Jersey (2001) | Bassas da India (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (British crown dependency) | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
17.77% (male 8,214; female 7,667) 15-64 years: 67.59% (male 30,065; female 30,331) 65 years and over: 14.64% (male 5,603; female 7,481) (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products | - |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
116 sq km land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 0.2 sq km
land: 0.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC | about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968. |
Birth rate | 11.28 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues:
$601 million expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.) |
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Capital | Saint Helier | - |
Climate | temperate; mild winters and cool summers | tropical |
Coastline | 70 km | 35.2 km |
Constitution | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice | - |
Country name | conventional long form:
Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bassas da India |
Currency | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound | - |
Death rate | 9.27 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Debt - external | none | - |
Dependency status | British crown dependency | possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (British crown dependency) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (British crown dependency) | - |
Disputes - international | none | claimed by Madagascar |
Economic aid - recipient | none | - |
Economy - overview | 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. | no economic activity |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | UK and Norman-French descent | - |
Exchange rates | Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); 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 |
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Exports | $NA | - |
Exports - commodities | light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles | - |
Exports - partners | UK | - |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | - |
Flag description | 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 | the flag of France is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
5% industry: 2% services: 93% (1996) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 49 15 N, 2 10 W | 21 30 S, 39 50 E |
Geography - note | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier | the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano |
Highways | total:
577 km (1995) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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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 | 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.7% (1998) | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | NA | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
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:
66% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 34% |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts | - |
Legal system | English law and local statute | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators, 12 constables or heads of parishes, 29 deputies; all elected for six-year terms, half elected every third year; 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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population:
78.63 years male: 76.21 years female: 81.23 years (2001 est.) |
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Literacy | definition:
NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
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Location | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France | Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of France |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) | - |
Nationality | noun:
Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander |
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Natural hazards | NA | maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones |
Natural resources | arable land | none |
Net migration rate | 2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
Population | 89,361 (July 2001 est.) | uninhabited (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 0.48% (2001 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier | none; offshore anchorage only |
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: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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Suffrage | NA years of age; universal adult | - |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 65,500 (1997) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 4,400 (1997) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | - |
Terrain | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast | volcanic rock |
Total fertility rate | 1.56 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 0.7% (1998 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | none |