Guernsey

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

49 28 N, 2 35 W

Europe

78 sq km

78 sq km

0 sq km

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

0 km

50 km

12 nm

12 nm

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

Mostly flat with low hills in southwest

Le Moulin on Sark 114 m

English Channel 0 m

Cropland

43.3% (2022 est.)

Arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.)

Permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

Permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.)

5.2% (2022 est.)

51.6% (2022 est.)

NA

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

Large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

67,923 (2025 est.)

33,760

34,163

Channel Islander(s)

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.)

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

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

14.3% (male 4,999/female 4,717)

64.1% (male 21,937/female 21,547)

21.5% (2024 est.) (male 6,776/female 7,811)

56.8 (2025 est.)

22.4 (2025 est.)

34.4 (2025 est.)

2.9 (2025 est.)

45.1 years (2025 est.)

43.8 years

46.2 years

0.19% (2025 est.)

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

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

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

31.2% of total population (2023)

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

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

1.05 male(s)/female

1.06 male(s)/female

1.02 male(s)/female

0.87 male(s)/female

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

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

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

83.6 years (2024 est.)

80.9 years

86.4 years

1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.78 (2025 est.)

Coastal erosion, coastal flooding; declining biodiversity

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

43.3% (2022 est.)

Arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.)

Permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

Permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.)

5.2% (2022 est.)

51.6% (2022 est.)

31.2% of total population (2023)

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

178,900 tons (2024 est.)

28.4% (2016 est.)

Bailiwick of Guernsey

Guernsey

Norman Isles

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"

Parliamentary democracy (States of Deliberation)

British crown dependency

Saint Peter Port

49 27 N, 2 32 W

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See United Kingdom

16 years of age; universal

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

Chief Minister Lindsay de SAUSMAREZ (since 1 July 2025)

None

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

7/1/2025

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

2029

States of Deliberation

Unicameral

38 (directly elected)

Plurality/majority

Full renewal

4 years

7/1/2025

Independent (35); Forward Guernsey (3)

20%

2030

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)

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

Court of Alderney; Court of the Seneschal of Sark; Magistrates' Court (includes Juvenile Court); Contracts Court; Ecclesiastical Court; Court of Chief Pleas

Forward Guernsey

None (British crown dependency)

None (British crown dependency)

UPU

None (British Crown dependency)

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

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

Guernsey cow, donkey

Red, white, yellow

"God Save the King"

Unknown

Official anthem, as a British crown dependency

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

3.7% (2023 est.)

5.3% (2022 est.)

9.9% (2021 est.)

$12.508 billion (2023 est.)

0.6% (2023 est.)

8.2% (2023 est.)

91.2% (2023 est.)

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

Tourism, banking

1.3% (2023 est.)

82,400 (2024 est.)

6.3% (2024 est.)

6.2% (2023 est.)

6.2% (2022 est.)

14.1% (2024 est.)

14.2% (2024 est.)

13.9% (2024 est.)

Almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

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

Almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

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

Guernsey pound per US dollar

0.782 (2024 est.)

0.805 (2023 est.)

0.811 (2022 est.)

0.727 (2021 est.)

0.78 (2020 est.)

100% (2022 est.)

32,637 (2023 est.)

51 (2023 est.)

75,126 (2023 est.)

117 (2023 est.)

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

.gg

86.6% (2021 est.)

25,336 (2020 est.)

40 (2020 est.)

2

2 (2025)

1 (2025)

3 (2024)

0

0

1

2

2

Alderney Harbour, Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Defense is the responsibility of the UK