Europe :: Guernsey
(British crown dependency)
page last updated on May 6, 2010
Flag of Guernsey
Location of Guernsey
 
Map of Guernsey
Introduction ::Guernsey
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.
Geography ::Guernsey
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
49 28 N, 2 35 W
total: 78 sq km
country comparison to the world: 227
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
0 km
50 km
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Current Weather
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 location on Sark 114 m
cropland
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA
NA
NA
NA
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port
People ::Guernsey
65,632 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 4,761/female 4,618)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 22,097/female 22,450)
65 years and over: 17.8% (male 5,087/female 6,619) (2010 est.)
total: 42.7 years
male: 41.8 years
female: 43.5 years (2010 est.)
0.225% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
8.55 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 218
10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
3.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
at birth: 1.033 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
total: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 201
male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
total population: 80.14 years
country comparison to the world: 22
male: 77.58 years
female: 82.79 years (2010 est.)
1.42 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
NA
NA
NA
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
British and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
NA
NA
Government ::Guernsey
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey
British crown dependency
parliamentary democracy
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 including 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; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
the laws of the UK where applicable apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court
16 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon TROTT (since 1 May 2008); Bailiff Sir Geoffrey ROWLAND (since June 2005)
cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
(For more information visit the World Leaders website Opens in New Window)
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister elected by States of Deliberation
election results: Lyndon TROTT elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments
elections: last held on 23 April 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents
Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
none; all independents
Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE]
UPU
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
Economy ::Guernsey
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. 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: 175
$2.742 billion (2005)
3% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
$44,600 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 13
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10%
services: 87% (2000)
31,470 (March 2006)
country comparison to the world: 203
0.9% (March 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $563.6 million
expenditures: $530.9 million (2005)
3.4% (June 2006)
country comparison to the world: 106
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
tourism, banking
NA%
NA kWh
NA kWh
0 kWh (2002)
0 kWh (2002)
$NA
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
$NA
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment
$NA
Guernsey pound 0.6494 (2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005)
note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound
Communications ::Guernsey
45,100 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 166
43,800 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 197
general assessment: NA
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international: 1 submarine cable
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
1 (1997)
.gg
174 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 191
46,100 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 172
Transportation ::Guernsey
2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 209
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson
Military ::Guernsey
males age 16-49: 12,404
females age 16-49: 12,510 (2010 est.)
male: 347
female: 350 (2010 est.)
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::Guernsey
none