Jersey

Agriculture-products

potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; meat, dairy products

Budget

revenues: $643.7 million expenditures: $597.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Currency

1 Jersey pound (£J) = 100 pence

Debt-external

$NA

Economic aid

none

Economy-overview

The economy is based largely on financial services, agriculture, and tourism. 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 earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1986 the finance sector overtook tourism as the main contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of the island's output. 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 tax and death duties make the island a popular tax haven.

Electricity-capacity

50,000 kW standby note: electricity supplied by France

Electricity-consumption per capita

NA kWh (1992)

Electricity-production

NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France

Exchange rates

Jersey pounds (£J) per US$1-0.6115 (January 1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$NA commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles partners: UK

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$NA

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$NA

GDP-real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$NA commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals partners: UK

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Inflation rate-consumer price index

NA%

Labor force

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables

Telephones

61,447 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

NA

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

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

Area-comparative

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Coastline

70 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment-current issues

NA

Environment-international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

49 15 N, 2 10 W

Geography-note

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 66% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 34%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

agricultural land

Terrain

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Administrative divisions

none (British crown dependency)

Constitution

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Country name

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

Data code

JE

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Sir Michael WILKES (since NA 1995) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA 1995) cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the queen

Flag description

white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag

Government type

NA

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

International organization participation

none

Judicial branch

Royal Court, judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff

Legal system

English law and local statute

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the States (57 seats, 53 elected including 12 senators popularly elected for six-year terms, half retiring every third year, 12 constables popularly elected triennially, and 29 deputies popularly elected triennially) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 52

National capital

Saint Helier

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Political parties and leaders

none; all independents

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Military-note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 8,160; female 7,567) 15-64 years: 68% (male 30,106; female 30,639) 65 years and over: 14% (male 5,243; female 7,421) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

12.27 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

9.12 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

UK and Norman-French descent

Infant mortality rate

2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.67 years male: 75.93 years female: 81.71 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Net migration rate

3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

89,136 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

0.68% (1998 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none JOHNSTON ATOLL (territory of the US)

Airports

1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Railways

0 km