Guernsey :: Europe
Introduction
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.
Geography
Location:
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
49 28 N, 2 35 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total:
78 sq km
land:
78 sq km
water:
0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
country comparison to the world: 227
Area - comparative:
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
50 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
3
nm
exclusive fishing zone:
12
nm
Climate:
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Terrain:
mostly flat with low hills in southwest
Elevation:
lowest point:
English Channel 0 m
highest point:
Le Moulin on Sark 114 m
Natural resources:
cropland
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous
Environment - current issues:
coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity due to land abandonment and succession to scrub or woodland
Geography - note:
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People and Society
Population:
67,052
(July 2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
Nationality:
noun:
Channel Islander(s)
adjective:
Channel Islander
Ethnic groups:
Guernsey 52%, UK and Ireland 23.7%, Portugal 2.1%, Latvia 1.5%, other 6.7%, unspecified 14.1%
note: data represent population by country of birth; the native population is of British and Norman-French descent
Languages:
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Religions:
Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic
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.)
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:
49
youth dependency ratio:
22.3
elderly dependency ratio:
26.7
potential support ratio:
3.7
(2020 est.)
note: data represent the Guernsey and Jersey
Median age:
total:
44.3 years
male:
43 years
female:
45.6 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
Population growth rate:
0.26%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Birth rate:
9.8 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Death rate:
9.2 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Net migration rate:
1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Urbanization:
urban population:
31% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
0.46% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey
Major urban areas - population:
16,000 SAINT PETER PORT (capital)
(2018)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
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
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total:
3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
3 deaths/1,000 live births
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
82.8 years
male:
80.1 years
female:
85.7 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Total fertility rate:
1.57 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
Drinking water source:
improved:
total:
94.2% of population
unimproved:
total:
5.9% of population
(2017 est.)
note: includes data for Jersey
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
total:
98% of population
unimproved:
total:
1.2% of population
(2017 est.)
note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Education expenditures:
NA
Government
Country name:
conventional long form:
Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form:
Guernsey
former:
Norman Isles
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
Government type:
parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation)
Capital:
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
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
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: 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
Independence:
none (British Crown dependency)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:
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
Legal system:
customary legal system based on Norman customary law; includes elements of the French civil code and English common law
Citizenship:
see United Kingdom
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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 - 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
cabinet:
none
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)
election results:
Gavin ST PIER (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister
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
elections:
last held on 27 April 2016 (next to be held in June 2020)
election results:
percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 38; composition - men 27, women 13, percent of women 32.5%
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
Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)
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
National symbol(s):
Guernsey cow, donkey; national colors: red, white, yellow
National anthem:
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" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
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.
GDP real growth rate:
0.4%
(2015 est.)
1.2%
(2014 est.)
4.2%
(2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4%
(June 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$3.465 billion
(2015 est.)
$3.451 billion
(2014 est.)
$3.42 billion
(2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.742 billion
(2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$52,500
(2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
3%
(2000)
industry:
10%
(2000)
services:
87%
(2000)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
Agriculture - products:
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Industries:
tourism, banking
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Labor force:
31,470
(March 2006)
country comparison to the world: 202
Unemployment rate:
1.2%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
NA
highest 10%:
NA
Budget:
revenues:
563.6 million
(2005)
expenditures:
530.9 million
(2005 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
20.6% (of GDP)
(2005)
country comparison to the world: 146
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
1.2% (of GDP)
(2005)
country comparison to the world: 29
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Exports:
NA
Exports - commodities:
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
Imports:
NA
Imports - commodities:
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery, and equipment
Debt - external:
NA
Exchange rates:
Guernsey pound per US dollar
0.7836
(2017 est.)
0.738
(2016 est.)
0.738
(2015)
0.6542
(2014)
0.607
(2013)
Energy
Electricity access:
electrification - total population:
100%
(2020)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
36,547
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
60
(July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:
71,249
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
113
(July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
Telecommunication systems:
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)
domestic:
fixed-line 60 per 100 and mobile-cellular 113 per 100 persons
(2019)
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: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
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:
total:
55,050
percent of population:
83.3%
(July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Transportation
National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers:
1
(registered in UK)
(2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
9
(registered in UK)
Airports:
2
(2013)
country comparison to the world: 198
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
2
(2019)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
under 914 m:
1
Roadways:
total:
260 km
(2017)
country comparison to the world: 204
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s):
Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port
Military and Security
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:
none
