2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (British crown dependency)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.8% (male 8,292; female 7,744) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 30,178; female 30,410) 65 years and over: 15% (male 5,858; female 7,674) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) Military Jersey

Area

land

116 sq km

total

116 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

The island of 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. Geography Jersey

Birth rate

10.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.)

revenues

$601 million

Capital

Saint Helier

Climate

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Coastline

70 km

Constitution

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Country name

conventional long form

Bailiwick of Jersey

conventional short form

Jersey

Currency

British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Currency code

GBP

Death rate

9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

none

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British crown dependency)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

none

Economy - overview

The economy is based largely on international 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 income earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of the economy, accounts for 24% 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.

Electricity - imports

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location 143 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

UK and Norman-French descent

Exchange rates

Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Executive branch

cabinet

committees appointed by the Assembly of the States

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch

head of government

Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995)

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners

UK

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Jersey

Flag description

white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag and in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield holding the three lions of England in yellow Economy Jersey

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5%

industry

2%

services

93% (1996)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

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 People Jersey

Government type

NA

Highways

paved

NA km

total

577 km

unpaved

NA km

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

UK

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Infant mortality rate

female

5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

5.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.7% (1998)

Internet country code

.je

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Internet users

NA Transportation Jersey

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Labor force

57,050 (1996)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

NEGL%

other

100% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

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

Legal system

English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes (elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch)

election results

percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52

elections

last held NA (next to be held NA)

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.57 years (2003 est.)

male

76.48 years

total population

78.93 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA% Government Jersey

male

NA%

total population

NA%

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

Median age

female

40.6 years (2002)

male

39.1 years

total

39.8 years

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK Transnational Issues Jersey

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Nationality

adjective

Channel Islander

noun

Channel Islander(s)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

arable land

Net migration rate

2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Political parties and leaders

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Population

90,156 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.4% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

NA

Railways

0 km

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

NA

international

3 submarine cables

Telephones - main lines in use

65,500 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4,400 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

Televisions

NA

Terrain

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Total fertility rate

1.57 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

0.7% (1998 est.)

Waterways

none