Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.gg
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
2,734 (2007)
Internet users [time series]
36,000 (2005)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
45,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
43,800 (2004)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Budget [time series]
revenues: $563.6 million expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound
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 - 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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
NA kWh
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production [time series]
NA kWh
Exchange rates [time series]
Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002) 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; note - regarded as internal trade (2006)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$2.742 billion (2005)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$2.742 billion (2005)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$44,600 (2005)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
3% (2005 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; note - regarded as internal trade (2006)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tourism, banking
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
3.4% (June 2006)
Labor force [time series]
31,470 (March 2006)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
0.9% (March 2006 est.)
Geography
total: 78 sq km land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
Area - comparative [time series]
about one-half the size of 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
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: NA% permanent crops: 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]
territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 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); 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
Capital [time series]
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
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
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), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005) head of government: Chief Minister Michael W. TORODE (since 5 March 2007) cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Deliberation election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA
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]
parliamentary democracy
Independence [time series]
none (British crown dependency)
International organization participation [time series]
UPU
Judicial branch [time series]
Royal Court
Legal system [time series]
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held in 2008) 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
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
none
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 14.8% (male 4,914/female 4,784) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 21,897/female 22,298) 65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,955/female 6,725) (2007 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
8.65 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate [time series]
10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Languages [time series]
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 80.53 years male: 77.53 years female: 83.64 years (2007 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Median age [time series]
total: 41.7 years male: 40.7 years female: 42.6 years (2007 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Net migration rate [time series]
3.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Population [time series]
65,573 (July 2007 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
0.239% (2007 est.)
Religions [time series]
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.027 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.982 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.737 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.4 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Roadways [time series]
total: NA