Jersey (2005) | Jan Mayen (2008) | |
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.) |
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Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products | - |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
Area | total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 377 sq km
land: 377 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than twice the size of 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 desolate, artic, 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; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985. It is the northernmost active volcano on earth. |
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.) |
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Capital | Saint Helier | - |
Climate | temperate; mild winters and cool summers | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog |
Coastline | 70 km | 124.1 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: Jan Mayen |
Death rate | 9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | - |
Debt - external | none | - |
Dependency status | British crown dependency | 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 |
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 | 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. | 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 on the island. |
Electricity - consumption | 630.1 million kWh (2004 est.) | - |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 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 |
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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; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield with the three lions of England in yellow | the flag of Norway is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 2% services: 93% (1996) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 49 15 N, 2 10 W | 71 00 N, 8 00 W |
Geography - note | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass |
Highways | total: 577 km
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 | 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.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.3% (2004) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 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% (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 | English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply |
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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.24 years
male: 76.77 years female: 81.91 years (2005 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 | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland |
Map references | Europe | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
territorial sea: 4 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Norway |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) | - |
Nationality | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
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Natural hazards | NA | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985 |
Natural resources | arable land | none |
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 | 90,812 (July 2005 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 0.32% (2005 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (there is one radio and meteorological station) (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.) |
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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 | 73,900 (2001) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 61,400 (2001) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | - |
Terrain | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast | volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers |
Total fertility rate | 1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 0.9% (2004 est.) | - |