Government
Long-form name: none (territory of the
US)
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System
Economy
Overview: no economic activity
Communications
Ports: none; offshore anchorage only one
boat landing area in the middle of the
west coast and another near the southwest
corner of the island
Note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the
US; visited annually by the US Coast
Guard
Jersey (British crown dependency)
See regional map V
Geography
Total area: 117 km²; land area: 117 km²
Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 70 km
Maritime claims:
- Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
- Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Natural resources: agricultural land
Land use: NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other; about 58% of land under cultivation
Environment: about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
Note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; 27 km from France
People
Population: 83,609 (July 1990), growth
rate 0.9% (1990)
Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Channel Islander(s); adjective—Channel Islander
Ethnic divisions: UK and Norman-French descent
Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian
Language: English and French (official), with the Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: NA%, but probably high
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: none
Government
Long-form name: Bailiwick of Jersey
Type: British crown dependency
Capital: Saint Helier
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Executive branch: British monarch, lieutenant governor, bailiff
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States
Judicial branch: Royal Court
Leaders: Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Head of Government—Lieutenant Governor Adm. Sir William PILLAR (since NA 1985); Bailiff Peter CRILL (since NA)
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
Suffrage: universal adult at age NA
Elections: Assembly of the States—last held NA (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote NA; seats—(56 total, 52 elected) 52 independents
Communists: probably none
Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency)
Flag: white with the diagonal red cross of St. Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) extending to the corners of the flag
Economy
Overview: The economy is based largely on
financial services, agriculture, and tourism.
Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and
especially flowers are important export
crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey
breed of dairy cattle is known world-wide
and represents an important export
earner. Milk products go to the UK and
other EC countries. In 1986 the finance
sector overtook tourism as the main
contributor to GDP, accounting for 40% of
the island's output. In recent years the
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