stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: NA |
| Television Broadcast Stations: 1 (1997) |
| Televisions: NA |
| Internet Service Providers-ISPs: NA |
| Internet Users: 36,000 (2005) |
| Transportation |
| Airports: 2 (one on Alderney) (2006) |
| Disputes International: none |