Jersey

Broadcast media

multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey; satellite packages available; BBC Radio Jersey and 1 other radio station operating (2009)

Internet country code

.je

Internet users

total: 58,000 | percent of population: 59.6% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Telephone system

general assessment: modern system with broadband access | domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available | international: country code - 44; submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey, the UK, and France (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 73,800 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 80 (July 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 112,400 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117 (July 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Agriculture - products

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Budget

revenues: $829 million | expenditures: $851 million (2005)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.4% of GDP (2005) | country comparison to the world: 49

Debt - external

$NA

Economy - overview

Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2010, the financial services 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. Tourism accounts for one-quarter of GDP. Living standards come close to those of the UK. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey with the result that an electronics industry has developed, displacing more traditional industries. 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. In October 2014, Jersey signed an OECD agreement to automatically exchange some financial account information to limit tax avoidance and evasion.

Exchange rates

Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar | 0.607 (2014) | 0.607 (2013) | 0.6542 (2012) | 0.6391 (2011 est.)

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles, flowers

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.771 billion (FY 2012/13 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.771 billion (FY12/13 est.) | $5.786 billion (FY11/12) | note: data are in 2013 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 171

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 2% | industry: 2% | services: 96% (2010)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$57,000 (2005 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

GDP - real growth rate

-0.3% (FY12/13 est.) | country comparison to the world: 199

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (2006) | country comparison to the world: 149

Labor force

53,380 (June 2012) | country comparison to the world: 189

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Taxes and other revenues

14.4% of GDP (2005) | country comparison to the world: 198

Unemployment rate

1.7% (2012 est.) | 2.2% (2006 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Electricity - consumption

630.1 million kWh (2004 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Area

total: 116 sq km | land: 116 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 225

Area - comparative

about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Climate

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Coastline

70 km

Elevation

mean elevation: NA | elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m | highest point: unnamed elevation 143 m

Environment - current issues

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

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 66% | arable land 66%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0% | forest: 0% | other: 34% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 3 nm | exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

arable land

Population - distribution

fairly even distribution; no notable trends

Terrain

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Administrative divisions

none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 12 parishes; Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity

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

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Country name

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey | conventional short form: Jersey | etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Jer(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island"

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 (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir John MCCOLL (since 26 September 2011) | head of government: Chief Minister Ian GORST (since 18 December 2011); Bailiff Michael BIRT (since 9 July 2009) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed individually by the states | elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; Council of Ministers including the chief minister indirectly elected by the Assembly of States; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch

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 three lions in yellow; according to tradition, the ships of Jersey - in an attempt to differentiate themselves from English ships flying the horizontal cross of St. George - rotated the cross to the "X" (saltire) configuration; because this arrangement still resembled the Irish cross of St. Patrick, the yellow Plantagenet crown and Jersey coat of arms were added

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey); a Crown dependency of the UK

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Jersey Court of Appeal (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, and 12 judges and organized into Heritage, Family, Probate, and Civil and Criminal Divisions); Royal Court (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, 6 commissioners - part-time judges, and NA lay people referred to as jurats) | judge selection and term of office: Jersey Court of Appeal bailiffs and judges appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; bailiffs and judges appointed for extent of good behavior; Royal Court bailiffs appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; commissioners appointed by the bailiff; jurats appointed by the Electoral College; bailiffs and commissioners appointed for extent of good behavior; jurats appointed until retirement at age 72 | subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court; Youth Court; Petty Debts Court; Parish Hall Enquires (a process of preliminary investigation into youth and minor adult offenses to determine need for presentation before a court)

Legal system

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; local statutes

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (54 seats; 49 voting members directly elected by simple majority vote include 8 senators to serve 6-year terms, and 29 deputies and 12 constables or heads of parishes to serve 3-year terms; 5 non-voting members appointed by the monarch include the bailiff, lieutenant governor, dean of Jersey, attorney general, and the solicitor general) | elections: last held on 15 October 2014 (next to be held in 2017) | election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 49

National anthem

name: "Isle de Siez Nous" (Island Home) | lyrics/music: Gerard LE FEUVRE | note: adopted 2008; serves as a local anthem; as a British Crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

National symbol(s)

Jersey cow; national colors: red, white

Political parties and leaders

Reform Jersey [Sam MEZEC] | note: most senators and deputies sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders

Institute of Directors, Jersey branch (provides business support) | Jersey Hospitality Association [Ian BARNES] (trade association) | Jersey Rights Association [David ROTHERHAM] (human rights) | La Societe Jersiaise (education and conservation group) | Progress Jersey [Daren O'TOOLE, Gino RISOLI] (human rights) | Royal Jersey Agriculture and Horticultural Society or RJA&HS (development and management of the Jersey breed of cattle) | Save Jersey's Heritage (protects heritage through building preservation)

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

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 or of the EU. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.1% (male 8,169/female 7,616) | 15-24 years: 14.23% (male 7,187/female 6,768) | 25-54 years: 41.18% (male 20,215/female 20,170) | 55-64 years: 12.38% (male 5,931/female 6,209) | 65 years and over: 16.12% (male 6,731/female 9,073) (2016 est.)

Birth rate

12.1 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Death rate

7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 47% | youth dependency ratio: 21.6% | elderly dependency ratio: 25.4% | potential support ratio: 3.9% | note: data represent the Channel Islands (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

Jersey 46.4%, British 32.7%, Portuguese/Madeiran 8.2%, Polish 3.3%, Irish, French, and other white 7.1%, other 2.4% (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 4 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.9 years | male: 79.4 years | female: 84.5 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Median age

total: 38.5 years | male: 36.2 years | female: 41.2 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59

Nationality

noun: Channel Islander(s) | adjective: Channel Islander

Net migration rate

3.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Population

98,069 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Population distribution

fairly even distribution; no notable trends

Population growth rate

0.79% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Religions

Protestant (Anglican, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian), Roman Catholic

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female | total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.66 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Urbanization

urban population: 31.4% of total population (2014) | rate of urbanization: 0.76% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) | note: data are for the Channel Islands

Disputes - international

none

Airports

1 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 223

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 14 (Gibraltar 1, India 2, Marshall Islands 11) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 102

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 2 (registered in UK) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11 (registered in UK) (2015)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Roadways

total: 576 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 192