Guernsey Population: 66,697
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| History | |
| Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy 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. The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a self-governing British crown dependency that is not part of the United Kingdom. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. The Bailiwick of Guernsey consists of the main island of Guernsey and a number of smaller islands including Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, Brecqhou, and Lihou. |
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| Geography | |
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| Location: | Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France |
| Geographic coordinates: | 49 28 N, 2 35 W |
| Area: | total: 78 sq km land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands Size comparison: 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 flat with low hills in southwest |
| Natural resources: | cropland |
| Irrigated land: | n/a |
| Natural hazards: | very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous |
| Current Environment Issues: | coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity due to land abandonment and succession to scrub or woodland |
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| People | |
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| Nationality: | noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander |
| Ethnic groups: | Guernsey 52%, UK and Ireland 23.7%, Portugal 2.1%, Latvia 1.5%, other 6.7%, unspecified 14.1% note: data represent population by country of birth; the native population is of British and Norman-French descent |
| Languages: | English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
| Religions: | Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic |
| Population: | 66,697 (July 2018 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 14.51% (male 4,994 /female 4,686) 15-24 years: 10.89% (male 3,711 /female 3,553) 25-54 years: 41.41% (male 13,958 /female 13,658) 55-64 years: 13.38% (male 4,425 /female 4,496) 65 years and over: 19.81% (male 6,038 /female 7,178) (2018 est.) |
| Dependency ratios: | total dependency ratio: 47.1 (2015 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.6 (2015 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 25.4 (2015 est.) potential support ratio: 3.9 (2015 est.) note: data represent the Guernsey and Jersey |
| Median age: | total: 44 years male: 42.7 years female: 45.3 years (2018 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.28% (2018 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 9.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) |
| Death rate: | 9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.) |
| Urbanization: | urban population: 30.9% of total population (2018) rate of urbanization: 0.46% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey |
| Major urban areas - population: | 16,000 SAINT PETER PORT (capital) (2018) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 82.7 years male: 80 years female: 85.5 years (2018 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.57 children born/woman (2018 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | n/a |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | n/a |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | n/a |
| Education expenditures: | n/a |
| Literacy: | |
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| Government | |
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| Country name: | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey former: Norman Isles etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Guern(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island" |
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation) |
| 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 etymology: Saint Peter Port is the name of the town and its surrounding parish; the "port" distinguishes this parish from that of Saint Peter on the other side of the island |
| 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 note: two additional parishes for Guernsey are sometimes listed - the parish of Saint Anne on the island of Alderney and the parish of Saint Peter on the island of Sark - but they are generally not included in the enumeration of parishes |
| Independence: | none (British crown dependency) |
| National holiday: | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
| Constitution: | history: unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice amendments: new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote |
| 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 Vice Admiral Ian CORDER (since 14 March 2016) head of government: Chief Minister Gavin ST PIER (since 6 May 2016); Bailiff Sir Richard COLLAS (since 23 March 2012); note - the chief minister is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee and is the de facto head of government; the Policy and Resources Committee, elected by the States of Deliberation, functions as the executive; the 5 members all have equal voting rights cabinet: none elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister, who is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee indirectly elected by the States of Deliberation for a 4-year term; last held on 6 May 2016 (next to be held in 2020) election results: Gavin ST PIER (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister |
| Legislative branch: | description: unicameral States of Deliberation (40 seats; 38 People's Deputies and 2 representatives of the States of Alderney; members directly elected by majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - non-voting members include the bailiff (presiding officer), attorney-general, and solicitor-general elections: last held on 27 April 2016 (next to be held in 2020) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 38; composition - men 27, women 13, percent of women 32.5% |
| Judicial branch: | highest courts: Guernsey Court of Appeal (consists of the Bailiff of Guernsey, who is the ex-officio president of the Guernsey Court of Appeal, and at least 12 judges); Royal Court (organized into 3 divisions - Full Court sits with 1 judge and 7 to 12 jurats acting as judges of fact, Ordinary Court sits with 1 judge and normally 3 jurats, and Matrimonial Causes Division sits with 1 judge and 4 jurats); note - appeals beyond Guernsey courts are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: Royal Court Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff, and Court of Appeal justices appointed by the British Crown and hold office at Her Majesty's pleasure; jurats elected by the States of Election, a body chaired by the Bailiff and a number of jurats subordinate courts: Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrates' Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas |
| Political parties and leaders: | none; all independents |
| International organization participation: | UPU |
| National symbol(s): | Guernsey cow, donkey; national colors: red, white, yellow |
| 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" is official (see United Kingdom) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (British crown dependency) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (British crown dependency) |
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| Economy | |
Financial services accounted for about 21% of employment and about 32% of total income in 2016 in this tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Construction, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Financial services, professional services, tourism, retail, and the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular offshore financial center. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $3.465 billion (2015 est.) $3.451 billion (2014 est.) $3.42 billion (2013 est.) note: data are in 2015 dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $2.742 billion (2005 est.) (2005 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 0.4% (2015 est.) 1.2% (2014 est.) 4.2% (2012 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $52,500 (2014 est.) GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 3% (2000) industry: 10% (2000) services: 87% (2000) |
| Agriculture - products: | tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle |
| Industries: | tourism, banking |
| Industrial production growth rate: | n/a |
| Labor force: | 31,470 (March 2006) |
| Unemployment rate: | 1.2% (2016 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | n/a |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: n/a highest 10%: n/a |
| Budget: | revenues: 563.6 million (2005) expenditures: 530.9 million (2005 est.) |
| Taxes and other revenues: | 20.6% (of GDP) (2005) Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): 1.2% (of GDP) (2005) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.4% (June 2006 est.) |
| Exports: | n/a |
| Exports - commodities: | tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables |
| Imports: | n/a |
| Imports - commodities: | coal, gasoline, oil, machinery, and equipment |
| Debt - external: | n/a |
| Exchange rates: | Guernsey pound per US dollar 0.7836 (2017 est.) 0.738 (2016 est.) 0.738 (2015) 0.6542 (2014) 0.607 (2013) |
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| Energy | |
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| Communications | |
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| Cellular Phones in use: | total subscriptions: 71,249 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (July 2016 est.) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: high performance global connections with quality service; connections to major cities around the world to rival and attract future investment and future needs of islanders and businesses (2018) domestic: fixed-line 60 per 100 and mobile-cellular 113 per 100 persons (2018) international: country code - 44; 1 submarine cable |
| Broadcast media: | multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey with relays in Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney; satellite packages are available; BBC Radio Guernsey and 1 other radio station operating |
| Internet country code: | .gg |
| Internet users: | total: 55,050 percent of population: 83.3% (July 2016 est.) |
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| Transportation | |
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| Airports: | 2 (2013) |
| Airports (paved runways): | total 2 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017) under 914 m: 1 (2017) |
| Roadways: | total 260 km (2017) |
| Ports and terminals: | major seaport(s): Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port |
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| Military | |
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| Defense is the responsibility of the UK | |
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| Transnational Issues | |
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| Disputes - International: | none |
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