Jersey
(British crown dependency) |
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Geography |
Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Areacomparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 70 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m
Natural resources: agricultural land
Land use:
arable land: 66%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 34%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environmentcurrent issues: NA
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographynote: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
People |
Population: 89,136 (July 1998 est.)
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.)
Population growth rate: 0.68% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.27 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 9.12 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
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.)
Infant mortality rate: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.67 years
male: 75.93 years
female: 81.71 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: NA
Government |
Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey
Data code: JE
Dependency status: British crown dependency
Government type: NA
National capital: Saint Helier
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
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
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 voteNA; seatsindependents 52
Judicial branch: Royal Court, judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
International organization participation: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)
Flag description: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
Economy |
Economyoverview: 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity$NA
GDPreal growth rate: NA%
GDPper capita: purchasing power parity$NA
GDPcomposition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rateconsumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $643.7 million
expenditures: $597.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricitycapacity:
50,000 kW standby
note: electricity supplied by France
Electricityproduction:
NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France
Electricityconsumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)
Agricultureproducts: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; meat, dairy products
Exports:
$NA
commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles
partners: UK
Imports:
$NA
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
partners: UK
Debtexternal: $NA
Economic aid: none
Currency: 1 Jersey pound (£J) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (£J) per US$10.6115 (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
Fiscal year: 1 April31 March
Communications |
Telephones: 61,447 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: NA
Transportation |
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
Ports and harbors: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Military |
Militarynote: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues |
Disputesinternational: none