Jersey

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 that Germany occupied 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.

49 15 N, 2 10 W

very large tidal variation can be hazardous to navigation

about two-thirds the size of Washington, D.C.

habitat and species loss; water pollution; improper solid-waste disposal

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

70 km

Total: 0 km

Agricultural land: 43.3% (2022 est.)

Arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.)

Permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

Permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.)

Forest: 5.2% (2022 est.)

Other: 51.6% (2022 est.)

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

arable land

largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Europe

NA

fairly even distribution

Highest point: Les Platons 136 m

Lowest point: English Channel 0 m

Total : 116 sq km

Land: 116 sq km

Water: 0 sq km

0-14 years: 17% (male 9,082/female 8,530)

15-64 years: 64.6% (male 33,840/female 32,989)

65 years and over: 18.3% (2024 est.) (male 8,106/female 10,840)

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Noun: Channel Islander(s)

Adjective: Channel Islander

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

34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018)

Total dependency ratio: 54.7 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 26.4 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 28.3 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 3.5 (2024 est.)

Jersey 44.4%, British 30.5%, Portuguese/Madeiran 9.4%, Polish 3%, Irish 2.1%, other 10.6% (2021 est.)

Christian 85.2%, Baha'i 0.3%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish 0.1%, Muslim 0.1%, atheist 1.1%, agnostic 13.1% (2020 est.)

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

Improved:

Total: 98.5% of population

0.81 (2024 est.)

Total: 14.1% (2024 est.)

Male: 14.2% (2024 est.)

Female: 13.9% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 38.2 years (2024 est.)

Male: 37 years

Female: 39.7 years

1.66 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 103,387 (2024 est.)

Male: 51,028

Female: 52,359

Total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

12.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total population: 83 years (2024 est.)

Male: 80.6 years

Female: 85.7 years

0.56% (2024 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 178,900 tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.4% (2016 est.)

Note: Data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey.

Embassy: None (British Crown dependency)

no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 12 parishes; Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, Trinity

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

History: Unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Amendment process: 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)

Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Jerry KYD (since 8 October 2022)

Head of government: Chief Minister Lyndon FARNHAM (since 25 January 2024); Bailiff Timothy Le COCQ (since 17 October 2019)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed individually by the states

Election/appointment process: 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

Description: White with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag; a red shield with three lions in yellow is in the upper triangle, with a yellow crown above

History: According to tradition, Jersey ships differentiated themselves from English ships that flew the horizontal cross of St. George by rotating their own cross to the "X" (saltire) configuration; this arrangement resembled the Irish cross of St. Patrick, so the Plantagenet crown and Jersey coat of arms were added

none (British Crown dependency)

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)

the laws of the UK apply, as well as local statutes

Legislature name: Assembly of the States of Jersey

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 54 (49 directly elected, 5 appointed)

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 6/22/2022

Parties elected and seats per party: BW (35); RJ (10); JLC (2); JA (1); PP (1)

Percentage of women in chamber: 42.9%

Expected date of next election: 2026

Note: 5 non-voting members appointed by the monarch include the bailiff, lieutenant governor, dean of Jersey, attorney general, and the solicitor general

UPU

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Better Way or BW (group of independent candidates)
Jersey Alliance or JA 
Jersey Liberal Conservatives or JLC 
Progress Party or PP 
Reform Jersey or RJ

Note: Most deputies sit as independents

16 years of age; universal

parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey)

Conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey

Conventional short form: Jersey

Former: Norman Isles

Etymology: The name is of Old Norse origin, with -ey meaning "island;" "Jer(s)" may derive from a person with the Scandinavian name Geirr, meaning "spear"

none (British Crown dependency)

Title: "Isle de Siez Nous" (Island Home)

Lyrics/music: Gerard LE FEUVRE

History: Adopted 2008; serves as a local anthem
_____

Title: "God Save the King"

Lyrics/music: Unknown

History: Official anthem, as a British Crown dependency

Jersey cow

see United Kingdom

red, white

refined petroleum, beverages, ships, jewelry, artwork (2022)

Top five export commodities based on value in dollars

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

artwork, ships, vegetables, fruits, jewelry (2022)

Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar

Exchange rates:
0.782 (2024 est.)
0.805 (2023 est.)
0.811 (2022 est.)
0.727 (2021 est.)
0.78 (2020 est.)

tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

British territorial island economy; strong offshore banking and finance sectors; low asset taxation; strong tourism sector prior to COVID-19 and Brexit; one of the most expensive places to live; minimal welfare system; historical cider industry

$12.508 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

82,400 (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work;entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

6.3% (2024 est.)
6.2% (2023 est.)
6.2% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

$5.569 billion (2016 est.)
$5.514 billion (2015 est.)
$4.98 billion (2014 est.)

Note: Data are in 2015 dollars

3.7% (2023 est.)
5.3% (2022 est.)
9.9% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

1.3% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

Agriculture: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Industry: 8.2% (2023 est.)

Services: 91.2% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Note: Includes Guernsey and Jersey

Percent of population: 41% (2012 est.)

.je

multiple UK terrestrial TV broadcasts are received via a transmitter in Jersey; satellite packages available; BBC Radio Jersey and 1 other radio station operating

Total subscriptions: 124,083 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2021 est.)

Total: 39,699 (2020 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2020 est.)

Total subscriptions: 48,122 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2021 est.)

1 (2025)

defense is the responsibility of the UK

British crown dependency

Total ports: 1 (2024)

Large: 0

Medium: 0

Small: 1

Very small: 0

Ports with oil terminals: 1

Key ports: Saint Helier Harbour