World Factbook
Jersey
Introduction
Background
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 occupied by German troops 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.
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
country comparison to the world: 225
Area - comparative
about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
70 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12nm
Climate
temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation
lowest point: English Channel 0 m
highest point: Les Platons 136 m
Natural resources
arable land
Land use
agricultural land: 66% (2011 est.)
arable land: 66% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)
forest: 0% (2011 est.)
other: 34% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land
NA
Population distribution
fairly even distribution; no notable trends
Natural hazards
very large tidal variation can be hazardous to navigation
Environment - current issues
habitat and species depletion due to human encroachment; water pollution; improper solid waste disposal
Geography - note
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
People and Society
Population
99,602 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
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
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.37%(male 8,430 /female 7,870)
15-24 years: 13.63%(male 7,004 /female 6,572)
25-54 years: 40.71%(male 20,392 /female 20,160)
55-64 years: 12.73%(male 6,187 /female 6,497)
65 years and over: 16.56%(male 7,015 /female 9,475) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 47.1 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 21.6 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 25.4 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.9 (2015 est.)
note: data represent the Guernsey and Jersey
Median age
total: 37.7 years (2018 est.)
male: 35.9 years
female: 40.2 years
country comparison to the world: 65
Population growth rate
0.76% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Birth rate
12.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Death rate
7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Net migration rate
2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Population distribution
fairly even distribution; no notable trends
Urbanization
urban population: 30.9% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.46% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)
note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey
Major urban areas - population
34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 194
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82 years (2018 est.)
male: 79.5 years
female: 84.7 years
country comparison to the world: 20
Total fertility rate
1.66 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Education expenditures
NA
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey
former: Norman Isles
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
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey); a crown dependency of the UK
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
etymology: named after Saint Helier, the patron saint of Jersey, who was reputedly martyred on the island in A.D. 555
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
history: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
amendments: 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)
Legal system
the laws of the UK apply where applicable; includes local statutes
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Stephen DALTON (since 13 March 2017)
head of government: Chief Minister John LE FONDRE (since 8 June 2018); Bailiff William BAILHACHE (since 29 January 2015)
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
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (49 elected members; 8 senators to serve 4-year terms, and 29 deputies and 12 connetables, or heads of parishes, to serve 4-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 16 May 2018 (next to be held on 16 May 2022)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 49; composition - men 36, women 13, percent of 26.5%
Judicial branch
highest courts: 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 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 registered party: Reform Jersey [Sam MEZEC]
note: most senators and deputies sit as independents
International organization participation
UPU
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 symbol(s)
Jersey cow; national colors: red, white
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
Economy - overview
Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2016, the financial services sector accounted for about 41% of the island's output. Agriculture represented about 1% of Jersey’s economy in 2016. Potatoes are an important export crop, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle originated on the island and is known worldwide. The dairy industry remains important to the island with approximately $8.8 million gallons of milk produced in 2015. Tourism accounts for a significant portion of Jersey’s economy, with more than 700,000 total visitors in 2015. Living standards come close to those of the UK. 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 offshore financial center. Jersey maintains its relationship with the EU through the UK. Therefore, in light of the UK’s decision to leave the EU, Jersey will also need to renegotiate its ties to the EU.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$5.569 billion (2016 est.)
$5.514 billion (2015 est.)
$4.98 billion (2014)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 175
GDP (official exchange rate)
$5.004 billion(2015 est.) (2015 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
1% (2016 est.)
10.7% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$56,600 (2016 est.)
$49,500 (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 2% (2010)
industry: 2% (2010)
services: 96% (2010)
Agriculture - products
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries
tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics
Industrial production growth rate
NA
Labor force
59,950 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 3%
industry: 12%
services: 85% (2014 est.)
Unemployment rate
4% (2015 est.)
4.6% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Population below poverty line
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Distribution of family income - Gini index
0.3 (2014 est.)
0.3 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Budget
revenues: 829 million (2005)
expenditures: 851 million (2005)
Taxes and other revenues
16.6% (of GDP) (2005)
country comparison to the world: 179
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-0.4% (of GDP) (2005)
country comparison to the world: 57
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.7% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 146
Market value of publicly traded shares
NA
Exports
NA
Exports - commodities
light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles, flowers
Imports
NA
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
Debt - external
NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
(31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates
Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar
0.7836 (2017 est.)
0.738 (2016 est.)
0.738 (2015)
0.6542 (2012)
0.6391 (2011 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
Electricity - production
NA (2017)
Electricity - consumption
630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
450,000 Mt (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 55,938
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 58 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 122,668
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Telephone system
general assessment: modern system with broadband access (2018)
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; fixed-line 58 per 100 and mobile-cellular 119 per 100 subscriptions (2018)
international: country code - 44; landing points for the INGRID, UK-Channel Islands-8, and Guernsey-Jersey-4, submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey, the UK, and France (2019)
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
Internet country code
.je
Internet users
total: 58,000
percent of population: 59.6% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 2(registered in UK) (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11(registered in UK) (2015)
Airports
1 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 226
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
Roadways
total: 576 km (2010)
country comparison to the world: 186
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
