Map of Jersey | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


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.


top of page


Location: Western Europe island in the English Channel northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N 2 10 W

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 116 km²
Land: 116 km²
Water: 0 km²
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
Extremes highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier


top of page


Population: 91,321 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 0.244% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Channel Islander
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)

Languages: English 94.5% (official) Portuguese 4.6% other 0.9% (2001 census)

Religions: Anglican Roman Catholic Baptist Congregational New Church Methodist Presbyterian

Demographic profile

Age structure
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.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 41.9 years
Male: 41.1 years
Female: 42.6 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.244% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 9.02 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 9.32 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.74 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.08 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.077 male/female
15-64 years: 0.991 male/female
65 years and over: 0.792 male/female
Total population: 0.971 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.08 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 5.44 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.7 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.51 years
Male: 77.02 years
Female: 82.2 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.58 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: NA
Total population: NA%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
Conventional short form: Jersey

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

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 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
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: Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders
Note: all senators and deputies elected in 2005 were independents

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (British crown dependency)
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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $5.1 billion (2005 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $57,000 (2005 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1%
Industry: 2%
Services: 97% (2005)

Agriculture products: potatoes cauliflower tomatoes; beef dairy products

Industries: tourism banking and finance dairy electronics

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 53,560 (June 2006)

Unemployment rate: 2.2% (2006 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $829 million
Expenditures: $851 million (2005)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.7% (December 2006)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance

Exports: $N/A
Commodities: light industrial and electrical goods foodstuffs textiles
Partners: UK (2006)

Imports: $N/A
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactured goods foodstuffs mineral fuels chemicals
Partners: UK (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates
Note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound


top of page


Electricity
Consumption: 630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)
Imports: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 73,900 (2001)
Mobile cellular: 83,900 (2004)

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: NA
International: submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey and UK

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .je
Hosts: 2,219 (2007)
Users: 27,000 (2005)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2007)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 577 km

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Gorey Saint Aubin Saint Helier


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs