Jersey (2005) | Montserrat (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (British crown dependency) | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter |
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.) |
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 1,144/female 1,094)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,989/female 3,281) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 527/female 503) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | 2 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
Area | total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC | about 0.6 times 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. | English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003. |
Birth rate | 9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 17.51 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.) |
revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million (1997 est.) |
Capital | Saint Helier | name: Plymouth
geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat |
Climate | temperate; mild winters and cool summers | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 70 km | 40 km |
Constitution | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice | effective 19 December 1989 |
Country name | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat |
Death rate | 9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | none | $8.9 million (1997) |
Dependency status | British crown dependency | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (British crown dependency) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (British crown dependency) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | none | Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.) |
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. | Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade. |
Electricity - consumption | 630.1 million kWh (2004 est.) | 18.6 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | - | 20 million kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006) |
Environment - current issues | NA | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation |
Ethnic groups | Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census) | black, white |
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 |
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)
note: fixed rate since 1976 |
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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007)
head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister |
Exports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle |
Exports - partners | UK | US, Antigua and Barbuda (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 2% services: 93% (1996) |
agriculture: 1.2%
industry: 23.1% services: 75.7% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | -1% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 49 15 N, 2 10 W | 16 45 N, 62 12 W |
Geography - note | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages |
Highways | total: 577 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials |
Imports - partners | UK | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2006) |
Independence | none (British crown dependency) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, banking and finance, dairy | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances |
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.) |
total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.3% (2004) | 2.6% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | - | Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff) | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court) |
Labor force | 52,790 (2004) | 4,521
note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005) |
Languages | English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) | English |
Legal system | English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court | English common law and statutory law |
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 |
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.24 years
male: 76.77 years female: 81.91 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 79 years
male: 76.8 years female: 81.31 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
Location | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005) |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) |
Nationality | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian |
Natural hazards | NA | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) |
Natural resources | arable land | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 90,812 (July 2005 est.) | 9,538
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.32% (2005 est.) | 1.048% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.046 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.048 male(s)/female total population: 0.955 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | NA years of age; universal adult | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables |
general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 73,900 (2001) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 61,400 (2001) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland |
Total fertility rate | 1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.77 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0.9% (2004 est.) | 6% (1998 est.) |