Introduction
Background
Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy 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. The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown dependency, which means that it is not part of the UK but is rather a self-governing possession of the British Crown. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates
49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references
Europe
Area - comparative
about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
70 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate
temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation
highest point: Les Platons 136 m
lowest point: English Channel 0 m
Natural resources
arable land
Land use
agricultural land: 66% (2018 est.)
arable land: 66% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 34% (2018 est.)
Population distribution
fairly even distribution; no notable trends
Natural hazards
very large tidal variation can be hazardous to navigation
Geography - note
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups
Jersey 44.4%, British 30.5%, Portuguese/Madeiran 9.4%, Polish 3%, Irish 2.1%, other 10.6% (2021 est.)
Languages
English (official) 94.5%, Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (includes French (official) and Jerriais)
(2001 est.)note: data represent main spoken language; the traditional language of Jersey is Jerriais or Jersey French (a Norman language), which was spoken by fewer than 3,000 people as of 2001; two thirds of Jerriais speakers are aged 60 and over
Religions
Protestant (Anglican, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian), Roman Catholic
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.63% (male 8,689/female 8,124)
15-24 years: 12.98% (male 6,764/female 6,354)
25-54 years: 40.12% (male 20,499/female 20,054)
55-64 years: 13.22% (male 6,515/female 6,844)
65 years and over: 17.05% (male 7,324/female 9,906) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 44.5
youth dependency ratio: 21.3
elderly dependency ratio: 23.2
potential support ratio: 4.3 (2021 est.)
note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey
Median age
total: 37.5 years
male: 36 years
female: 39.5 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
fairly even distribution; no notable trends
Urbanization
urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include Guernsey and Jersey
Major urban areas - population
34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 3.87 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82.63 years
male: 80.13 years
female: 85.28 years (2022 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: total: 94.2% of population
unimproved: total: 5.9% of population (2017 est.)
note: includes data for Guernsey
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 98.5% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 1.5% of population (2017)
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Environment
Environment - current issues
habitat and species depletion due to human encroachment; water pollution; improper solid waste disposal
Climate
temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Land use
agricultural land: 66% (2018 est.)
arable land: 66% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 34% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data include Guernsey and Jersey
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 178,933 tons (2016 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 50,871 tons (2016 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.4% (2016 est.)
note: data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey.
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey
former: Norman Isles
etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Jer(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island"
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey)
Dependency status
British crown dependency
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
etymology: named after Saint HELIER, the patron saint of Jersey, who was reputedly martyred on the island in A.D. 555
Administrative divisions
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 12 parishes; Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, Trinity
Independence
none (British Crown dependency)
National holiday
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution
history: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
amendments: proposed by a government minister to the Assembly of the States of Jersey, by an Assembly member, or by an elected parish head; passage requires several Assembly readings, a majority vote by the Assembly, review by the UK Ministry of Justice, and approval of the British monarch (Royal Assent)
Legal system
the laws of the UK apply where applicable; includes local statutes
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Stephen DALTON (since 13 March 2017)
head of government: Chief Minister John LE FONDRE (since 8 June 2018); Bailiff Timothy Le COCQ (since 17 October 2019)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed individually by the states
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; Council of Ministers, including the chief minister, indirectly elected by the Assembly of States; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (49 elected members; 8 senators to serve 4-year terms, and 29 deputies and 12 connetables, or heads of parishes, to serve 4-year terms; 5 non-voting members appointed by the monarch include the bailiff, lieutenant governor, dean of Jersey, attorney general, and the solicitor general)
elections: last held on 22 June 2022 (next to be held in 2026)
election results: percent of vote by party - BW 71.4%, RJ 20.4%, JA 2%, PP 2%, JLC 4.1%; seats by party - BW 35, RJ 10, JA 1, PP 1, JLC 2; composition - men NA, women NA, percent of women NA
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Jersey Court of Appeal (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, and 12 judges); Royal Court (consists of the bailiff, deputy bailiff, 6 commissioners and lay people referred to as jurats, and is organized into Heritage, Family, Probate, and Samedi Divisions); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Jersey Court of Appeal bailiffs and judges appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; bailiffs and judges appointed for "extent of good behavior;" Royal Court bailiffs appointed by the Crown upon the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; commissioners appointed by the bailiff; jurats appointed by the Electoral College; bailiffs and commissioners appointed for "extent of good behavior;" jurats appointed until retirement at age 72
subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court; Youth Court; Petty Debts Court; Parish Hall Enquiries (a process of preliminary investigation into youth and minor adult offenses to determine need for presentation before a court)
Political parties and leaders
Better Way or BW (group of independent candidates)
Jersey Alliance or JA [Mark BOLEAT]
Jersey Liberal Conservatives or JLC [Sir Philip BAILHACHE]
Progress Party or PP [Steve PALLETT]
Reform Jersey or RJ [Sam MEZEC]
note: most deputies sit as independents
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: none (British Crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (British Crown dependency)
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 three lions in yellow; according to tradition, the ships of Jersey - in an attempt to differentiate themselves from English ships flying the horizontal cross of St. George - rotated the cross to the "X" (saltire) configuration; because this arrangement still resembled the Irish cross of St. Patrick, the yellow Plantagenet crown and Jersey coat of arms were added
National symbol(s)
Jersey cow; national colors: red, white
National anthem
name: "Isle de Siez Nous" (Island Home)
lyrics/music: Gerard LE FEUVRE
note: adopted 2008; serves as a local anthem; as a British Crown dependency, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic overview
Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2016, the financial services sector accounted for about 41% of the island's output. Agriculture represented about 1% of Jersey’s economy in 2016. Potatoes are an important export crop, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle originated on the island and is known worldwide. The dairy industry remains important to the island with approximately $8.8 million gallons of milk produced in 2015. Tourism accounts for a significant portion of Jersey’s economy, with more than 700,000 total visitors in 2015. Living standards come close to those of the UK. 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 offshore financial center. Jersey maintains its relationship with the EU through the UK. Therefore, in light of the UK’s decision to leave the EU, Jersey will also need to renegotiate its ties to the EU.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$5.569 billion (2016 est.)
$5.514 billion (2015 est.)
$4.98 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$5.004 billion (2015 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 2% (2010)
industry: 2% (2010)
services: 96% (2010)
Agricultural products
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries
tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 3%
industry: 12%
services: 85% (2014 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
0.3 (2014 est.)
0.3 (2013 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: 829 million (2005)
expenditures: 851 million (2005)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Exports
NA
Exports - commodities
light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles, flowers
Imports
NA
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
Exchange rates
Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar
0.7836 (2017 est.)
0.738 (2016 est.)
0.738 (2015)
0.6542 (2012)
0.6391 (2011 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Carbon dioxide emissions
450,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 48,310 (2019 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 83,900 (2009 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 95 (2009 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: the telecommunication services comprise of Internet, telephone, broadcasting and postal services, which allow islanders to contact people and receive information; Internet connectivity to the rest of the world is provided by undersea cables linked to Guernsey, the UK and France; (2021)
domestic: fixed-line 47 per 100 and mobile-cellular 120 per 100 subscriptions (2021)
international: country code - 44; landing points for the INGRID, UK-Channel Islands-8, and Guernsey-Jersey-4, submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey, the UK, and France (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media
multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey; satellite packages available; BBC Radio Jersey and 1 other radio station operating
Internet users
total: 44,198 (2019 est.)
percent of population: 41% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 39,699 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2020 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) (registered in UK)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 4 (registered in UK)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified