JERSEY (British crown dependency) 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: 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: arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%; 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: 84,331 (July 1991), growth rate 0.8% (1991) Birth rate: 12 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 6 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1991) 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% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age 5 to 16 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 and Commander in Chief Air Marshal Sir John SUTTON (since NA 1990); 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 Member of: none Diplomatic representation: none (British crown dependency) Flag: white with the diagonal red cross of Saint 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 worldwide 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 government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate 8% (1987 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1988 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $308.0 million; expenditures $284.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985) Exports: $NA; commodities--light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles; partners--UK Imports: $NA; commodities--machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals; partners--UK External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 50,000 kW standby capacity (1990); power supplied by France Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy Agriculture: potatoes, cauliflowers, tomatoes; dairy and cattle farming Economic aid: none Currency: Jersey pound (plural--pounds); 1 Jersey pound (LJ) = 100 pence Exchange rates: Jersey pounds (LJ) per US$1--0.5171 (January 1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March COMMUNICATIONS Ports: Saint Helier, Gorey, Saint Aubin Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m (Saint Peter) Telecommunications: 63,700 telephones; stations--1 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 3 submarine cables DEFENSE FORCES Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK