Jersey

Bailiwick of Jersey

LOCATION

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 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.

Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about two-thirds the size of Washington, D.C.
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: 43.3% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.)
forest: 5.2% (2022 est.)
other: 51.6% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land: NA
Population distribution: fairly even distribution
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

Population: total: 103,944 (2025 est.)
male: 51,317
female: 52,627
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.)
Religions: Christian 85.2%, Baha'i 0.3%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish 0.1%, Muslim 0.1%, atheist 1.1%, agnostic 13.1% (2020 est.)
Age structure: 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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 56 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 26.8 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 29.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.4 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 38.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 37 years
female: 39.7 years
Population growth rate: 0.51% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 11.97 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: fairly even distribution
Urbanization: urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: 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.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 83 years (2024 est.)
male: 80.6 years
female: 85.7 years
Total fertility rate: 1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.81 (2025 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: total: total: 98.5% of population

Environmental issues: habitat and species loss; water pollution; improper solid-waste disposal
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Land use: agricultural land: 43.3% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 18.3% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 24.9% (2022 est.)
forest: 5.2% (2022 est.)
other: 51.6% (2022 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 31.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 178,900 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28.4% (2016 est.)

Country name: 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"
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: 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
Legal system: the laws of the UK apply, as well as local statutes
Constitution: 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)
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 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
Legislative branch: 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
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: 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
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British Crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: none (British Crown dependency)
International organization participation: UPU
Independence: none (British Crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Flag: 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 abovehistory: 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
National symbol(s): Jersey cow
National color(s): red, white
National anthem(s): title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: official anthem, as a British Crown dependency

Economic overview: 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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016: $5.569 billion (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015: $5.514 billion (2015 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014: $4.98 billion (2014 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.7% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2021: 9.9% (2021 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $12.508 billion (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.6% (2023 est.)
industry: 8.2% (2023 est.)
services: 91.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products: potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics
Industrial production growth rate: 1.3% (2023 est.)
Labor force: 82,400 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 6.3% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 6.2% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 14.1% (2024 est.)
male: 14.2% (2024 est.)
female: 13.9% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners: almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Exports - commodities: refined petroleum, beverages, ships, jewelry, artwork (2022)
Imports - partners: almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Imports - commodities: artwork, ships, vegetables, fruits, jewelry (2022)
Exchange rates: Currency: Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar
Exchange rates 2024: 0.782 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 0.805 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 0.811 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 0.727 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 0.78 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 48,223 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 129,368 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2023 est.)
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 country code: .je
Internet users: percent of population: 41% (2012 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 39,699 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2020 est.)

Airports: 1 (2025)
Ports: total ports: 1 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 0
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Saint Helier Harbour

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK