| Local name: The
Bailiwick of Guernsey - Guernsey is
situated in the Gulf of St Malo, 50km (30 miles) from the coast of
France and 130km (80 miles) from the south coast of England. The
cliffs on the south coast rise to 80m (270ft), from which the land
slopes away gradually to the north. The
islands of Alderney, Brecqhou, Great Sark, Little Sark, Herm,
Jethou and Lihou are dependencies of Guernsey. |
| Surface : 78 sq
km - includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
smaller islands |
| Population :
64,342 (July 2001 est.) |
| Climate: The
Islands of the Guernsey Bailiwick lie on the south-western side of
the English Channel and form a natural northerly rim to the "Golfe
de St. Malo" - that wide expanse of gulf stream water
captured in the pincer of the Normandy and Brittany coasts of
nearby France.At latitude 50° North, the Islands lie essentially
within the mild westerly airflow that separates the sub-tropical
high pressure belt to the south, and the more northerly track of
Atlantic low pressure systems. They are offered protection by the
English mainland some 60 miles to the north, and the much nearer
French coastline to the east and south. The local climate is
tempered by its maritime position and does not suffer the extremes
of temperatures found in more landlocked areas but thanks to the
shelter offered by their giant neighbours they escape the worst of
the winds often associated with offshore locations. Channel
Islands climate is therefore temperate in nature with mild damp
cloudy winters and warm drier sunnier summers. |
| Electricity: 240 volts AC,
50Hz. Three-pin plugs in use. |
| Capital : St
Peter Port. |
| PASSPORTS: Passport and
Visa requirements are the same as those for the rest of the UK. |
| System : The
Bailiwick of Guernsey has its own constitution, making it almost a
self-governing member of the British Commonwealth. On occasions
Guernsey's legislation has to be approved by the Queen in Council
before it can be enacted locally. The Queen is represented in
Guernsey by the Lieutenant Governor, whom she appoints. The States
comprises a total of 57 members. Of these, 45 are parish Deputies,
voted in by the electorate of their various parishes, while 10 are
representatives of the parish Douzaines - the parochial
governments - who are elected to the States by the members of the
Douzaine. There are two members from the Bailiwick island of
Alderney, which has its own States that appoints two members to
represent the island's interests in Guernsey. Alderney and Sark
have their own governments which, while deferring to the larger
island on some matters, can act independently. |
| Languages : English, French,
Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
| Religions : Anglican,
Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
|
| Ferry....
italiano...
german
.... english
..... french |
|
| Money: British pound (GBP);
note - there is also a Guernsey pound |
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