2025 Edition Primary

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.

Area

Land

116 sq km

Total

116 sq km

Water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Climate

temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Coastline

70 km

Continent

Europe

Elevation

Highest point

Les Platons 136 m

Lowest point

English Channel 0 m

Geographic coordinates

49 15 N, 2 10 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

Total

0 km

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.)

Landlocked

No

Location

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

Map links

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/rXG8GZZtsqK92kTCA

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/367988

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

Exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

very large tidal variation can be hazardous to navigation

Natural resources

arable land

Population distribution

fairly even distribution

Subregion

Northern Europe

Terrain

gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Time zone

UTC+01:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Birth rate

11.97 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

Elderly dependency ratio

29.2 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

3.4 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

56 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

26.8 (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.81 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

Female

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

4.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

<p>English (official) 94.5%, Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (includes French (official) and Jerriais)</p> (2001 est.)

languages

English, French, Jèrriais

note

<strong>note: </strong>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

number of languages

3

Life expectancy at birth

Female

85.7 years

Male

80.6 years

Total population

83 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018)

Median age

Female

39.7 years

Male

37 years

Total

38.5 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Channel Islander

Noun

Channel Islander(s)

Net migration rate

0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

Female

52,627

Male

51,317

Total

103,944 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.51% (2025 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.)

Sanitation facility access

Improved: total

total: 98.5% of population

Sex ratio

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

At birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data include Guernsey and Jersey

Rate of urbanization

0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

31.2% of total population (2023)

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

Capital

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

Geographic coordinates

49 11 N, 2 06 W

Name

Saint Helier

Time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Coat of arms

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/je.svg

Constitution

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)

History

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Country name

alternative spellings

JE, Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailliage de Jersey, Bailliage dé Jèrri

Conventional long form

Bailiwick of Jersey

Conventional short form

Jersey

Etymology

the name is of Old Norse origin, with -<em>ey</em> meaning "island;" "Jer(s)" may derive from a person with the Scandinavian name Geirr, meaning "spear"

Former

Norman Isles

local long form (eng)

Bailiwick of Jersey

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Diplomatic representation from the US

Embassy

none (British Crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British Crown dependency)

Executive branch

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed individually by the states

Chief of state

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

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

Head of government

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

Flag

<strong>description:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>history:</strong> 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

Flag description

The flag of Jersey is 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 quadrant, with a yellow crown above.

Flag image

svg

https://flagcdn.com/je.svg

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey)

Independence

none (British Crown dependency)

International organization participation

UPU

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)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

Expected date of next election

2026

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Assembly of the States of Jersey

Most recent election date

6/22/2022

Note

<strong>note:</strong> 5 non-voting members appointed by the monarch include the bailiff, lieutenant governor, dean of Jersey, attorney general, and the solicitor general

Number of seats

54 (49 directly elected, 5 appointed)

Parties elected and seats per party

BW (35); RJ (10); JLC (2); JA (1); PP (1)

Percentage of women in chamber

42.9%

Term in office

4 years

National color(s)

red, white

National holiday

Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

National symbol(s)

Jersey cow

Political parties

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

note

<strong>note:</strong> most deputies sit as independents

Start of week

Monday

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

UN Member

No

Agricultural products

potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Currency

code

GBP, JEP

name

British pound (GBP) [£], Jersey pound (JEP) [£]

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Jersey pounds (JEP) per US dollar

Exchange rates 2020

0.78 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.727 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.811 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.805 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.782 (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

note

top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Agriculture

0.6% (2023 est.)

Industry

8.2% (2023 est.)

Note

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

Services

91.2% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.508 billion (2023 est.)

note

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

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

Industrial production growth rate

1.3% (2023 est.)

note

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

Industries

tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics

Labor force

82,400 (2024 est.)

note

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2015 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014

$4.98 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$5.514 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016

$5.569 billion (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Note

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

Real GDP growth rate 2021

9.9% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.7% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes Jersey and Guernsey

Unemployment rate 2022

6.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

6.3% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Female

13.9% (2024 est.)

Male

14.2% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

14.1% (2024 est.)

Electricity access

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> includes Guernsey and Jersey

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

37 (2020 est.)

Total

39,699 (2020 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.)

Postal code format

@# #@@|@## #@@|@@# #@@|@@## #@@|@#@ #@@|@@#@ #@@|GIR0AA

Telephone calling code

+44

Telephones - fixed lines

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

48,223 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

125 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

129,368 (2023 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Driving side

Left

Ports

Key ports

Saint Helier Harbour

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

1

Small

1

Total ports

1 (2024)

Very small

0

Vehicle registration code

GBJ

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Environmental issues

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

Waste and recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually

178,900 tons (2024 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> data include combined totals for Guernsey and Jersey.

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

28.4% (2016 est.)