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 EU. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
49 28 N, 2 35 W
Europe
total: 78 sq km
land: 78 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
0 km
50 km
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
mostly flat with low hills in southwest
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on Sark 114 m
cropland
NA
NA
NA
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
66,297 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
British and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic
total dependency ratio: 47%
youth dependency ratio: 21.6%
elderly dependency ratio: 25.4%
potential support ratio: 3.9%
note: data represent the Channel Islands (2015 est.)
0-14 years: 14.46% (male 4,956/female 4,630)
15-24 years: 11.45% (male 3,877/female 3,715)
25-54 years: 41.89% (male 14,009/female 13,760)
55-64 years: 12.93% (male 4,267/female 4,304)
65 years and over: 19.28% (male 5,797/female 6,982) (2016 est.)
total: 43.6 years
male: 42.3 years
female: 44.8 years (2016 est.)
0.32% (2016 est.)
9.8 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
8.9 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
urban population: 31.4% of total population (2014)
rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
note: data are for the Channel Islands
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 82.5 years
male: 79.9 years
female: 85.4 years (2016 est.)
1.56 children born/woman (2016 est.)
NA
NA
NA
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey
etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Guern(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island"
British crown dependency
parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation); a Crown dependency of the UK
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
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes: Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale
none (British crown dependency)
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
history: unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice
amendments: new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote (2016)
customary legal system based on Norman customary law, and includes elements of the French civil code and English common law
see United Kingdom
16 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Vice Admiral Ian CORDER (since 14 March 2016)
head of government: Chief Minister Gavin ST.PIER (since 6 May 2016); Bailiff Sir Richard COLLAS (since 23 March 2012); note - Chief Minister is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee and is the de facto head of government; The Policy and Resources Committee, elected by the States of Deliberation, functions as the executive; the five members all have equal voting rights
cabinet: none
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister indirectly elected by States of Deliberation; last held on 6 May 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: Gavin ST.PIER (independent) elected as president of the Policy and Resources Committee and Chief Minister
Guernsey cow, donkey; national colors: red, white, yellow
description: unicameral States of Deliberation (40 seats; 38 People's Deputies and 2 representatives of the States of Alderney; members directly elected by majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - non-voting members include the bailiff (presiding officer), attorney-general, and solicitor-general
elections: last held on 27 April 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independent
highest resident court(s): Guernsey Court of Appeal (consists of the Bailiff of Guernsey, who is the ex-officio president of the Guernsey Court of Appeal, and at least 12 judges); Royal Court (organized into 3 divisions - Full Court sits with 1 judge and 7 to 12 jurats acting as judges of fact, Ordinary Court sits with 1 judge and normally 3 jurats, and Matrimonial Causes Division sits with a 1 judge and 4 jurats); note - appeals beyond Guernsey courts are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Royal Court Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff, and Court of Appeal justices appointed by the British Crown and hold office at Her Majesty's pleasure; jurats elected by the States of Election, a body chaired by the Bailiff and a number of jurats
subordinate courts: Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrate's Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas
none; all independents
Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS
UPU
none (British crown dependency)
none (British crown dependency)
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
name: "Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear)
lyrics/music: George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO
note: adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" remains official (see United Kingdom)
Financial services account for about 40% 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, const
$3.451 billion (2014 est.)
$3.42 billion (2013 est.)
$3.36 billion (2012 est.)
$2.742 billion (2005 est.)
0.9% (2014 est.)
1.2% (2013 est.)
4.2% (2012 est.)
$52,300 (2014 est.)
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10%
services: 87% (2000)
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
tourism, banking
NA%
31,470 (March 2006)
0.9% (March 2006 est.)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $563.6 million
expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)
20.6% of GDP (2005)
1.2% of GDP (2005)
calendar year
3.4% (June 2006 est.)
$NA
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
$NA
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery, and equipment
$NA
Guernsey pound per US dollar
0.7391 (2016 est.)
0.6542 (2015 est.)
0.6542 (2014)
0.607 (2013)
0.63 (2012)
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
total subscriptions: 45,100
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 69 (July 2010 est.)
total: 67,500
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 103 (July 2013 est.)
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available
international: country code - 44; 1 submarine cable (2015)
multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey with relays in Jersey, Guernsey, and Alderney; satellite packages are available; BBC Radio Guernsey and 1 other radio station operating (2009)
.gg
total: 55,050
percent of population: 83.3% (July 2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 2 (registered in UK)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11 (registered in UK) (2015)
2 (2013)
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
major seaport(s): Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port
defense is the responsibility of the UK
none
