Jersey

Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil that Germany occupied in World War II. The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown dependency, which means that it is not part of the UK but is rather a self-governing possession of the British Crown. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Land

116 sq km

Total

116 sq km

Water

0 sq km

about two-thirds the size of Washington, D.C.

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

70 km

Europe

Highest point

Les Platons 136 m

Lowest point

English Channel 0 m

49 15 N, 2 10 W

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

NA

Total

0 km

Agricultural land

43.3% (2022 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.)

Forest

5.2% (2022 est.)

Other

51.6% (2022 est.)

No

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

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/rXG8GZZtsqK92kTCA

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/367988

Europe

Exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

very large tidal variation can be hazardous to navigation

arable land

fairly even distribution

Northern Europe

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

UTC+01:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

17% (male 9,082/female 8,530)

15-64 years

64.6% (male 33,840/female 32,989)

65 years and over

18.3% (2024 est.) (male 8,106/female 10,840)

11.97 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio

29.2 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

3.4 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

56 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

26.8 (2025 est.)

Jersey 44.4%, British 30.5%, Portuguese/Madeiran 9.4%, Polish 3%, Irish 2.1%, other 10.6% (2021 est.)

0.81 (2025 est.)

Female

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

4.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

<p>English (official) 94.5%, Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (includes French (official) and Jerriais)</p> (2001 est.)

languages

English, French, Jèrriais

note

<strong>note: </strong>data represent main spoken language; the traditional language of Jersey is Jerriais or Jersey French (a Norman language), which was spoken by fewer than 3,000 people as of 2001;  two thirds of Jerriais speakers are aged 60 and over

number of languages

3

Female

85.7 years

Male

80.6 years

Total population

83 years (2024 est.)

34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018)

Female

39.7 years

Male

37 years

Total

38.5 years (2025 est.)

Adjective

Channel Islander

Noun

Channel Islander(s)

0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Female

52,627

Male

51,317

Total

103,944 (2025 est.)

0.51% (2025 est.)

Christian 85.2%, Baha'i 0.3%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish 0.1%, Muslim 0.1%, atheist 1.1%, agnostic 13.1% (2020 est.)

Improved: total

total: 98.5% of population

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

At birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data include Guernsey and Jersey

Rate of urbanization

0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

31.2% of total population (2023)

no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 12 parishes; Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, Trinity

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Etymology

named after Saint HELIER, the patron saint of Jersey, who was reputedly martyred on the island in A.D. 555

Geographic coordinates

49 11 N, 2 06 W

Name

Saint Helier

Time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

see United Kingdom

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/je.svg

Amendment process

proposed by a government minister to the Assembly of the States of Jersey, by an Assembly member, or by an elected parish head; passage requires several Assembly readings, a majority vote by the Assembly, review by the UK Ministry of Justice, and approval of the British monarch (Royal Assent)

History

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

alternative spellings

JE, Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailliage de Jersey, Bailliage dé Jèrri

Conventional long form

Bailiwick of Jersey

Conventional short form

Jersey

Etymology

the name is of Old Norse origin, with -<em>ey</em> meaning "island;" "Jer(s)" may derive from a person with the Scandinavian name Geirr, meaning "spear"

Former

Norman Isles

local long form (eng)

Bailiwick of Jersey

British crown dependency

Embassy

none (British Crown dependency)

none (British Crown dependency)

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed individually by the states

Chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Jerry KYD (since 8 October 2022)

Election/appointment process

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

Head of government

Chief Minister Lyndon FARNHAM (since 25 January 2024); Bailiff Timothy Le COCQ (since 17 October 2019)

<strong>description:</strong> white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag; a red shield with three lions in yellow is in the upper triangle, with a yellow crown above<br><br><strong>history:</strong> according to tradition, Jersey ships differentiated themselves from English ships that flew the horizontal cross of St. George by rotating their own cross to the "X" (saltire) configuration; this arrangement resembled the Irish cross of St. Patrick, so the Plantagenet crown and Jersey coat of arms were added

The flag of Jersey is white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag. A red shield with three lions in yellow is in the upper quadrant, with a yellow crown above.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/je.svg

parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey)

none (British Crown dependency)

UPU

Highest court(s)

Jersey Court of Appeal (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, and 12 judges); Royal Court (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, 6 commissioners and lay people referred to as jurats, and is organized into Heritage, Family, Probate, and Samedi Divisions); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

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 Enquiries (a process of preliminary investigation into youth and minor adult offenses to determine need for presentation before a court)

the laws of the UK apply, as well as local statutes

Expected date of next election

2026

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Assembly of the States of Jersey

Most recent election date

6/22/2022

Note

<strong>note:</strong> 5 non-voting members appointed by the monarch include the bailiff, lieutenant governor, dean of Jersey, attorney general, and the solicitor general

Number of seats

54 (49 directly elected, 5 appointed)

Parties elected and seats per party

BW (35); RJ (10); JLC (2); JA (1); PP (1)

Percentage of women in chamber

42.9%

Term in office

4 years

red, white

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Jersey cow

Better Way or BW (group of independent candidates)<br>Jersey Alliance or JA <br>Jersey Liberal Conservatives or JLC <br>Progress Party or PP <br>Reform Jersey or RJ

note

<strong>note:</strong> most deputies sit as independents

Monday

16 years of age; universal

No

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

code

GBP, JEP

name

British pound (GBP) [£], Jersey pound (JEP) [£]

British territorial island economy; strong offshore banking and finance sectors; low asset taxation; strong tourism sector prior to COVID-19 and Brexit; one of the most expensive places to live; minimal welfare system; historical cider industry

Currency

Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar

Exchange rates 2020

0.78 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.727 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.811 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.805 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.782 (2024 est.)

refined petroleum, beverages, ships, jewelry, artwork (2022)

note

top five export commodities based on value in dollars

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

Agriculture

0.6% (2023 est.)

Industry

8.2% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

91.2% (2023 est.)

$12.508 billion (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

artwork, ships, vegetables, fruits, jewelry (2022)

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

1.3% (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

82,400 (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work;entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2015 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014

$4.98 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$5.514 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016

$5.569 billion (2016 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

Real GDP growth rate 2021

9.9% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.7% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

Unemployment rate 2022

6.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

6.3% (2024 est.)

Female

13.9% (2024 est.)

Male

14.2% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

14.1% (2024 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> includes Guernsey and Jersey

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

37 (2020 est.)

Total

39,699 (2020 est.)

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

.je

Percent of population

41% (2012 est.)

@# #@@|@## #@@|@@# #@@|@@## #@@|@#@ #@@|@@#@ #@@|GIR0AA

+44

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

48,223 (2023 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

125 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

129,368 (2023 est.)

1 (2025)

Left

Key ports

Saint Helier Harbour

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

1

Small

1

Total ports

1 (2024)

Very small

0

GBJ

defense is the responsibility of the UK

habitat and species loss; water pollution; improper solid-waste disposal

Municipal solid waste generated annually

178,900 tons (2024 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey.

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

28.4% (2016 est.)