Page last updated on January 7, 2014
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.
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
total: 78 sq km
country comparison to the world: 228
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
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
mostly level with low hills in southwest
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on Sark 114 m
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
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
65,605 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
0-14 years: 14.7% (male 4,992/female 4,642)
15-24 years: 12.1% (male 4,023/female 3,901)
25-54 years: 42.3% (male 13,957/female 13,811)
55-64 years: 13% (male 4,252/female 4,266)
65 years and over: 17.9% (male 5,281/female 6,480) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 46 %
youth dependency ratio: 21.8 %
elderly dependency ratio: 24.2 %
potential support ratio: 4.1
note: data represents the Channel Islands (2013)
total: 42.8 years
male: 41.7 years
female: 43.9 years (2013 est.)
0.38% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
9.95 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
8.61 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
urban population: 31% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
total: 3.49 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 209
male: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 82.32 years
country comparison to the world: 7
male: 79.65 years
female: 85.12 years (2013 est.)
1.54 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey
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)
unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice
customary legal system based on Norman customary law, and includes elements of the French Civil Code and English common law
16 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Air Marshall Peter WALKER (since 15 April 2011)
head of government: Chief Minister Peter HARWOOD (since 1 May 2012); Bailiff Richard COLLAS (since 23 March 2012)
cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch; chief minister elected by States of Deliberation
election results: Peter HARWOOD elected chief minister, percent of vote NA
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; note - there are also 10 Douzaine representatives - one from each parish, 2 representatives from Alderney and the appointed attorney general and soliciter general); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments
elections: last held on 18 April 2012 (next to be held in 2016)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
highest 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 Balliff, Deputy Balliff 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 Balliff 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
Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS
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 - banking, fund management, insurance - account for about 23% 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 January 2013, Guernsey signed a tax agreement with Jersey and the Isle of Man, in order to enable the islands' authorities to end tax avoidance and evasion. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey operates.
$2.742 billion (2005)
country comparison to the world: 184
3% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
$44,600 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 16
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10%
services: 87% (2000)
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
31,470 (March 2006)
country comparison to the world: 205
0.9% (March 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $563.6 million
expenditures: $530.9 million (2005 est.)
20.6% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 162
1.2% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 33
3.4% (June 2006)
country comparison to the world: 106
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
45,100 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 165
43,800 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 203
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 44; 1 submarine cable (2011)
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)
239 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 196
48,300 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 175
2 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 200
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
major seaport(s): Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port
males age 16-49: 12,493
females age 16-49: 12,272 (2010 est.)
male: 354
female: 342 (2010 est.)
defense is the responsibility of the UK
