Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2002) | Jersey (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 8,287; female 7,729)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 30,099; female 30,347) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 5,729; female 7,584) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products |
Airports | - | 1 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island |
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983 it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | 10.86 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.) |
Capital | - | Saint Helier |
Climate | tropical | temperate; mild winters and cool summers |
Coastline | 74.1 km | 70 km |
Constitution | - | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey |
Currency | - | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound |
Death rate | - | 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | - | none |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | - | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | none |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | 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 | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | UK and Norman-French descent |
Exchange rates | - | Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
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) cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch |
Exports | - | $NA |
Exports - commodities | - | light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles |
Exports - partners | - | UK |
Fiscal year | - | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | 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 |
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 | 12 14 S, 123 05 E | 49 15 N, 2 10 W |
Geography - note | Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983 | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier |
Highways | - | total: 577 km (1995)
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 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 | - | 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 4.7% (1998) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | NA |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff) |
Labor force | - | 57,050 (1996) (1996) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (1998 est.) |
arable land: NEGL%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | - | English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
Legal system | the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply | English law and local statute |
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
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 78.78 years
male: 76.34 years female: 81.4 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
Location | Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | - | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
Nationality | - | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
Natural hazards | surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards | NA |
Natural resources | fish | arable land |
Net migration rate | - | 2.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
People - note | the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem | - |
Political parties and leaders | - | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh waster at Ashmore Reef's West Island |
89,775 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.44% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | 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
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 total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | - | NA years of age; universal adult |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 65,500 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 4,400 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 2 (1997) |
Terrain | low with sand and coral | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.57 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0.7% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |