2019 Edition

Background

Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy 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. The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a self-governing British crown dependency that is not part of the United Kingdom. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. The Bailiwick of Guernsey consists of the main island of Guernsey and a number of smaller islands including Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, Brecqhou, and Lihou.

Area

Land

78 sq km

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

Highest Point

Le Moulin on Sark 114 m

Lowest Point

English Channel 0 m

Environment Current Issues

coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity due to land abandonment and succession to scrub or woodland

Geographic Coordinates

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Geography Note

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

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

very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous

Natural Resources

cropland

Terrain

mostly flat with low hills in southwest

Age Structure

0 14 Years

14.51% (male 4,994 /female 4,686)

15 24 Years

10.89% (male 3,711 /female 3,553)

25 54 Years

41.41% (male 13,958 /female 13,658)

55 64 Years

13.38% (male 4,425 /female 4,496)

65 Years And Over

19.81% (male 6,038 /female 7,178) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

9.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

25.4 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

3.9 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

47.1 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

21.6 (2015 est.)

Ethnic Groups

Guernsey 52%, UK and Ireland 23.7%, Portugal 2.1%, Latvia 1.5%, other 6.7%, unspecified 14.1%

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

3.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

85.5 years

Male

80 years

Total Population

82.7 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

16,000 SAINT PETER PORT (capital) (2018)

Median Age

Female

45.3 years

Male

42.7 years

Total

44 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Channel Islander

Noun

Channel Islander(s)

Net Migration Rate

2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Population

66,697 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.28% (2018 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

0.98 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.84 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.57 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.46% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

30.9% of total population (2019)

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

Amendments

new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote (2018)

History

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"

Former

Norman Isles

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

Chief Of State

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant-Governor Vice Admiral Ian CORDER (since 14 March 2016)

Election Results

Gavin ST PIER (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister

Elections Appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister, who is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee indirectly elected by the States of Deliberation for a 4-year term; last held on 6 May 2016 (next to be held in 2020)

Head Of Government

Chief Minister Gavin ST PIER (since 6 May 2016); Bailiff Sir Richard COLLAS (since 23 March 2012); note - the 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 5 members all have equal voting rights

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 in 1066

Government Type

parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation)

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

International Organization Participation

UPU

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

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 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; Magistrates' Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas

Legal System

customary legal system based on Norman customary law; includes elements of the French civil code and English common law

Legislative Branch

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

Election Results

percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 38; composition - men 27, women 13, percent of women 32.5%

Elections

last held on 27 April 2016 (next to be held in 2020)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO

Name

"Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear)

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

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 (2005)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

1.2% (of GDP) (2005)

Debt External

NA

Economy Overview

Financial services accounted for about 21% of employment and about 32% of total income in 2016 in this tiny, prosperous Channel Island economy. Construction, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Financial services, professional services, tourism, retail, and the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular offshore financial center.

Exchange Rates

2013

0.607

2014

0.6542

2015

0.738

2016

0.738

2017

0.7836

Currency

Guernsey pound per US dollar

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% (2000)

Industry

10% (2000)

Services

87% (2000)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$2.742 billion (2005 est.) (2005 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2014

$52,500

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2013

$3.42 billion

2014

$3.451 billion

2015

$3.465 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2012

4.2%

2014

1.2%

2015

0.4%

Imports

NA

Imports Commodities

coal, gasoline, oil, machinery, and equipment

Industries

tourism, banking

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

June 2006

3.4%

Labor Force

31,470 (March 2006)

Taxes And Other Revenues

20.6% (of GDP) (2005)

Unemployment Rate

2016

1.2%

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

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

Internet Country Code

.gg

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

83.3% (July 2016 est.)

Total

55,050

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 60 per 100 and mobile-cellular 113 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

high performance global connections with quality service; connections to major cities around the world to rival and attract future investment and future needs of islanders and businesses (2018)

International

country code - 44; landing points for Guernsey-Jersey, HUGO, INGRID, Channel Islands -9 Liberty and UK-Channel Islands-7 submarine cable to UK and France (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

60 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

36,547

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

113 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

71,249

Airports

2 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1

Total

2 (2019)

Under 914 M

1

National Air Transport System

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

11 (registered in UK) (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

2 (registered in UK) (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port

Roadways

260 km (2017)

Military Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes International

none