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Introduction | Jersey

Background: | Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. Jersey is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Geography | Jersey

Location: | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: | 49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references: | Europe
Area: | total: 116 sq km land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: | about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 70 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate: | temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m
Natural resources: | arable land
Land use: | arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land: | NA
Natural hazards: | NA
Environment - current issues: | NA
Geography - note: | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

People | Jersey

Population: | 91,533 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 16.6% (male 7,851/female 7,298) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 30,744/female 30,997) 65 years and over: 16% (male 6,499/female 8,144) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 42.3 years male: 41.6 years female: 43.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.221% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 8.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 9.36 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | 2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 5.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 79.65 years male: 77.15 years female: 82.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.58 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups: | Jersey 51.1%, Britons 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)
Religions: | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages: | English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)
Literacy: | NA
Education expenditures: | NA

Government | Jersey

Country name: | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey
Dependency status: | British crown dependency
Government type: | parliamentary democracy
Capital: | name: Saint Helier geographic coordinates: 49 11 N, 2 06 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 12 parishes including Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Quen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity
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 and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Suffrage: | 16 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Frank WALKER (since December 2005); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995) cabinet: Cabinet (since December 2005) elections: ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are elected by the Assembly of States; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: | unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (58 seats; 55 are voting members, of which 12 are senators elected for six-year terms, 12 are constables or heads of parishes elected for three-year terms, 29 are deputies elected for three-year terms, the bailiff and the deputy bailiff, and 3 non-voting members includes the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General appointed by the monarch) elections: last held 19 October 2005 for senators and 23 November 2005 for deputies (next to be held on 15 October 2008) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55
Judicial branch: | Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Political parties and leaders: | two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance note: all senators and deputies elected in 2005 were independents
Political pressure groups and leaders: | Institute of Directors, Jersey branch (provides business support); Jersey Hospitality Association [Robert JONES] (trade association); Jersey Rights Association [David ROTHERHAM] (human rights); La Societe Jersiaise (education and conservation group); Progress Jersey [Darius J. PEARCE, Daren O'TOOLE, Gino RISOLI] (human rights); Royal Jersey Agriculture and Horticultural Society or RJA&HS (development and management of the Jersey breed of cattle); Save Jersey's Heritage (protects heritage through building preservation)
Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (British crown dependency)
Flag description: | white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Economy | Jersey

Economy - overview: | Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2005 the finance sector accounted for about 50% of the island's output. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts for one-quarter of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards come close to those of the UK.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $5.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $5.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $57,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1% industry: 2% services: 97% (2005)
Labor force: | 53,560 (June 2006)
Unemployment rate: | 2.2% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget: | revenues: $829 million expenditures: $851 million (2005)
Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.7% (December 2006)
Agriculture - products: | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries: | tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - consumption: | 630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - imports: | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France
Exports: | $NA
Exports - commodities: | light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles
Exports - partners: | UK (2006)
Imports: | $NA
Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners: | UK (2006)
Debt - external: | $NA
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA
Currency (code): | Jersey pound note: the British pound is also legal tender
Currency code: | GBP
Exchange rates: | Jersey pounds per US dollar 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Communications | Jersey

Telephones - main lines in use: | 73,900 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 83,900 (2004)
Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey and UK
Radio broadcast stations: | AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: | NA
Television broadcast stations: | 2 (1997)
Televisions: | NA
Internet country code: | .je
Internet hosts: | 190 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | NA
Internet users: | 27,000 (2005)

Transportation | Jersey

Airports: | 1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways: | total: 358 km (2002)
Ports and terminals: | Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Military | Jersey

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | male: 587 female: 540 (2008 est.)
Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues | Jersey

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008