Jersey

**Jersey** is an island in the English Channel off the northwest coast of France. It is a Crown Dependency of the British monarchy. Jersey is a bailiwick. The **Bailiwick of Jersey** also includes the islands of the Minquiers and Écréhous, where nobody lives. The other islands of the Channel Islands belong to the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The country code (also used for internet) is **JE**.

Over 106 000 people live on the main island. Thirty per cent of them live in its only town, Saint Helier.

Along with English and French, more than two thousand people speak Jèrriais, a local variation of the Norman language.

## Politics

Jersey is not a part of the United Kingdom or of the European Union, but the King of the UK is the King of Jersey as well. It has its own parliament called the _States of Jersey_ which passes laws for the island.

The _Chief Minister_ of Jersey is in charge of the government. Since the 2022 election, Kristina Moore has been the Chief Minister. She is the first woman to have the job.

Jersey is divided into 12 parishes which elect their own politicians and have control over some roads and the _Honorary_ (volunteer) police.

## History

People have lived in the area for about 6,000 years. This was before the sea level went up and made Jersey an island. There are many very old buildings like .

The island was joined to Normandy in 933. Normandy then took control of England in 1066, but Jersey was still in Normandy, not in England. In 1204, King John lost his land in France, but the Channel Islanders wanted to be ruled by the English king, not the French king. Because the Channel Islands chose England over France, the English kings let them have their own laws and governments.

During the English Civil War (1642-1651), the future King Charles II stayed in Jersey because the important Islanders supported the monarchy. When he became King, Charles II gave one of these people a colony in America, which became New Jersey.

In 1769, there was not a lot of food and the rich were selling food made in the island to other countries. Many islanders went to St Helier, rioted and took over the Royal Court. In 1771, the British Government made changes, like introducing a single book of laws and stopping the Royal Court making laws in the future without the States.

Jersey was invaded by the French in the Battle of Jersey in 1781. Major Pierson led an army to fight the French in the Royal Square and won, but he died in the fight.

In Victorian times, the island become more British. More people started to talk in English and more English people moved to the island.

During World War 2, Jersey was controlled by the Nazis. It was freed on 9 May 1945, which is called Liberation Day and is the national day of Jersey.

## Geography

Jersey is an island. It is in the English Channel, a sea in between France and England. It is 22 kilometres (14 miles) from France and 160 kilometres (100 miles) from England. It is the biggest of the _Channel Islands_, a group of islands. The other big Channel Island is called Guernsey.

The island is around 9 miles from east to west and 5 miles from north to south, so it is often called "nine-by-five".

## Climate

Ths island has mild summers and mild winters. In summer, it is normally 12 to 20 degrees Celsius. In the winter, it is normally 4 to 9 degrees Celsius.

### Weather records

The highest temperature ever recorded in Jersey was  on 18 July 2022.

The lowest temperature ever recorded in Jersey was  on 20 January 1963.

The most rain ever recorded in Jersey was 71 millimeters, on 3 August 2008.

#### Highest

|Month|Temperature|Date|
| --- | --- | --- |
|**January**||1 January 2022|
|**February**||28 February 1977|
|**March**||30 March 2021|
|**April**||29 April 2025|
|**May**||23 May 1989|
|**June**||30 June 2025|
|**July**||18 July 2022|
|**August**||4 August 2003|
|**September**||13 September 2020|
|**October**||1 October 2011|
|**November**||7 November 2015|
|**December**||30 December 2022|

#### Lowest

|Month|Temperature|Date|
| --- | --- | --- |
|**January**||20 January 1963|
|**February**||6 February 1991|
|**March**||6 March 1971|
|**April**||12 April 1986|
|**May**||2 May 1979|
|**June**||4 June 1984|
|**July**||1 July 1972|
|**August**||30 August 2011|
|**September**||28 September 1974|
|**October**||30 October 2003|
|**November**||30 November 2016|
|**December**||26 December 2010|

## Culture

Jersey's culture is a mixture of French and British culture. The people speak English, but the old language is called Jèrriais, which is like French.

Because Jersey is an island, fish is a popular food in the island. There is a fish market in the middle of St Helier which sells fresh fish. Jersey is famous for its milk (from Jersey Cows) and its potatoes (called _Jersey Royals_).

Jersey's newspaper is called the _Jersey Evening Post_ which has been printed since 1890.

There is a musical festival every year called _the Weekender_ which happens in Trinity.

The _Jersey Eisteddfod_ is a big art, music, drama, language and dance competition that happens every year. Many islanders take part and are given certificates.

Jersey takes part in the Commonwealth Games and the Island Games (which happened in Jersey in 1997 and 2015). Jersey does not have famous sports teams, so islanders who can play sports really well often play for England or other countries in the UK.

## Economy

Jersey has a lot of finance companies who manage people's money. Some call it a tax haven because it has low taxes and many people use its businesses to pay lower taxes.

Jersey also has a lot of hotels and farms.

## Parishes

There are 12 parishes on the island.

**Saint Helier** is the capital and main town of Jersey. There are many shops, offices, parks and important buildings. The harbour of the island is in St Helier where boats take people to England and France. There is a castle called _Elizabeth Castle_ on a small island near the town.

**Saint Saviour** is on the east of Saint Helier. There are lots of houses and many people who live here work in Saint Helier.

**Saint Clement** is in the south east of the island. It is the smallest parish in area.

**Grouville** is next to Saint Clement. It has a large golf course and a very old building called _La Hougue Bie._

**Saint Martin** is north of Grouville. It has a large castle in the village of Gorey called _Mont Orgeuil Castle_.

**Trinity** has lots of farms. Jersey's zoo is in Trinity.

**Saint John** is in the north of the island. _Sorel Point_ is the most northern point of the island.

**Saint Mary** has the smallest number of people than any other parish.

**Saint Ouen** is the biggest parish in area. It has Saint Ouen's Bay, a large beach which is good for surfing.

**Saint Peter** has the island's airport.

**Saint Brelade** has a beach that many people like called _St Brelade's Bay_ and a lighthouse called _Corbière Lighthouse_.

**Saint Lawrence** is in the middle of the island which has the _Jersey War Tunnels_, an old hospital from World War 2 which is now a museum.

## Other websites

- About Jersey (Visitors' guide)
- Les Pâraîsses d'Jèrri en Jèrriais  _(map of parishes, coat-of-arms, and history)_
- States of Jersey (Jersey government's website)
- BBC Jersey
- Jersey History
- This is Jersey (Local Portal)
- Jersey Insight (Local Portal)
- Map of Jersey

## Infobox (dependency)

- **name**: Bailiwick of Jersey
- **native name**:

- **settlement type**: Crown dependencies, Crown dependency
- **linking name**: Jersey
- **image flag**: Flag of Jersey.svg
- **flag size**: 120px
- **image seal**: Coat of Arms of Jersey.svg
- **seal size**: 60px
- **seal type**: Coat of arms
- **anthem**: "God Save the King"
<div style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;"></div>
- **song**: "Island Home (anthem), Island Home"
- **song type**: Regional anthem
- **image map**: Europe-Jersey.svg
- **mapsize**: 290px
- **image map2**: Jersey sm02.png
- **mapsize2**: 290px
- **subdivision type**: Sovereign state
- **subdivision name**: United Kingdom
- **established title2**: Separation from the Duchy of Normandy
- **established date2**: 1204
- **common languages**: Portuguese and Polish
- **capital**: Saint Helier
- **largest city**: capital
- **ethnic groups**: 46.4% Demographics of Jersey, Jersey
32.7% British people, British
8.2% Portuguese people, Portuguese
3.3% Polish people, Polish
2.4% Irish people, Irish
0.9% French people, French
3.8% Other Demographics of Europe, European
1.3% Asian people, Asian
0.4% African people, African
0.7% multiracial
- **ethnic groups year**: 2011
- **religion**: Church of England
- **government type**: Parliamentary system, Parliamentary Democracy, democratic constitutional monarchy
- **leader title1**: Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Monarch
- **leader name1**: Charles III
- **leader name2**: Stephen Dalton
- **leader title3**: List of Bailiffs of Jersey, Bailiff
- **leader name3**: Tim Le Cocq
- **leader title4**: Chief Minister of Jersey, Chief Minister
- **leader name4**: John Le Fondré Jr
- **legislature**: States Assembly
- **area km2**: 118.2
- **area sq mi**: 45.56
- **percent water**: 0
- **elevation max m**: 143
- **population estimate**: 106,800
- **population estimate year**: 2019
- **population estimate rank**: 198th
- **population density km2**: 819
- **population density sq mi**: 2121
- **gdp ppp**: $6.0 billion (£4.57 billion)
- **gdp ppp rank**: not ranked
- **gdp ppp year**: 2015
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $60,000 (£45,783)
- **gdp ppp per capita rank**: not ranked
- **hdi**: 0.985
- **hdi year**: 2008
- **hdi change**: steady
- **hdi rank**: not ranked
- **currency**: Pound sterling
Jersey pound (£)
- **currency code**: GBP
- **timezone**: Greenwich Mean Time, GMT
- **utc offset**: ±00:00
- **timezone dst**: British Summer Time, BST
- **utc offset dst**: +01:00
- **date format**: dd/mm/yyyy
- **electricity**: 230 V–50 Hz
- **drives on**: left
- **calling code**: Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom#Jersey, +44
- **postal code type**: Postcodes in the United Kingdom#Crown dependencies, UK postcode
- **postal code**: JE postcode area, JE1 – JE5
- **iso code**: ISO 3166-2:JE, JE
- **cctld**: .je