2020 Edition

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 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.

Area

land

78 sq km

total

78 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about one-half the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast

Coastline

50 km

Elevation

highest point

Le Moulin on Sark 114 m

lowest point

English Channel 0 m

Geographic coordinates

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Geography - note

large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

43.3% (2022 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.)

forest

5.2% (2022 est.)

other

51.6% (2022 est.)

Location

Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous

Natural resources

cropland

Terrain

mostly flat with low hills in southwest

Age structure

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)

Birth rate

9.64 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

34.4 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

2.9 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

56.8 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

22.4 (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

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.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.78 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Life expectancy at birth

female

86.4 years

male

80.9 years

total population

83.6 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

16,000 SAINT PETER PORT (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

46.2 years

male

43.8 years

total

45.1 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Channel Islander

noun

Channel Islander(s)

Net migration rate

1.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

female

34,163

male

33,760

total

67,923 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.19% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

31.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 10 parishes: Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

named for the patron saint of fishermen; "port" distinguishes it from the Saint Peter (sometimes called Saint Peter in the Wood) on the other side of the island

geographic coordinates

49 27 N, 2 32 W

name

Saint Peter Port

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

amendment process

new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote

history

unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice

Country name

conventional long form

Bailiwick of Guernsey

conventional short form

Guernsey

etymology

the name is of Old Norse origin; the meaning of the root "Guern(s)" is unclear but may refer to a person's name, Grani, or to the color green; the "-ey" ending means "island"

former

Norman Isles

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

cabinet

none

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant-Governor Richard CRIPWELL (since 15 February 2022)

election results

2025: Lindsay de SAUSMAREZ (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister 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

election/appointment process

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

expected date of next election

2029

head of government

Chief Minister Lindsay de SAUSMAREZ (since 1 July 2025)

most recent election date

7/1/2025

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 on top of the Saint George cross meaning: the red cross represents Guernsey's status as a British Crown dependency history: the gold cross is a replica of the one William the Conqueror carried at the Battle of Hastings in 1066

Government type

parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation)

Independence

none (British Crown dependency)

International organization participation

UPU

Judicial branch

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)

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

Legal system

customary system based on Norman customary law; includes elements of the French civil code and English common law

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

2030

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

States of Deliberation

most recent election date

7/1/2025

number of seats

38 (directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

independent (35); Forward Guernsey (3)

percentage of women in chamber

20%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

official anthem, as a British crown dependency

lyrics/music

unknown

title

"God Save the King"

National color(s)

red, white, yellow

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

National symbol(s)

Guernsey cow, donkey

Political parties

Forward Guernsey

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Guernsey pound per US dollar

Exchange rates 2020

0.78 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.727 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.811 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.805 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.782 (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

aircraft, photo lab equipment, clocks, ships, paintings (2022)

Exports - partners

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.6% (2023 est.)

industry

8.2% (2023 est.)

services

91.2% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.508 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

ships, aircraft, refined petroleum, mineral manufactures, beverages (2022)

Imports - partners

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

Industrial production growth rate

1.3% (2023 est.)

Industries

tourism, banking

Labor force

82,400 (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2021

9.9% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.7% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

6.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

6.3% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

13.9% (2024 est.)

male

14.2% (2024 est.)

total

14.1% (2024 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

40 (2020 est.)

total

25,336 (2020 est.)

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

Internet country code

.gg

Internet users

percent of population

86.6% (2021 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

51 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

32,637 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

117 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

75,126 (2023 est.)

Airports

2 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

2

Heliports

1 (2025)

Ports

key ports

Alderney Harbour, Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

2

small

1

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

2

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Environmental issues

coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

178,900 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

28.4% (2016 est.)