| The World Factbook | ||
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Guernsey |
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| Introduction | Guernsey |
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Background:
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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. |
| Geography | Guernsey |
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Location:
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Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France |
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Geographic coordinates:
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49 28 N, 2 35 W |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 78 sq km
land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands |
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Area - comparative:
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about one-half the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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50 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
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Climate:
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temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast |
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Terrain:
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mostly level with low hills in southwest |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m |
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Natural resources:
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cropland |
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Land use:
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arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port |
| People | Guernsey |
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Population:
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65,228 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total: 40.99 years
male: 40.03 years female: 41.91 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.29% (2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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9.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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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.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 80.3 years
male: 77.3 years female: 83.41 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries |
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Religions:
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Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
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Languages:
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English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
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Literacy:
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definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Government | Guernsey |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey |
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Dependency status:
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British crown dependency |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Saint Peter Port |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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National holiday:
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Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
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Constitution:
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unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
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Legal system:
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English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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% |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Royal Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none; all independents |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none |
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International organization participation:
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UPU |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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Flag description:
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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 |
| Economy | Guernsey |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$2.59 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3%
industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) |
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Labor force:
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32,290 (2001) |
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Unemployment rate:
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0.5% (1999 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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4.9% (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $539.2 million
expenditures: $448.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle |
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Industries:
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tourism, banking |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: NA
hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA |
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2002) |
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Exports:
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$NA |
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Exports - commodities:
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tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables |
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Exports - partners:
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UK (regarded as internal trade) |
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Imports:
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$NA |
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Imports - commodities:
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coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment |
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Imports - partners:
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UK (regarded as internal trade) |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA |
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Currency (code):
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British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound |
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Currency code:
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GBP |
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Exchange rates:
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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 |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
| Communications | Guernsey |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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55,000 (2001) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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31,500 (2001) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Radios:
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NA |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (1997) |
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Televisions:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.gg |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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NA |
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Internet users:
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NA |
| Transportation | Guernsey |
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Highways:
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total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson |
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Airports:
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2 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Guernsey |
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Transnational Issues | Guernsey |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 |