Country name
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status British crown dependency

Government type NA

Capital St. Peter Port

Administrative divisions none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including St. Peter Port, St. Sampson, Vale, Castel, St. Saviour, St. Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, St. Martin, St. Andrew

Independence none (British crown dependency)

National holiday Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA)
cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States

Legislative branch unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments
elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch Royal Court

Political parties and leaders none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders none

International organization participation none

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

NOTE: The information regarding Guernsey on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guernsey Government 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Guernsey Government 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.