Jersey (2007) | French Polynesia (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 12 parishes including Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Quen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity | none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 16.9% (male 8,003/female 7,428)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 30,586/female 30,853) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 6,388/female 8,063) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 25.4% (male 36,223/female 34,677)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 98,784/female 91,585) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 8,933/female 8,761) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products | fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 54 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (2007) |
Area | total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
Area - comparative | about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
Background | 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. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded. |
Birth rate | 9.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 16.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $829 million
expenditures: $851 million (2005) |
revenues: $865 million
expenditures: $644.1 million (1999) |
Capital | name: Saint Helier
geographic coordinates: 49 11 N, 2 06 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 |
name: Papeete
geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | temperate; mild winters and cool summers | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 70 km | 2,525 km |
Constitution | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey |
conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
Death rate | 9.32 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | British crown dependency | overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (British crown dependency) | none (overseas lands of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (British crown dependency) | none (overseas lands of France) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $579.8 million (2004) |
Economy - overview | Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2005 the finance sector accounted for about 50% 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 one-quarter 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. | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. |
Electricity - consumption | 630.1 million kWh (2004 est.) | 429.7 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | - | 462 million kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | Jersey 51.1%, Britons 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census) | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)
note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound |
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June 2006)
head of government: Chief Minister Frank WALKER (since December 2005); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995) cabinet: Cabinet (since December 2005) elections: ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are elected by the Assembly of States; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch |
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET (since September 2005)
head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 13 September 2007); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits) |
Exports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles | cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat |
Exports - partners | UK (2006) | France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
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 | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue, and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 2% services: 97% (2005) |
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2005) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 5.1% (2002) |
Geographic coordinates | 49 15 N, 2 10 W | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
Geography - note | largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier | includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru |
Government - note | - | under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister |
Heliports | - | 1 (2007) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals | fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | UK (2006) | France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2006) |
Independence | none (British crown dependency) | none (overseas lands of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 7.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.7% (December 2006) | 1.1% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | - | FZ, ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WMO |
Irrigated land | NA | 10 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff) | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif |
Labor force | 53,560 (June 2006) | 65,930 (December 2005) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 13%
industry: 19% services: 68% (2002) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 0.75%
permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005) |
Languages | English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) | French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census) |
Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (58 seats; 55 are voting members, of which 12 are senators elected for six-year terms, 12 are constables or heads of parishes elected for three-year terms, 29 are deputies elected for three-year terms, the bailiff and the deputy bailiff, and 3 non-voting members includes the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held 19 October 2005 for senators and 23 November 2005 for deputies (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55 |
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13 February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New Democracy 3 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held in September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.51 years
male: 77.02 years female: 82.2 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 76.31 years
male: 73.88 years female: 78.86 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France | Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Europe | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT
by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2007) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | NA | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | arable land | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 2.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance
note: all senators and deputies elected in 2005 were independents |
Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 91,321 (July 2007 est.) | 278,963 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.244% (2007 est.) | 1.461% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Religions | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.077 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.991 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.792 male(s)/female total population: 0.971 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.045 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.079 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.066 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey and UK |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 73,900 (2001) | 53,600 (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 83,900 (2004) | 152,000 (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | 7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | 1.58 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.98 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.2% (2006 est.) | 11.7% (2005) |