Bouvet Island (2003) | Jersey (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 8,222/female 7,658)
15-64 years: 67% (male 30,296/female 30,561) 65 years and over: 15.5% (male 6,176/female 7,899) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products |
Airports | - | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 58.5 sq km
land: 58.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC |
Background | This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island. | 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 | - | 9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.) |
Capital | - | Saint Helier |
Climate | antarctic | temperate; mild winters and cool summers |
Coastline | 29.6 km | 70 km |
Constitution | - | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island |
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey |
Death rate | - | 9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | - | none |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | none |
Economy - overview | no economic activity; declared a nature reserve | The Channel Island economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 1996 the finance sector accounted for about 60% of the island's output. 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. Tourism 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. Living standards come close to those of the UK. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 630.1 million kWh (2004 est.) |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Olav Peak 935 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census) |
Exchange rates | - | Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
note: 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 Norway is used | 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 the three lions of England in yellow |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 5%
industry: 2% services: 93% (1996) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 54 26 S, 3 24 E | 49 15 N, 2 10 W |
Geography - note | covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier |
Highways | - | total: 577 km
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 | - | total: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 5.3% (2004) |
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 | - | 52,790 (2004) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | - | English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) |
Legal system | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply | English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
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 53 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 79.24 years
male: 76.77 years female: 81.91 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Antarctic Region | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 4 NM | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Norway | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | - | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
Nationality | - | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | none | arable land |
Net migration rate | - | 2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | uninhabited (July 2003 est.) | 90,812 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.32% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | - | NA years of age; universal adult |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 73,900 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 61,400 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 2 (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0.9% (2004 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |