Guernsey
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.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
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
Area - comparative
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
50 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 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
highest point: Le Moulin on Sark 114 m
lowest point: English Channel 0 m
Natural resources
cropland
Natural hazards
very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous
Geography - note
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
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: 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 Guernsey and Jersey
Median age
total: 44.3 years
male: 43 years
female: 45.6 years (2020 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 31% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include 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: 3.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 83.03 years
male: 80.31 years
female: 85.89 years (2021 est.)
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
Environment
Environment - current issues
coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity due to land abandonment and succession to scrub or woodland
Climate
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Urbanization
urban population: 31% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include Guernsey and Jersey
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 178,933 tons (2016 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 50,871 tons (2016 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.4% (2016 est.)
note: data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey.
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"
Government type
parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation)
Dependency status
British crown dependency
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; many laws have been passed; in 2019, 60 laws were passed
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 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
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 7 October 2020 (next to be held in June 2025)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 38; composition - men 32, women 8, percent of women 20%
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: 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.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.465 billion (2015 est.)
$3.451 billion (2014 est.)
$3.42 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
0.4% (2015 est.)
1.2% (2014 est.)
4.2% (2012 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.742 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 3% (2000)
industry: 10% (2000)
services: 87% (2000)
Agricultural products
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Industries
tourism, banking
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.)
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
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.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 71,249
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (July 2016 est.)
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 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
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 users
total: 54,600 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 83.63% (2019 est.)
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 - with paved runways
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2019)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK