2015 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

78 sq km

note

includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands

total

78 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Climate

temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Coastline

50 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed elevation on Sark 114 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Geography - note

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Location

Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

territorial sea

3 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

cropland

Terrain

mostly flat with low hills in southwest

Age structure

0-14 years

14.49% (male 4,956/female 4,619)

15-24 years

11.71% (male 3,940/female 3,798)

25-54 years

42.05% (male 14,007/female 13,782)

55-64 years

12.86% (male 4,237/female 4,260)

65 years and over

18.89% (male 5,643/female 6,838) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

9.84 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Death rate

8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

25.4%

note

data represents the Channel Islands (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

3.9%

total dependency ratio

47%

youth dependency ratio

21.6%

Ethnic groups

British and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

3.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

3.74 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.44 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.29 years (2015 est.)

male

79.79 years

total population

82.47 years

Median age

female

44.5 years (2015 est.)

male

42.1 years

total

43.4 years

Nationality

adjective

Channel Islander

noun

Channel Islander(s)

Net migration rate

2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Population

66,080 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.34% (2015 est.)

Religions

Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic

Sex ratio

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

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.83 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.55 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Urbanization

note

data is for the Channel Islands

rate of urbanization

0.76% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

31.4% of total population (2014)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

49 27 N, 2 32 W

name

Saint Peter Port

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice

Country name

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"

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

cabinet

none; note - the Policy Council, elected by the States of Deliberation, functions mainly as policy coordination body

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor (vacant); note - Lieutenant Governor Air Marshall Peter WALKER died 6 September 2015; Bailiff Sir Richard COLLAS becomes acting lieutenant governor

election results

Jonathan LE TOCQ (independent) elected chief minister; States of Deliberation vote - 22 of 42 votes

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister indirectly elected by States of Deliberation election last held on 12 March 2014 (next to be held May 2016)

head of government

Chief Minister Jonathan LE TOCQ (since 12 March 2014); Bailiff Sir Richard COLLAS (since 23 March 2012)

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

International organization participation

UPU

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

customary legal system based on Norman customary law, and includes elements of the French Civil Code and English common law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral States of Deliberation (47 seats - 45 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

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats - all independent

elections

last held on 18 April 2012 (next to be held in 2016)

National anthem

lyrics/music

George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO

name

"Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear)

note

adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" remains official (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

National symbol(s)

Guernsey cow, donkey; national colors: red, white, yellow

Political parties and leaders

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders

No More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE]

Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Budget

expenditures

$530.9 million (2005 est.)

revenues

$563.6 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.2% of GDP (2005)

Debt - external

$NA

Economy - overview

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, construction, retail, and the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. In October 2014, Guernsey signed an OECD agreement to automatically exchange some financial account information to limit tax avoidance and evasion.

Exchange rates

Guernsey pound per US dollar

0.607 (2014)

0.607 (2013)

0.63 (2012)

0.624 (2011)

0.6472 (2010)

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3%

industry

10%

services

87% (2000)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$44,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.8% (2013 est.)

3.1% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.742 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.42 billion (2013 est.)

$3.36 billion (2012 est.)

$3.258 billion (2011 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.4% (June 2006 est.)

Labor force

31,470 (March 2006)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Taxes and other revenues

20.6% of GDP (2005)

Unemployment rate

0.9% (March 2006 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.gg

Internet users

percent of population

74.94% (2009)

total

48,300

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international

country code - 44; 1 submarine cable (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

70 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

45,100

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

70 (2004)

total

43,800

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Airports

2 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

total

2

under 914 m

1 (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

12,272 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

12,493

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

342 (2010 est.)

male

354

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none