2021 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

note

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

highest point

Le Moulin on Sark 114 m

lowest point

English Channel 0 m

Geographic coordinates

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Geography - note

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total

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

12 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

14.5% (male 5,008/female 4,712)

15-24 years

10.58% (male 3,616/female 3,476)

25-54 years

40.73% (male 13,821/female 13,492)

55-64 years

13.96% (male 4,635/female 4,728)

65 years and over

20.23% (male 6,229/female 7,335) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

9.77 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

26.7

note

note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey

potential support ratio

3.7 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

49

youth dependency ratio

22.3

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 94.2% of population

note

note: includes data for Jersey

unimproved: total

total: 5.9% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Guernsey 52.9%, UK and Ireland 23.9%, Portugal 2.2%, Latvia 1.5%, other Europe 2.9%, other 4.6%, unspecified 12% (2019 est.)

note

note: data represent population by country of birth; the native population is of British and Norman-French descent

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

2.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

3.92 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.89 years (2021 est.)

male

80.31 years

total population

83.03 years

Major urban areas - population

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

Median age

female

45.6 years (2020 est.)

male

43 years

total

44.3 years

Nationality

adjective

Channel Islander

noun

Channel Islander(s)

Net migration rate

1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population

67,334 (July 2021 est.)

Population growth rate

0.24% (2021 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 98% of population

note

note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey

unimproved: total

total: 1.2% of population (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 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

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.58 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

note

note: data include Guernsey and Jersey

rate of urbanization

0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

31% of total population (2021)

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

note

note: two additional parishes for Guernsey are sometimes listed - Saint Anne on the island of Alderney and Saint Peter on the island of Sark - but they are generally not included in the enumeration of parishes

Capital

daylight saving time

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

etymology

Saint Peter Port is the name of the town and its surrounding parish; the "port" distinguishes this parish from that of Saint Peter on the other side of the island

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; many laws have been passed; in 2019, 60 laws were passed

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

embassy

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 June 2020)

head of government

Chief Minister Peter FERBRACHE (since 16 October 2020); Bailiff Richard MCMAHON (since 11 May 2020); 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 32, women 8, percent of women 20%

elections

last held on 7 October 2020 (next to be held in June 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELO

name

"Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear)

note

note: adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" is 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

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Agricultural 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

Economic 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

currency

Guernsey pound per US dollar

Exchange rates 2013

0.607 (2013)

Exchange rates 2014

0.6542 (2014)

Exchange rates 2015

0.738 (2015)

Exchange rates 2016

0.738 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

0.7836 (2017 est.)

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.)

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) June 2006

3.4% (June 2006 est.)

Labor force

31,470 (March 2006)

Population below poverty line

NA

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2015 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2013

$3.42 billion (2013 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014

$3.451 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$3.465 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2012

4.2% (2012 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2014

1.2% (2014 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2015

0.4% (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2014

$52,500 (2014 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.6% (of GDP) (2005)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

1.2% (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

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

83.63% (2019 est.)

total

54,600 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 60 per 100 and mobile-cellular 113 per 100 persons (2019)

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)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

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

total

2 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

total

2

under 914 m

1 (2019)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

2

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

9 (registered in UK)

number of registered air carriers

1 (registered in UK) (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port

Roadways

total

260 km (2017)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

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

Urbanization

note

note: data include Guernsey and Jersey

rate of urbanization

0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

31% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

178,933 tons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

50,871 tons (2016 est.)

note

note: data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey.

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

28.4% (2016 est.)