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| 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. |
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| Geography |
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| 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 |
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| People |
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| Population: | 91,321 (July 2007 est.) |
| 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.) |
| 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/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death rate: | 9.32 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | 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: | 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: | 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.) |
| 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: | definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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| Government |
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| 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: | 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: | 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: | 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: | none |
| 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 |
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| Economy |
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| 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% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.7% (December 2006) |
| Budget: | revenues: $829 million
expenditures: $851 million (2005) |
| 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): | British pound (GBP); note – there is also a Jersey pound |
| 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 |
| Fiscal year: | 1 April – 31 March |
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| Communications |
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| 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) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 2 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .je |
| Internet hosts: | 2,219 (2007) |
| Internet users: | 27,000 (2005) |
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| Transportation |
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| Airports: | 1 (2007) |
| Airports—with paved runways: | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
| Roadways: | total: 577 km |
| Ports and terminals: | Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier |
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| Military |
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| Military—note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
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| Transnational Issues |
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| Disputes—international: | none |
