| The World Factbook | ||
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Jersey |
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| Introduction | Jersey |
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Background:
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Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. Jersey is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. |
| Geography | Jersey |
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Location:
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Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France |
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Geographic coordinates:
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49 15 N, 2 10 W |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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70 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
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Climate:
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temperate; mild winters and cool summers |
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Terrain:
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gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m |
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Natural resources:
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arable land |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier |
| People | Jersey |
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Population:
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91,626 (July 2009 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 16.1% (male 7,623/female 7,087)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 30,914/female 31,081) 65 years and over: 16.3% (male 6,614/female 8,307) (2009 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 42.9 years
male: 42.1 years female: 43.6 years (2009 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.211% (2009 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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8.63 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.36 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 31% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 79.75 years
male: 77.23 years female: 82.46 years (2009 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.57 children born/woman (2009 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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Jersey 51.1%, Britons 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census) |
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Religions:
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Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian |
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Languages:
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English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) |
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Literacy:
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NA |
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Education expenditures:
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NA |
| Government | Jersey |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey |
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Dependency status:
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British crown dependency |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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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 |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 12 parishes including Grouville, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, and Trinity |
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Independence:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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National holiday:
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Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
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Constitution:
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unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
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Legal system:
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the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
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Suffrage:
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16 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Andrew RIDGEWAY (since 14 June 2006)
head of government: Chief Minister Terry LE SUEUR (12 December 2008); Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since February 1995) cabinet: Cabinet (since December 2005) elections: ministers of the Cabinet including the chief minister are elected by the Assembly of States; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and bailiff appointed by the monarch |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Assembly of the States of Jersey (58 seats; 55 are voting members, of which 12 are senators elected for six-year terms, 12 are constables or heads of parishes elected for three-year terms, 29 are deputies elected for three-year terms, the bailiff and the deputy bailiff, and 3 non-voting members includes the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held 15 October 2008 for senators and 26 November 2008 for deputies (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 55 |
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Judicial branch:
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Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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two declared parties: Centre Party; Jersey Democratic Alliance
note: all senators and deputies elected in 2008 were independents |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Institute of Directors, Jersey branch (provides business support); Jersey Hospitality Association [Robert JONES] (trade association); Jersey Rights Association [David ROTHERHAM] (human rights); La Societe Jersiaise (education and conservation group); Progress Jersey [Darius J. PEARCE, Daren O'TOOLE, Gino RISOLI] (human rights); Royal Jersey Agriculture and Horticultural Society or RJA&HS (development and management of the Jersey breed of cattle); Save Jersey's Heritage (protects heritage through building preservation) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (British crown dependency) |
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Flag description:
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white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield with the three lions of England in yellow |
| Economy | Jersey |
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Economy - overview:
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Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2005 the finance sector accounted for about 50% of the island's output. 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 income earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts for one-quarter of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed, displacing more traditional industries. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards come close to those of the UK. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$5.1 billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$5.1 billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA% |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$57,000 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 2% services: 97% (2005) |
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Labor force:
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53,560 (June 2006) |
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Unemployment rate:
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2.2% (2006 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $829 million
expenditures: $851 million (2005) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.7% (December 2006) |
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$NA |
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Agriculture - products:
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potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products |
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Industries:
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tourism, banking and finance, dairy, electronics |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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630.1 million kWh (2004 est.) |
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Electricity - imports:
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NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France |
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Exports:
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$NA |
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Exports - commodities:
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light industrial and electrical goods, dairy cattle, foodstuffs, textiles |
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Imports:
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$NA |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Currency (code):
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Jersey pound
note: the British pound is also legal tender |
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Currency code:
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GBP |
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Exchange rates:
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Jersey pounds per US dollar 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound |
| Communications | Jersey |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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73,900 (2001) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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83,900 (2004) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: state owned, partially-competitive market; increasingly modern, with some broadband access
domestic: digital telephone system launch announced in 2006 and currently being implemented international: submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey, the UK, and France (2008) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (UK radio broadcasts carried via local relays) (2008) |
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Radios:
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NA |
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Television broadcast stations:
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2 (UK television carried by local relays with a switch to digital broadcasts scheduled for 2010) (2008) |
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Televisions:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.je |
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Internet hosts:
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190 (2008) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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NA |
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Internet users:
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27,000 (2005) |
| Transportation | Jersey |
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Airports:
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1 (2008) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2008) |
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Roadways:
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total: 358 km (2002) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier |
| Military | Jersey |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 16,920
females age 16-49: 16,826 (2009 est.) |
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
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male: 586
female: 541 (2009 est.) |
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Transnational Issues | Jersey |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on 14 May, 2009 |