Jersey

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables

Telephones

61,447 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

NA Defense

Agriculture

potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; meat, dairy products

Budget

revenues: $643.7 million expenditures: $597.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Currency

1 Jersey pound (LJ) = 100 pence

Economic aid

none

Economic overview

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.

Electricity

capacity: 50,000 kW standby production: power supplied by France consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Jersey pounds (LJ) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$NA commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles partners: UK

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$NA

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$NA commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals partners: UK

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

NA

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total area: 117 sq km land area: 117 sq km comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Coastline

70 km

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Geographic coordinates

49 15 N, 2 10 W

Geographic note

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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 57% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: 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

Natural resources

agricultural land

Terrain

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Administrative divisions

none (British crown dependency)

Assembly of the States

elections last held NA (next to be held NA); results - no percent of vote by party since all are independents; seats - (56 total, 52 elected) independents 52

Capital

Saint Helier

Chief of State

Queen ELIZABETH II (of the United Kingdom since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch

Constitution

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Data code

JE

Diplomatic representation in US

none (British crown dependency)

Flag

white with the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag

Head of Government

Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Sir Michael WILKES (since NA 1995) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA 1995) were appointed by the queen cabinet: committees were appointed by the Assembly of the States

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

International organization participation

none

Judicial branch

Royal Court, judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff

Legal system

English law and local statute

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Political parties and leaders

none; all independents

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Type of government

British crown dependency

US diplomatic representation

none (British crown dependency)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 7,787; female 7,284) 15-64 years: 69% (male 29,928; female 30,395) 65 years and over: 14% (male 5,107; female 7,347) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

12.93 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

9.21 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

UK and Norman-French descent

Infant mortality rate

2.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.36 years male: 75.63 years female: 81.39 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander

Net migration rate

4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

87,848 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.77% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Railways

0 km