Bassas da India (2001) | Guernsey (2006) | |
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 |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 15% (male 4,998/female 4,842)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 21,752/female 22,170) 65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,926/female 6,721) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle |
Airports | - | 2 (one on Alderney) (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total:
0.2 sq km land: 0.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
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 | about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about one-half the size of Washington, DC |
Background | This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968. | 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. Guernsey is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. |
Birth rate | - | 8.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $539.2 million
expenditures: $448.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2002) |
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 |
Climate | tropical | temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast |
Coastline | 35.2 km | 50 km |
Constitution | - | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Bassas da India |
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey |
Death rate | - | 10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Dependency status | possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | claimed by Madagascar | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous 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 environment under which Guernsey operates. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | - | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries |
Exchange rates | - | Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001)
note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | - | 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 Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004) 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 Delibertion election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA |
Exports | - | $NA |
Exports - commodities | - | tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables |
Exports - partners | - | UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | 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 |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 3%
industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 3% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 21 30 S, 39 50 E | 49 28 N, 2 35 W |
Geography - note | - | large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | $NA |
Imports - commodities | - | coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | - | UK; note - regarded as internal trade (2004) |
Independence | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, banking |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 4.9% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | - | UPU |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | NA |
Judicial branch | - | Royal Court |
Labor force | - | 32,290 (2001) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all rock) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
Languages | - | English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments
elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 80.42 years
male: 77.41 years female: 83.53 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique | Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | - | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
Nationality | - | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
Natural hazards | maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones | NA |
Natural resources | none | cropland |
Net migration rate | - | 3.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | uninhabited (July 2001 est.) | 65,409 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.26% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | - | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
Sex ratio | - | 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: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 55,100 (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 43,800 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic rock | mostly level with low hills in southwest |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.39 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0.5% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |