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Page last updated on December 17, 2019
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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
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The Little Chapel in Guernsey was built in 1914 using donated pieces of china, seashells, and pebbles by a monk who wanted to create a miniature version of the Shrine of Our Lady at Lourdes (France). Much of the broken china was donated by the Wedgewood and Royal Doulton companies. The chapel has room for about eight people and has been described as "probably the biggest tourist attraction in Guernsey."
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Interior of The Little Chapel in Les Vauxbelets Valley in Guernsey, constructed in 1914 by a Brother Deodat using broken china, seashells, and pebbles. The Chapel is thought to be the smallest consecrated chapel in the world.
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The altar of The Little Chapel in Guernsey. The Chapel is thought to be the smallest consecrated chapel in the world.
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Sausmarez Manor on Guernsey has been the site of numerous dwellings dating back to the Normans. The current building was constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries.
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Introduction :: Guernsey
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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 :: Guernsey
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Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France
49 28 N, 2 35 W
Europe
total: 78 sq kmland: 78 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands
country comparison to the world: 228
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
0 km
50 km
territorial sea: 3 nmexclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast
mostly flat with low hills in southwest
lowest point: English Channel 0 mhighest point: Le Moulin on Sark 114 m
cropland
NA
very large tidal variation and fast currents can make local waters dangerous
coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity due to land abandonment and succession to scrub or woodland
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port -
People and Society :: Guernsey
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66,697 (July 2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 204
noun: Channel Islander(s)adjective: Channel Islander
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
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist), Roman Catholic
0-14 years: 14.51% (male 4,994 /female 4,686)15-24 years: 10.89% (male 3,711 /female 3,553)25-54 years: 41.41% (male 13,958 /female 13,658)55-64 years: 13.38% (male 4,425 /female 4,496)65 years and over: 19.81% (male 6,038 /female 7,178) (2018 est.)population pyramid:
The World Factbook Field Image ModalEurope :: Guernsey Print
Image DescriptionThis is the population pyramid for Guernsey. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
total dependency ratio: 47.1 (2015 est.)youth dependency ratio: 21.6 (2015 est.)elderly dependency ratio: 25.4 (2015 est.)potential support ratio: 3.9 (2015 est.)note: data represent the Guernsey and Jersey
0.28% (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 174
9.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 194
9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 61
2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 49
urban population: 30.9% of total population (2019)rate of urbanization: 0.46% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey
16,000 SAINT PETER PORT (capital) (2018)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
total: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)male: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 203
total population: 82.7 years (2018 est.)male: 80 yearsfemale: 85.5 yearscountry comparison to the world: 9
1.57 children born/woman (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 186
NA
NA
NA
NA -
Government :: Guernsey
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conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernseyconventional short form: Guernseyformer: Norman Islesetymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Guern(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island"
British crown dependency
parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation)
name: Saint Peter Portgeographic coordinates: 49 27 N, 2 32 Wtime 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 Octoberetymology: 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 - the parish of Saint Anne on the island of Alderney and the parish of 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 practiceamendments: new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote (2018)
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: 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 rightscabinet: noneelections/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 2020)election results: Gavin ST PIER (independent) elected president of the Policy and Resources Committee and chief minister
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-generalelections: last held on 27 April 2016 (next to be held in 2020)election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 38; composition - men 27, women 13, percent of women 32.5%
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 juratssubordinate courts: Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrates' Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas
none; all independents
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 in 1066
Guernsey cow, donkey; national colors: red, white, yellow
name: "Sarnia Cherie" (Guernsey Dear)lyrics/music: George DEIGHTON/Domencio SANTANGELOnote: adopted 1911; serves as a local anthem; as a British crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
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Economy :: Guernsey
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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.
$3.465 billion (2015 est.)$3.451 billion (2014 est.)$3.42 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 dollars
country comparison to the world: 184
$2.742 billion (2005 est.) (2005 est.)
$52,500 (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 24
agriculture: 3% (2000)industry: 10% (2000)services: 87% (2000)
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle
tourism, banking
NA
31,470 (March 2006)country comparison to the world: 203
1.2% (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 13
NA
revenues: 563.6 million (2005)expenditures: 530.9 million (2005 est.)
20.6% (of GDP) (2005)country comparison to the world: 146
1.2% (of GDP) (2005)country comparison to the world: 29
calendar year
3.4% (June 2006 est.)country comparison to the world: 141
NA
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables
NA
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery, and equipment
NA
Guernsey pound per US dollar0.7836 (2017 est.)0.738 (2016 est.)0.738 (2015)0.6542 (2014)0.607 (2013) -
Energy :: Guernsey
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electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
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Communications :: Guernsey
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total subscriptions: 36,547subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (July 2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 164
total subscriptions: 71,249subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (July 2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 197
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 (2018)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
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Military and Security :: Guernsey
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defense is the responsibility of the UK
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Transportation :: Guernsey
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number of registered air carriers: 2 (registered in UK) (2015)inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11 (registered in UK) (2015)
2 (2013)country comparison to the world: 200
total: 2 (2019)1,524 to 2,437 m: 1under 914 m: 1
total: 260 km (2017)country comparison to the world: 198
major seaport(s): Braye Bay, Saint Peter Port
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Transnational Issues :: Guernsey
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none