GUERNSEY (British crown dependency) GEOGRAPHY Total area: 194 km2; land area: 194 km2; includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands Comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 50 km Maritime claims: Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 3 nm Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest Natural resources: cropland Land use: arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%; cultivated about 50% Environment: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port Note: 52 km west of France PEOPLE Population: 57,596 (July 1991), growth rate 0.6% (1991) Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Channel Islander(s); adjective--Channel Islander Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist Language: English, French; Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 16 Labor force: NA Organized labor: NA GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Bailiwick of Guernsey Type: British crown dependency Capital: Saint Peter Port Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency) Independence: none (British crown dependency) Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) Executive branch: British monarch, lieutenant governor, bailiff, deputy bailiff Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States Judicial branch: Royal Court Leaders: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Head of Government--Lieutenant Governor Lt. Gen. Sir Michael WILKINS (since 1990); Bailiff Sir Charles FROSSARD (since 1982) Political parties and leaders: none; all independents Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: Assembly of the States--last held NA (next to be held NA); results--percent of vote NA; seats--(60 total, 33 elected), all independents Communists: none Member of: none Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency) Flag: white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag ECONOMY Overview: Tourism is a major source of revenue. Other economic activity includes financial services, breeding the world-famous Guernsey cattle, and growing tomatoes and flowers for export. GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate 9% (1987) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1988) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $208.9 million; expenditures $173.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1988) Exports: $NA; commodities--tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables; partners--UK (regarded as internal trade) Imports: $NA; commodities--coal, gasoline and oil; partners--UK (regarded as internal trade) External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 173,000 kW capacity; 525 million kWh produced, 9,340 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: tourism, banking Agriculture: tomatoes, flowers (mostly grown in greenhouses), sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables and fruit; Guernsey cattle Economic aid: none Currency: Guernsey pound (plural--pounds); 1 Guernsey (LG) pound = 100 pence Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds (LG) per US$1--0.5171 (January 1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985); note--the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Ports: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson Airport: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m (La Villiaze) Telecommunications: stations--1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 41,900 telephones; 1 submarine cable DEFENSE FORCES Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK