Economy - overview:
The economy is based largely on international 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 income earner. Milk products go to
the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted
for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of
the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. 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. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax
haven.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 2%
services: 93% (1996)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (1998)
Labor force:
57,050 (1996)
Unemployment rate:
0.7% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98
million (2000 est.)
Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Exports:
$NA
Exports - commodities:
light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles
Exports - partners:
UK
Imports:
$NA
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs,
mineral fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:
UK
Debt - external:
none
Economic aid - recipient:
none
Currency:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound
Currency code:
GBP
Exchange rates:
Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596
(2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); the Jersey pound is at par
with the British pound
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March