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.

Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

49 15 N, 2 10 W

Europe

total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km
water: 0 sq km

about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

0 km

70 km

territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m

arable land

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

NA

NA

NA

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

91,084 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 17.2% (male 8,139/female 7,552)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 30,407/female 30,691)
65 years and over: 15.7% (male 6,299/female 7,996) (2006 est.)

total: 41.4 years
male: 40.7 years
female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

0.28% (2006 est.)

9.3 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

9.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 79.38 years
male: 76.89 years
female: 82.05 years (2006 est.)

1.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

NA

NA

NA

noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander

Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian

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

definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey

British crown dependency

NA

Saint Helier

none (British crown dependency)

none (British crown dependency)

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

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

NA years of age; universal adult

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Chief Marshal Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995)
cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch

unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators (elected for six-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes (elected for three-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for three-year terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and three non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA); note - on 23 November 2005, 29 deputies, independents, were elected
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55

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

none; all independents

none

none (British crown dependency)

none (British crown dependency)

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

Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 1996, the finance sector accounted for about 60% 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 24% 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.

$3.6 billion (2003 est.)

NA

NA%

$40,000 (2003 est.)

agriculture: 5%
industry: 2%
services: 93% (1996)

52,790 (2004)

0.9% (2004 est.)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

5.3% (2004)

revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million; including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.)

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

tourism, banking and finance, dairy

NA%

630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

$NA

light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

UK (2004)

$NA

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals

UK (2004)

$NA

$0

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

GBP

Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001)
note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

1 April - 31 March

73,900 (2001)

81,200 (2003)

general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables

AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

NA

2 (1997)

NA

.je

1,162 (2005)

NA

27,000 (2005)

1 (2005)

total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)

total: 577 km

Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

defense is the responsibility of the UK

none