CapitalSaint Helier
Population103,944
Area116 km²
LanguagesEnglish, Portuguese, other and Jerriais)
CurrencyJersey pounds
Life Expectancy83.0 yr
Governmentparliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey).
Introduction
Background
Jersey, along with the other Channel Islands, constitutes the final remnants of the historical Duchy of Normandy, which once extended its influence over both France and England. During World War II, these islands were the sole territories of Britain that were occupied by Germany. The Bailiwick of Jersey functions as a British Crown dependency, indicating that it is not integrated into the UK but rather operates as a self-governing entity under the British Crown. Nevertheless, the UK Government holds constitutional responsibility for its defense and international representation.
Geography
Area
land
116 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
116 sq km
Climate
temperate; winters are mild and summers are cool
Terrain
gently undulating plain with low, rugged elevations along the northern coastline
Land use
other
51.6% (2022 est.)
forest
5.2% (2022 est.)
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.)
Location
Western Europe, situated in the English Channel, to the northwest of France
Coastline
70 km
Elevation
lowest point
English Channel 0 m
highest point
Les Platons 136 m
Irrigated land
NA
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive fishing zone
12 nm
Natural hazards
significant tidal fluctuations can pose dangers to navigation
Geography - note
largest and most southerly of the Channel Islands; roughly 30% of the population is concentrated in Saint Helier
Natural resources
cultivable land
Area - comparative
approximately two-thirds the size of Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
49 15 N, 2 10 W
Population distribution
relatively uniform distribution
People & Society
Languages
English (official) 94.5%, Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (which includes French (official) and Jerriais)
(est. 2001)Religions
Christian 85.2%, Baha'i 0.3%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish 0.1%, Muslim 0.1%, atheist 1.1%, agnostic 13.1% (est. 2020)
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
total population
0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.75 male(s)/female
Birth rate
11.97 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
37 years
total
38.5 years (2025 est.)
female
39.7 years
Population
male
51,317
total
103,944 (2025 est.)
female
52,627
Nationality
noun
Channel Islander(s)
adjective
Channel Islander
Urbanization
urban population
31.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.68% annual rate of change (2020-25 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)
Ethnic groups
Jersey 44.4%, British 30.5%, Portuguese/Madeiran 9.4%, Polish 3%, Irish 2.1%, other 10.6% (est. 2021)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
56 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
26.8 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
3.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
29.2 (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
0.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.66 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
total
3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.51% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.81 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
relatively even distribution
Life expectancy at birth
male
80.6 years
female
85.7 years
total population
83 years (2024 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: total
total: 98.5% of population
Major urban areas - population
34,000 SAINT HELIER (capital) (2018)
Environment
Climate
moderate; winters are mild and summers are cool
Land use
other
51.6% (2022 est.)
forest
5.2% (2022 est.)
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.)
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.)
Environmental issues
loss of habitats and species; pollution of water; inadequate disposal of solid waste
Government
Flag
description: a white flag featuring a diagonal red cross that stretches to the flag's corners; in the upper triangle, there is a red shield adorned with three yellow lions, topped with a yellow crown above
history: tradition holds that Jersey vessels set themselves apart from English vessels bearing the horizontal cross of St. George by rotating their own cross into an "X" (saltire) formation; this design was reminiscent of the Irish cross of St. Patrick, leading to the incorporation of the Plantagenet crown and the Jersey coat of arms.
Capital
name
Saint Helier
etymology
named in honor of Saint HELIER, the patron saint of Jersey, who is believed to have been martyred on the island in A.D. 555.
time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time).
daylight saving time
+1hr, commencing on the last Sunday of March and concluding on the last Sunday of October.
geographic coordinates
49 11 N, 2 06 W
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Constitution
history
unwritten; partly based on statutes and partly on common law and practice.
amendment process
introduced by a government minister to the Assembly of the States of Jersey, by a member of the Assembly, or by an elected parish head; to pass, it must undergo multiple readings in the Assembly, secure a majority vote from the Assembly, be reviewed by the UK Ministry of Justice, and receive the approval of the British monarch (Royal Assent).
Country name
former
Norman Isles
etymology
the name has Old Norse roots, with -ey signifying "island;" "Jer(s)" may originate from an individual with the Scandinavian name Geirr, which means "spear."
conventional long form
Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form
Jersey
Independence
none (British Crown dependency)
Legal system
the laws of the UK are applicable, along with local statutes.
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Assembly of the States of Jersey).
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Jersey Court of Appeal (comprising the bailiff, deputy bailiff, and 12 judges); Royal Court (includes the bailiff, deputy bailiff, 6 commissioners, and laypeople known as jurats, organized into Heritage, Family, Probate, and Samedi Divisions); appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are addressed by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (located in London).
subordinate courts
Magistrate's Court; Youth Court; Petty Debts Court; Parish Hall Enquiries (a preliminary investigation process for youth and minor adult offenses to determine the necessity for court presentation).
judge selection and term of office
bailiffs and judges of the Jersey Court of Appeal are appointed by the Crown based on the recommendations of the Secretary of State for Justice; bailiffs and judges serve for an "extent of good behavior;" Royal Court bailiffs are appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Secretary of State for Justice; commissioners are appointed by the bailiff; jurats are selected by the Electoral College; bailiffs and commissioners are appointed for an "extent of good behavior;" jurats serve until retirement at the age of 72.
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).
head of government
Chief Minister Lyndon FARNHAM (since 25 January 2024); Bailiff Timothy Le COCQ (since 17 October 2019).
election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary; the Council of Ministers, including the chief minister, is indirectly elected by the Assembly of States; the lieutenant governor and bailiff are appointed by the monarch.
National holiday
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Dependency status
British crown dependency.
National color(s)
red, white
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
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
54 (49 directly elected, 5 appointed)
legislature name
Assembly of the States of Jersey
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
6/22/2022
expected date of next election
2026
percentage of women in chamber
42.9%
parties elected and seats per party
BW (35); RJ (10); JLC (2); JA (1); PP (1)
National anthem(s)
title
"God Save the King"
history
official anthem, as a British Crown dependency
lyrics/music
unknown
National symbol(s)
Jersey cow
Administrative divisions
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but there are 12 parishes: Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, Trinity.
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (British Crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy
none (British Crown dependency)
International organization participation
UPU
Economy
Industries
banking and finance, dairy, electronics, tourism
Labor force
82,400 (2024 est.)
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.)
Economic overview
economy of a British territorial island; robust offshore banking and finance industries; low taxation on assets; vibrant tourism sector before the impacts of COVID-19 and Brexit; ranked among the most costly locations to reside; limited welfare system; traditional cider production
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
6.2% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
6.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
6.3% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Imports - partners
almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Real GDP growth rate
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.)
Agricultural products
dairy products, beef; tomatoes, cauliflower, potatoes
Exports - commodities
beverages, refined petroleum, ships, jewelry, artwork (2022)
Imports - commodities
artwork, ships, vegetables, fruits, jewelry (2022)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$12.508 billion (2023 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
1.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
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.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
14.2% (2024 est.)
total
14.1% (2024 est.)
female
13.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
8.2% (2023 est.)
services
91.2% (2023 est.)
agriculture
0.6% (2023 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
41% (2012 est.)
Broadcast media
Various terrestrial television broadcasts in the UK are received through a transmitter located in Jersey; satellite options are also offered; BBC Radio Jersey along with one additional radio station is in operation.
Internet country code
.je
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.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
39,699 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
37 (2020 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
1
medium
0
key ports
Saint Helier Harbour
very small
0
total ports
1 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
1
Airports
1 (2025)
Military & Security
Military - note
The obligation for defense lies with the United Kingdom.
