Coral Sea Islands (2004) | Jersey (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 17.2% (male 8,139/female 7,552)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 30,407/female 30,691) 65 years and over: 15.7% (male 6,299/female 7,996) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products |
Airports | - | 1 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. | 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. Jersey is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. |
Birth rate | - | 9.3 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million; including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.) |
Capital | - | name: Saint Helier
geographic coordinates: 49 12 N, 2 07 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 |
Climate | tropical | temperate; mild winters and cool summers |
Coastline | 3,095 km | 70 km |
Constitution | - | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
Country name | conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey |
Death rate | - | 9.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | 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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $0 |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | Jersey's 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: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
Environment - current issues | no permanent fresh water resources | 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 - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001)
note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June 2006); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since 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 (2004) |
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; 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 - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 18 00 S, 152 00 E | 49 15 N, 2 10 W |
Geography - note | important nesting area for birds and turtles | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier |
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 (2004) |
Independence | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, banking and finance, dairy |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 5.3% (2004) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
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% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | - | English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) |
Legal system | the laws of Australia, 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 six-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes (elected for three-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for three-year terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and three 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); note - on 23 November 2005, 29 deputies, independents, were elected election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 79.38 years
male: 76.89 years female: 82.05 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | - | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
Nationality | - | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
Natural hazards | occasional tropical cyclones | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL | arable land |
Net migration rate | - | 2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.) |
91,084 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.28% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | - |
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: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 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 | - | 83,900 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 2 (1997) |
Terrain | sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.58 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0.9% (2004 est.) |