Jersey

Bailiwick of Jersey

parliamentary democracyIndependence none (British crown dependency)

Jersey as the 2014 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 101 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSaint Helier, UTC
Position49 15 N, 2 10 W
Area116 sq km
LocationWestern Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Populationas each edition published it
96,513 people July 2014 est. · 83,609 in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.81% 2014 est. · 0.7% in 1993
Median ageyears
39.5 years 2014 est. · 39.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
81.66 years 2014 est. · 76.4 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.66 children per woman 2014 est. · 1.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
3.86 deaths per 1,000 live births 2014 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$57,000 2005 est. · $24,800 in 2000
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 8% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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 European Union. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Geography

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

17 fields
Area
116sq km
country comparison to the world: 225land: 116 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmabout two-thirds the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
70km
land boundaries: 0 kmterritorial sea: 3 nmexclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Highest point
143m
unnamed elevationlowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

49 15 N, 2 10 W

Climate

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Land use

arable land:
NA
permanent crops:
NA
other:
NA

Geography - note

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

People and Society

21 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2014 est.)

6,464
65 and over15.4%
8,677
5,690
55-6412.2%
6,055
20,000
25-5441.4%
19,927
7,271
15-2414.8%
6,972
8,001
0-1416%
7,456
MaleFemaleDependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 46.4 % · youth dependency ratio: 21.7 % · elderly dependency ratio: 24.7 % · potential support ratio: 4 note: data represents the Channel Islands (2014 est.)
Population
96,513
(July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 197growth rate: 0.81% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 136

Per 1,000 population(2014 est.)

Birth
11.65Death
7.63Net migration
4.08

Male · female(2014 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years81.66
79.22 · 84.26Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births3.86
4.08 · 3.63
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years39.5
37.1 · 41.6
MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 16 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 201
Urban population
31.2%of total population
(2011)rate of urbanization: 0.63% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Channel Islander(s)
adjective:
Channel Islander

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.)

Languages

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

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:
1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
1 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.74 male(s)/female
total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.66 children born/woman (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Government

Parliamentary democracy; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Chief Minister Ian GORST (18 December 2011)

20 fields

Assembly of the States of Jersey, 53 seats, elected 27 April 2011one dot, one seat

independents 53

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;
  • Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, 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 (2013)

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

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 (18 December 2011); Bailiff Michael BIRT (since 9 July 2009)
cabinet:
Cabinet (since December 2005); (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
elections:
  • ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are elected by the Assembly of States;
  • the monarchy is hereditary;
  • lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (58 seats; 53 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 5 non-voting members include the bailiff and the deputy bailiff, the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General appointed by the monarch)

elections:
last held on 27 April 2011 (next to be held in 2014)
election results:
  • percent of vote - NA;
  • seats - independents 53;
  • note - starting with the 2014 elections, the number of Senators will be reduced to 8

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)

Political parties and leaders

one declared parties: Jersey Democratic Alliance note: all senators and deputies elected in 2008 were independents

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Institute of Directors, Jersey branch (provides business support)
  • Jersey Hospitality Association [Robert JONES] (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)

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 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

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)

Economy

Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism.

25 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$5.1billion
(2005 est.)country comparison to the world: 171official exchange rate: $5.1 billion (2005 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$57,000
(2005 est.)country comparison to the world: 8
Inflation, consumer prices
3.7%
(2006)country comparison to the world: 126
Unemployment rate
1.7%
(2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 82.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin(2010)

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

Budget

Revenues
$829 millionExpenditures
$851 million (2005)

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.

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, 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 January 2013, Jersey signed a tax agreement with Guernsey and the Isle of Man, in order to enable the islands' authorities to end tax avoidance and evasion. Living standards come close to those of the UK.

Agriculture - products

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

Labor force

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

Taxes and other revenues

16.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 187

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.4% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 53

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Exports - commodities

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

Imports - commodities

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

Exchange rates

Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar 0.6307 (2014) · 0.6391 (2013) · 0.6472 (2010) · 0.6175 (2009) · 0.5302 (2008)

Energy

1 field

Electricity - consumption

630.1 million kWh (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Communications

7 fields
Mobile cellular
108,000
(2010)
Fixed lines
73,800
(2010) · country code .je

Telephone system

general assessment:
increasingly modern system, with broadband access
domestic:
  • digital telephone system launch announced in 2006 now implemented;
  • fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available;
  • combined fixed and mobile-cellular density exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international:
country code - 44; submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey, the UK, and France (2010)

Broadcast media

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

Internet users

29,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 182

Transportation

5 fields

Airports

1 (2013) country comparison to the world: 221

Airports - with paved runways

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

Roadways

total: 576 km (2010) country comparison to the world: 191

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 14 (Gibraltar 1, India 2, Marshall Islands 11) (2010) country comparison to the world: 103

Ports and terminals

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

Military

3 fields

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
18,688
females age 16-49:
18,615 (2010 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

1 field

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Jersey.” The World Factbook 2014. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/jersey/2014.