The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Guernsey

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Guernsey

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(British crown dependency)

Map

Location: 49 28 N, 2 35 W -- Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

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Flag

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

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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 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
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 50 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m
Natural resources: cropland
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
meadows and pastures: NA%
forest and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: NA
Geographic note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People

Population: 62,920 (July 1996 est.)
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.)
Population growth rate: 1.28% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 13.06 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 9.73 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 9.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
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.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.22 years
male: 75.28 years
female: 81.27 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.56 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist
Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: NA

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey
Data code: GK
Type of government: British crown dependency
Capital: Saint Peter Port
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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
Legislative branch: unicameral
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
Judicial branch: Royal Court
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in US: none (British crown dependency)
US diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)
Flag: white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag

Economy

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.
GDP: $NA
GDP real growth rate: NA%
GDP per capita: $NA
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1988)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 3%-4% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $238.3 million
expenditures: $223.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Industries: tourism, banking
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 173,000 kW
production: 525 million kWh
consumption per capita: 9,060 kWh (1992)
Agriculture: tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Exports: $NA
commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)
Imports: $NA
commodities: coal, gasoline, and oil
partners: UK (regarded as internal trade)
External debt: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Guernsey (ŁG) pound = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds (ŁG) 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
Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation

Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Merchant marine: none
Airports:
total: 2
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 41,850 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: NA

Defense

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Guernsey

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).