General Overview
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.
Demographics
The population is 65,726, as of 2008. Ethnic groups consist of British and Norman-French descent, Portuguese and increasingly, Latvian.
The island combines a unique mix of simplicity and sophistication where a leading 21st century global finance industry sits easily alongside crab pots, traditional beach kiosks and roadside vegetable stalls.
Guernsey covers approximately 24 square miles and is located in the Gulf of St Malo, 60 miles south west of England and about 30 miles west of Northern France. It has a population of around 60,000 people.
• Country name: Bailiwick of Guernsey
• Capital Name: Saint Peter Port
• Population: 65,726 (July 2008 est.)
• Nationality: Channel Islander(s)
• Languages: English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
• Ethnic Groups: UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries
Economy
Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account for about 23% of employment and about 55% 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.
• GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.742 billion (2005)
• GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2005 est.)
• GDP - per capita (PPP): $44,600 (2005)
• Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (June 2006)
Government
The States of Guernsey, officially called the States of Deliberation, consists of 45 People's Deputies, elected from multi- or single-member districts every four years. There are also two representatives from Alderney, a self-governing dependency of the Bailiwick, but Sark sends no representative. There are also two non-voting members: HM Procureur (Attorney General) and HM Comptroller (Solicitor General), both appointed by the monarch and collectively known as the Law Officers of the Crown.
• 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
• Legal system: Laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court
• Constitution: Unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice.
• Independence: None (British crown dependency)
References
Guernsey Government - Official Website
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) - The World Factbook
Nation Master - World Data Center
Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia
Lonely Planet - Travel Guidebook
