ARCHIVE // GB // 2021
Jersey
2021 Edition — crown_dependency
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: NA subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: NA
Broadcast media
[time series]
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
[time series]
.je
Internet users
[time series]
total: 100,300 (2021 est.) percent of population: 41.03% (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
general assessment: good 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) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 55,938 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 58 (July 2016 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 122,668 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (July 2016 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Budget
[time series]
revenues: 829 million (2005) expenditures: 851 million (2005)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
[time series]
-0.4% (of GDP) (2005)
Debt - external
[time series]
NA
Economic overview
[time series]
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.
Exchange rates
[time series]
Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar 0.7836 (2017 est.) 0.738 (2016 est.) 0.738 (2015) 0.6542 (2012) 0.6391 (2011 est.)
Exports
[time series]
NA
Exports - commodities
[time series]
light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles, flowers
Fiscal year
[time series]
1 April - 31 March
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$5.004 billion (2015 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 2% (2010) industry: 2% (2010) services: 96% (2010)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
[time series]
0.3 (2014 est.) 0.3 (2013 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports
[time series]
NA
Imports - commodities
[time series]
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
NA
Industries
[time series]
tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
3.7% (2006)
Labor force
[time series]
59,950 (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
agriculture: 3% industry: 12% services: 85% (2014 est.)
Population below poverty line
[time series]
NA
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$5.569 billion (2016 est.) $5.514 billion (2015 est.) $4.98 billion (2014 est.) note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
1% (2016 est.) 10.7% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$56,600 (2016 est.) $49,500 (2015 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
16.6% (of GDP) (2005)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
4% (2015 est.) 4.6% (2014 est.)
Energy
Electricity - consumption
[time series]
630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - production
[time series]
NA (2017)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Environment
Climate
[time series]
temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Environment - current issues
[time series]
habitat and species depletion due to human encroachment; water pollution; improper solid waste disposal
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 66% (2018 est.) arable land: 66% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 34% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 31% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Guernsey and Jersey
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 178,933 tons (2016 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 50,871 tons (2016 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.4% (2016 est.) note: data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey.
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 116 sq km land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Coastline
[time series]
70 km
Elevation
[time series]
highest point: Les Platons 136 m lowest point: English Channel 0 m
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
49 15 N, 2 10 W
Geography - note
[time series]
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
Irrigated land
[time series]
NA
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 0 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 66% (2018 est.) arable land: 66% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 0% (2018 est.) other: 34% (2018 est.)
Location
[time series]
Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Map references
[time series]
Europe
Maritime claims
[time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Natural hazards
[time series]
very large tidal variation can be hazardous to navigation
Natural resources
[time series]
arable land
Population distribution
[time series]
fairly even distribution; no notable trends
Terrain
[time series]
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
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
Capital
[time series]
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
Citizenship
[time series]
see United Kingdom
Constitution
[time series]
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)
Country name
[time series]
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
[time series]
British crown dependency
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
embassy: none (British Crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: none (British Crown dependency) none (British Crown dependency)
Executive branch
[time series]
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 Timothy Le COCQ (since 17 October 2019) 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
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
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
Government type
[time series]
parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey)
Independence
[time series]
none (British Crown dependency)
International organization participation
[time series]
UPU
Judicial branch
[time series]
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)
Legal system
[time series]
the laws of the UK apply where applicable; includes local statutes
Legislative branch
[time series]
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 (as of October 2021) - men 35, women 14, percent of women 28.6%
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
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)
National holiday
[time series]
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
National symbol(s)
[time series]
Jersey cow; national colors: red, white
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
one registered party: Reform Jersey [Sam MEZEC] note: most senators and deputies sit as independents
Suffrage
[time series]
16 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background
[time series]
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.
Military and Security
Military - note
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 16.63% (male 8,689/female 8,124) 15-24 years: 12.98% (male 6,764/female 6,354) 25-54 years: 40.12% (male 20,499/female 20,054) 55-64 years: 13.22% (male 6,515/female 6,844) 65 years and over: 17.05% (male 7,324/female 9,906) (2020 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
12.46 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate
[time series]
NA
Current health expenditure
(Current Health Expenditure)
[time series]
NA
Death rate
[time series]
7.76 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 49 youth dependency ratio: 22.3 elderly dependency ratio: 26.7 potential support ratio: 3.7 (2020 est.) note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: total: 94.2% of population unimproved: total: 5.9% of population (2017 est.) note : includes data for Guernsey
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
NA
Ethnic groups
[time series]
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.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
[time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
[time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 3.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Languages
[time series]
English (official) 94.5%, Portuguese 4.6%, other .9% (includes French (official) and Jerriais) (2001 est.) note: 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
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 82.43 years male: 79.92 years female: 85.09 years (2021 est.)
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018)
Median age
[time series]
total: 37.5 years male: 36 years female: 39.5 years (2020 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Net migration rate
[time series]
2.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population
[time series]
101,476 (July 2021 est.)
Population distribution
[time series]
fairly even distribution; no notable trends
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.67% (2021 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Protestant (Anglican, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian), Roman Catholic
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
improved: total: 98.5% of population unimproved: total: 1.5% of population (2017)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.02 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 (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.66 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 31% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data include Guernsey and Jersey
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
none
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
total: 1 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2019)
National air transport system
[time series]
number of registered air carriers: 1 (registered in UK) (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 4 (registered in UK)
Ports
(Ports and terminals)
[time series]
major seaport(s): Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Roadways
[time series]
total: 576 km (2010)