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  Jersey
(British crown dependency)
 
Flag of Jersey
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 Introduction
 Geography
 People
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 Economy
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 Transnational Issues

This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


Map of Jersey
Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Jersey Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
70 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
   People    Jersey Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
91,321 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 8,003/female 7,428)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 30,586/female 30,853)
65 years and over: 15.8% (male 6,388/female 8,063) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 41.9 years
male: 41.1 years
female: 42.6 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.244% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.32 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.077 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.991 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.792 male(s)/female
total population: 0.971 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 79.51 years
male: 77.02 years
female: 82.2 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.58 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Jersey 51.1%, Britons 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%
   Government    Jersey Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
British crown dependency
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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 in 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance
note: all senators and deputies elected in 2005 were independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
none
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (British crown dependency)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$5.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$5.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$57,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 1%
industry: 2%
services: 97% (2005)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
53,560 (June 2006)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.2% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.7% (December 2006)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $829 million
expenditures: $851 million (2005)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
UK (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
UK (2006)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
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
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 April - 31 March
   Communications    Jersey Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
73,900 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
83,900 (2004)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey and UK
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
2 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.je
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,219 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
27,000 (2005)
   Transportation    Jersey Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 577 km
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
   Military    Jersey Top of Page
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of the UK
   Transnational Issues    Jersey Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


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