Guernsey (2005) | Christmas Island (2001) | |
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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 Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale, Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint Martin, Saint Andrew | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 15.4% (male 5,084/female 4,937)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 21,611/female 22,002) 65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,882/female 6,712) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle | NA |
Airports | 2 (2004 est.) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 78 sq km
land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands |
total:
135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about one-half the size of Washington, DC | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. The phosphate mine, closed in 1987, was reopened four years later, but the need for an alternative industry has spurred investment in tourism. Old mining areas are being restored, and almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | 9.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | NA births/1,000 population |
Budget | revenues: $539.2 million
expenditures: $448.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002 est.) |
revenues:
$NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
Capital | Saint Peter Port | The Settlement |
Climate | temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 50 km | 138.9 km |
Constitution | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice | Christmas Island Act of 1958 |
Country name | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey |
conventional long form:
Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | - | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 9.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | British crown dependency | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (British crown dependency) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (British crown dependency) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $NA |
Economy - overview | 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. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened by union workers. With the support of the government, Australian-based Casinos Austria International Ltd. built a $34 million casino on Christmas Island, which opened in 1993. As of yearend 1999, gaming facilities at the casino were temporarily closed but were expected to reopen in early 2000. Another economic prospect is the possible location of a space-launching site on the island. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries | Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no indigenous population |
Exchange rates | Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound |
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000)
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% |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $NA | $NA |
Exports - commodities | tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables | phosphate |
Exports - partners | UK (regarded as internal trade) | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | 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 | the flag of Australia is used |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3%
industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - real growth rate | 3% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 49 28 N, 2 35 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
total:
140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry) paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | $NA |
Imports - commodities | coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | UK (regarded as internal trade) | principally Australia |
Independence | none (British crown dependency) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, banking | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.9% (2004 est.) | NA% |
International organization participation | UPU | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Royal Court | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 32,290 (2001) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
arable land:
NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% note: mainly tropical rainforest of which 60%-70% is in a national park |
Languages | English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts | English, Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
Legislative branch | unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments
elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents |
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 80.3 years
male: 77.3 years female: 83.41 years (2005 est.) |
total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
- |
Location | Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Europe | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
contiguous zone:
12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) | NA |
Nationality | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
noun:
Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | NA | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | cropland | phosphate |
Net migration rate | 3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 65,228 (July 2005 est.) | 2,771 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.29% (2005 est.) | 7.77% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 1,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 24 km to serve phosphate mines |
Religions | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist | Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20% (1991) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 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 (2005 est.) |
- |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service |
Telephones - main lines in use | 55,000 (2001) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 31,500 (2001) | 0 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | NA |
Terrain | mostly level with low hills in southwest | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.) | NA children born/woman |
Unemployment rate | 0.5% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |