Government of Guernsey
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 including 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: | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; 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), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005) head of government: Chief Minister Michael W. TORODE (since 5 March 2007) cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Deliberation election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA |
Legislative branch: | unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for four years); note - Alderney and Sark have parliaments elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held in 2008) 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: | 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 |