Communications
Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios [time series]
NA
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
41,850 (1983)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (1997)
Televisions [time series]
NA
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Budget [time series]
revenues: $300.8 million expenditures: $298.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 Guernsey pound = 100 pence
Debt - external [time series]
$NA
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
$NA
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
NA kWh
Electricity - exports [time series]
NA kWh
Electricity - imports [time series]
NA kWh
Electricity - production [time series]
NA kWh
Electricity - production by source [time series]
fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Exchange rates [time series]
Guernsey pounds per US$1 - 0.6092 (January 2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Exports [time series]
$NA
Exports - commodities [time series]
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
Exports - partners [time series]
UK (regarded as internal trade)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $1.15 billion (1997 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 4% industry: 10% services: 86% (1999 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $18,100 (1997 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
2.3% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$NA
Imports - commodities [time series]
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners [time series]
UK (regarded as internal trade)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tourism, banking
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
4.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force [time series]
NA
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
0.5% (1997 est.)
Geography
total: 194 sq km land: 194 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Coastline [time series]
50 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
49 28 N, 2 35 W
Geography - note [time series]
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%
Location [time series]
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Map references [time series]
Europe
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
NA
Natural resources [time series]
cropland
Terrain [time series]
mostly level with low hills in southwest
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (British crown dependency)
Capital [time series]
Saint Peter Port
Constitution [time series]
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey
Data code [time series]
GK
Dependency status [time series]
British crown dependency
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (British crown dependency)
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor Sir John COWARD (since NA 1994) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (British crown dependency)
International organization participation [time series]
none
Judicial branch [time series]
Royal Court
Legal system [time series]
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral Assembly of the States (59 voting members - 12 councilors serving six-year terms, half elected every three years; 33 deputies elected from multi- or single-member districts every four years; 10 representatives from parish authorities; 2 representatives from Aldenay; the bailiff and deputy bailiff; and 2 non-voting members - the Attorney General and the Solicitor General both appointed by the monarch elections: last held 20 April 1994 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
National holiday [time series]
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
none; all independents
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
The island of 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.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 16% (male 5,302; female 5,167) 15-64 years: 67% (male 21,171; female 21,523) 65 years and over: 17% (male 4,480; female 6,437) (2000 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
10.17 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate [time series]
9.85 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
UK and Norman-French descent
Infant mortality rate [time series]
5.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Languages [time series]
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 79.65 years male: 76.65 years female: 82.75 years (2000 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality [time series]
noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Net migration rate [time series]
3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Population [time series]
64,080 (July 2000 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
0.42% (2000 est.)
Religions [time series]
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.35 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]
Transportation
Airports [time series]
2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Merchant marine [time series]
none (1999 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Railways [time series]
0 km