Jan Mayen (2003) | Jersey (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | - | none (British crown dependency) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 17.7% (male 8,268; female 7,716)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 30,237; female 30,490) 65 years and over: 15.2% (male 6,016; female 7,775) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 373 sq km
land: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC |
Background | This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth. | 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 | - | 10.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.) |
Capital | - | Saint Helier |
Climate | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog | temperate; mild winters and cool summers |
Coastline | 124.1 km | 70 km |
Constitution | - | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey |
Currency | - | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound |
Death rate | - | 9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | none |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service | 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 | Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island. | 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: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 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 - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999); 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 | - | 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 | 71 00 N, 8 00 W | 49 15 N, 2 10 W |
Geography - note | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass | 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: 5.33 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 4.7% (1998) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000) | - |
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) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | - | English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
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 52 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 79.09 years
male: 76.63 years female: 81.74 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
Location | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Arctic Region | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 10 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM 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 | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 | NA |
Natural resources | none | arable land |
Net migration rate | - | 2.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | none |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2003 est.) |
90,502 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 0.36% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998) |
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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 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 island, partly covered by glaciers | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0.7% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |