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Europe
Page last updated: July 24, 2024
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 that Germany occupied in World War II. 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. The Bailiwick is a self-governing British Crown dependency that is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
49 28 N, 2 35 W
Europe
Total : 78 km²
Land: 78 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
About one-half the size of Washington, DC
Total: 0 km
50 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Mostly flat with low hills in southwest
Highest point: Le Moulin on Sark 114 m
Lowest point: English Channel 0 m
Cropland
NA
Very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous
Large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
Total: 67,787
Male: 33,712
Female: 34,075 (2024 est.)
Comparison rankings: female 204; male 203; total 203
Noun: Channel Islander(s)
Adjective: Channel Islander
Guernsey 53.5%, UK and Ireland 23.8%, Portugal 2.1%, Latvia 1.4%, other Europe 2.7%, other Crown Dependencies 0.7%, other 5.3%, unspecified 10.5% (2022 est.)
Note: data represent population by country of birth; the native population is of British and Norman-French descent
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 4,999/female 4,717)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 21,937/female 21,547)
65 years and over: 21.5% (2024 est.) (male 6,776/female 7,811)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 48.6
Youth dependency ratio: 23.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 24.6
Potential support ratio: 4.1 (2021 est.)
Note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey
Total: 45 years (2024 est.)
Male: 43.8 years
Female: 46.2 years
0.21% (2024 est.)
9.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data include Guernsey and Jersey
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
16,000 SAINT PETER PORT (capital) (2018)
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 83.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 80.9 years
Female: 86.4 years
1.59 children born/woman (2024 est.)
0.77 (2024 est.)
NA
Improved: total: 94.2% of population
Unimproved: total: 5.9% of population (2017 est.)
Note: includes data for Jersey
NA
Improved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 98% of population
Unimproved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 1.2% of population (2017)
Note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey
NA
NA
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA
Coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity due to land abandonment and succession to scrub or woodland
Temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
Urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data include Guernsey and Jersey
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
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.
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"
Parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation)
British crown dependency
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
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
None (British Crown dependency)
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
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
Customary legal system based on Norman customary law; includes elements of the French civil code and English common law
See United Kingdom
16 years of age; universal
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant-Governor Richard CRIPWELL (since 15 February 2022)
Head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 13 December 2023)
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 7 October 2020 (next to be held in 2024)
Election results:
2020: Peter FERBRACHE (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister: percent of States of Guernsey vote - 57.5%
2016: Gavin ST. PIER (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister
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
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 - GPI 24.0%, GP 10%, APG 3.4%, independent 62.6%; seats - GPI 10, GP 6, independent 22, States of Alderney 2; composition - men 32, women 8, percentage women 20%
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 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
Alliance Party Guernsey or APG [Barry WEIR]
Guernsey Partnership of Independents or GPI [Gavin ST PIER]
Guernsey Party or GP [Mark HEYLAR]
UPU
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 William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066
Guernsey cow, donkey; national colors: red, white, yellow
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 King" is official (see United Kingdom)
High-income English Channel island economy; strong financial sector but stressed due to COVID-19 disruptions; manufacturing, tourism, and construction industries suffered but expected to recover; stable inflation; maintains independent taxation authority
$3.465 billion (2015 est.)
$3.451 billion (2014 est.)
$3.42 billion (2013 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 dollars
7.81% (2022 est.)
15.46% (2021 est.)
-8.47% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey
$52,500 (2014 est.)
$11.228 billion (2022 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey
Agriculture: 3% (2000)
Industry: 10% (2000)
Services: 87% (2000)
Comparison rankings: services 13; industry 206; agriculture 151
Tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
Tourism, banking
1.64% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey
86,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work;entry includes Jersey and Guernsey
5.98% (2023 est.)
5.91% (2022 est.)
6.61% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey
Total: 15.8% (2021 est.)
Male: 15.9%
Female: 15.6%
Revenues: $563.6 million (2005)
Expenditures: $530.9 million (2005 est.)
1.2% (of GDP) (2005)
Almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Aircraft, photo lab equipment, clocks, ships, paintings, scientific instruments (2022)
Almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Ships, aircraft, refined petroleum, mineral manufactures, beverages (2022)
NA
Guernsey pound per US dollar
Exchange rates:
0.805 (2023 est.)
0.811 (2022 est.)
0.727 (2021 est.)
0.78 (2020 est.)
0.783 (2019 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Note: includes Guernsey and Jersey
Total subscriptions: 33,930 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2021 est.)
Total subscriptions: 71,485 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (2021 est.)
General assessment: fixed network broadband services are those delivered over physical copper connections, fiber connections and fixed wireless communications links (e.g. WiMax); they do not include services delivered over 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks (2021)
Domestic: fixed-line 53 per 100 and mobile-cellular 112 per 100 persons (2021)
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)
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
.gg
Total: 55,069 (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 86.6% (2021 est.)
Total: 25,336 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2020 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) (registered in UK)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 9 (registered in UK)
2
2 (2024)
Total: 260 km (2017)
Total ports: 3 (2024)
Large: 0
Medium: 0
Small: 1
Very small: 2
Ports with oil terminals: 2
Key ports: Alderney Harbour, Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Defense is the responsibility of the UK
NA