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Channel Islands (Guernsey)

Guernsey
Flag of Guernsey
Coat of arms of Guernsey
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: God Save The Queen (official)
Sarnia Cheriea
Guernsey, an island located in the English channel
Guernsey, an island located in the English channel
Location of Guernsey
Status Jurisdiction
Capital
and largest city
St. Peter Port (Saint-Pierre-Port)
49°27′N 2°36′W / 49.450°N 2.600°W / 49.450; -2.600
Official languages
Recognised regional languages
Part of Bailiwick of Guernsey
Leaders
• Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II
Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder KBE, CB
• Bailiff
Sir Richard Collas
• President of Policy & Resources Committee
Gavin St Pier
Establishment
• Administrative separation from mainland Normandy
1204
9 May 1945
Area
• Total
65 km2 (25 sq mi)
• Water (%)
0
Population
• 2016 estimate
63,026
• Density
965/km2 (2,499.3/sq mi)
GDP (PPP) 2015 estimate
• Total
$3.473 billion
• Per capita
$55,186
Currency Guernsey Pound, Pound sterlingd (GGP, GBP)
Time zone GMT
• Summer (DST)
 (UTC+1)
Drives on the left
Calling code +44e
ISO 3166 code GG
Internet TLD .gg
  1. For occasions when regional distinguishing anthem required.
  2. English is the only official language. French sometimes used for legislative purposes.
  3. Now extinct.
  4. The States of Guernsey issue their own sterling coins and banknotes (see Guernsey pound).
    • +44 1481 (landline)
    • +44 7781 (Sure Guernsey Ltd)
    • +44 7839 (Guernsey Airtel)
    • +44 7911 (Jersey Telecom / 24 Seven Communications Ltd)

Guernsey is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. With several smaller nearby islands, it forms a jurisdiction within the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency. The jurisdiction is made up of ten parishes on the island of Guernsey, three other inhabited islands (Herm, Jethou and Lihou), and many small islets and rocks. The jurisdiction is not part of the United Kingdom, although defence and most foreign relations are handled by the British Government.

The entire jurisdiction lies within the Common Travel Area of the British Isles and is not a member of the European Union, but has a special relationship with it, being treated as part of the European Community with access to the single market for the purposes of free trade in goods. Taken together with the separate jurisdictions of Alderney and Sark it forms the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The two Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey together form the geographical grouping known as the Channel Islands.

The name "Guernsey", as well as that of neighbouring "Jersey", is of Old Norse origin. The second element of each word, "", is the Old Norse for "island", while the original root, "guern(s)", is of uncertain origin and meaning. (It could be from the latinification of the word "Kvern", or "mill", in old and new Icelandic and Norwegian, meaning "mill-island")

Around 6000 BC, rising seas created the English Channel and separated the Norman promontories that became the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey from continental Europe.Neolithic farmers then settled on its coast and built the dolmens and menhirs found in the islands today.


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