Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
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
Administrative divisions:
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
Independence:
none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:
customary legal system based on Norman customary law, and includes elements of the French Civil Code and English common law
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Air Marshall Peter WALKER (since 15 April 2011)
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
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff 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
Legislative branch:
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; note - there are also 10 Douzaine representatives - one from each parish, 2 representatives from Alderney and the appointed attorney general and soliciter general); 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
Judicial branch:
Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safety or STEPS; No More Masts [Colin FALLAIZE]
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)
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 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
National symbol(s):
Guernsey cow; donkey
National anthem:
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 Queen" remains official (see United Kingdom)