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Guernsey
Europe:: Guernsey
(British crown dependency)
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Background:
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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 or of the European
Union. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for
its defense and international representation.
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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
27
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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Current Weather
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
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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
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Population:
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65,632 (July 2010 est.)
04
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 14.3%
(male 4,761/female 4,618)
15-64 years:
67.9% (male 22,097/female 22,450)
65 years and over:
17.8% (male 5,087/female 6,619) (2010 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 42.7
years
male:
41.8 years
female:
43.5 years (2010 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.225% (2010 est.)
8
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Birth rate:
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8.55 births/1,000
population (2010 est.)
18
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Death rate:
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10.1 deaths/1,000
population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
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Net migration rate:
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3.81 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2010 est.)
2
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 31%
of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.033
male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.77 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.36
deaths/1,000 live births
01
male:
4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
3.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 80.14
years
2
male:
77.58 years
female:
82.79 years (2010 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.42 children born/woman
(2010 est.)
95
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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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British 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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NA
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Education expenditures:
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NA
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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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parliamentary democracy
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Capital:
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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
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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
Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint
Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale
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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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the laws of the UK where
applicable apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court
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Suffrage:
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16 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 Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005)
head of government:
Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 1 May 2008);
Bailiff Sir Geoffrey ROWLAND (since June 2005)
cabinet:
Policy Council elected by the States of
Deliberation
elections:
the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor
appointed by the monarch; chief minister elected by States of
Deliberation
election results:
Lyndon TROTT 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 elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments
elections:
last held on 23 April 2008 (next to be held in
2012)
election results:
percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
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Judicial branch:
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Royal Court (judges
elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
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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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Stop Traffic Endangering
Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE]
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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; the red cross represents the old
ties with England and the fact that Guernsey is a British Crown
dependency; the gold cross is a replica of the one used by Duke William
of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings
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Economy - overview:
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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.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$2.742 billion (2005)
5
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$2.742 billion (2005)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$44,600 (2005)
3
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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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31,470 (March 2006)
03
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Unemployment rate:
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0.9% (March 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
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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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Budget:
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revenues: $563.6
million
expenditures:
$530.9 million (2005)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.4% (June 2006)
12
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Agriculture - products:
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tomatoes, greenhouse
flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
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Industries:
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tourism, banking
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity -
production:
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NA kWh
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Electricity -
consumption:
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NA kWh
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2002)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2002)
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Exports:
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$NA
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Exports - commodities:
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tomatoes, flowers and
ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
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Imports:
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$NA
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Imports - commodities:
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coal, gasoline, oil,
machinery and equipment
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Debt - external:
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$NA
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Exchange rates:
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Guernsey pound 0.6494
(2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005)
note:
the Guernsey pound is at par with the British
pound
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| Communications
::Guernsey |
Telephones - main lines in use:
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45,100 (2008)
66
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Telephones -
mobile cellular:
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43,800 (2004)
97
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: NA
domestic:
fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely
available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100
per 100 persons
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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Television
broadcast stations:
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1 (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.gg
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Internet hosts:
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174 (2009)
91
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Internet users:
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46,100 (2008)
2
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| Transportation
::Guernsey |
Airports:
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2 (2009)
10
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 2
914 to 1,523 m:
1
under 914 m:
1 (2009)
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Ports and terminals:
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Saint Peter Port, Saint
Sampson
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 12,404
females age 16-49:
12,510 (2010 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
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male: 347
female:
350 (2010 est.)
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Military - note:
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defense is the
responsibility of the UK
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| Transnational Issues
::Guernsey |
Disputes - international:
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none
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