Jersey was part of the\u00a0Duchy of Normandy<\/a>, whose dukes became kings of\u00a0England<\/a>\u00a0from 1066. After Normandy was lost by the kings of England in the 13th century, and the ducal title surrendered to France, Jersey remained loyal to the\u00a0English Crown<\/a>, though it never became part of the\u00a0Kingdom of England<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jersey is a self-governing\u00a0parliamentary democracy<\/a>\u00a0under a\u00a0constitutional monarchy<\/a>, with its own\u00a0financial<\/a>,\u00a0legal<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0judicial<\/a>\u00a0systems,<\/sup>\u00a0and the power of\u00a0self-determination<\/a>.<\/sup>\u00a0The island has a separate relationship with the\u00a0Crown<\/a>\u00a0than the other Crown Dependencies and the\u00a0Lieutenant Governor<\/a>\u00a0represents the\u00a0Queen<\/a>\u00a0there. Jersey is not part of the\u00a0United Kingdom<\/a>,<\/sup><\/sup><\/sup>\u00a0and has an international identity separate from that of the UK,<\/sup> but the UK is constitutionally responsible for the defense of Jersey.<\/p>\n The island has a large financial services industry, which generates 40% of its\u00a0GVA<\/a>.<\/sup>\u00a0British cultural influence<\/a>\u00a0on the island is evident in its use of\u00a0English<\/a>\u00a0as the main language and\u00a0Pound sterling<\/a>\u00a0as its primary currency. Additional British cultural commonalities include driving on the left, access to British television and newspapers, a school\u00a0curriculum<\/a>\u00a0following that of England,<\/sup>\u00a0and the popularity of\u00a0British sports<\/a>, including\u00a0cricket<\/a>.<\/sup>\u00a0The island also has a strong Norman-French culture, such as its ancient Norman language\u00a0J\u00e8rriais<\/a>\u00a0and place names with\u00a0French<\/a> or Norman origins. The island has close cultural links with its neighboring islands in the\u00a0Bailiwick of Guernsey<\/a>. Jersey and\u00a0its people<\/a>\u00a0have been described as a fictional\u00a0nation<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jersey history is influenced by its strategic location between the northern coast of France and the southern coast of England; the island’s recorded history extends over a thousand years.<\/p>\n La Cotte de St Brelade<\/a> is a Paleolithic site inhabited before\u00a0rising sea levels<\/a> transformed Jersey into an island. Jersey was a center of Neolithic activity, as demonstrated by the concentration of\u00a0dolmens<\/a>. Evidence of\u00a0Bronze Age<\/a>\u00a0and early\u00a0Iron Age<\/a>\u00a0settlements can be found in many locations around the island.<\/p>\n Additional\u00a0archaeological<\/a>\u00a0evidence of\u00a0Roman<\/a>\u00a0influence has been found, in particular at\u00a0Les Landes<\/a>, the coastal headland site at\u00a0Le Pinacle<\/a>, where remains of a primitive structure are attributed to Gallo-Roman temple worship (fanum<\/a><\/i>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Jersey was part of\u00a0Neustria<\/a>\u00a0with the same Gallo-Frankish population as the continental mainland. Jersey, the whole Channel Islands and the\u00a0Cotentin peninsula<\/a>\u00a0(probably with the\u00a0Avranchin<\/a>) came formally under the control of the\u00a0Duke of Brittany<\/a>\u00a0during the\u00a0Viking<\/a>\u00a0invasions, because the\u00a0king of the Franks<\/a>\u00a0was unable to defend them, however they remained in the\u00a0archbishopric of Rouen<\/a>. Jersey was invaded by Vikings in the 9th century. In 933 it was annexed to the future\u00a0Duchy of Normandy<\/a>, together with the other Channel Islands, Cotentin and Avranchin, by\u00a0William Longsword<\/a>,\u00a0count of Rouen<\/a>\u00a0and it became one of the Norman Islands. When William’s descendant,\u00a0William the Conqueror<\/a>,\u00a0conquered England<\/a>\u00a0in 1066, the Duchy of Normandy and the kingdom of England were governed under one monarch.<\/sup>\u00a0The Dukes of Normandy owned considerable estates in the island, and Norman families living on their estates established many of the historical Norman-French Jersey family names.\u00a0King John<\/a>\u00a0lost all his territories in mainland Normandy in 1204 to\u00a0King Philip II Augustus<\/a>, but retained possession of Jersey and the other Channel Islands.<\/p>\n In the\u00a0Treaty of Paris (1259)<\/a>, the English king formally surrendered his claim to the duchy of Normandy and ducal title, and since then the islands have been internally self-governing territories of the English crown and latterly the British crown.<\/p>\n On 7 October 1406, 1,000 French men at arms led by\u00a0Pero Ni\u00f1o<\/a> invaded Jersey, landing at St Aubin’s Bay and defeated the 3,000 defenders but failed to capture the island.<\/p>\n In the late 16th century, islanders travelled across the North Atlantic to participate in the\u00a0Newfoundland<\/a>\u00a0fisheries<\/a>.<\/sup>\u00a0In recognition for help given to him during his exile in Jersey in the 1640s, King\u00a0Charles II of England<\/a>\u00a0gave Vice Admiral Sir\u00a0George Carteret<\/a>, bailiff and governor, a large grant of land in the\u00a0American colonies<\/a>\u00a0in between the\u00a0Hudson<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Delaware<\/a>\u00a0rivers, which he promptly named\u00a0New Jersey<\/a>. It is now a state in the United States.<\/sup><\/p>\n Aware of the military importance of Jersey, the British government had ordered that the bailiwick be heavily fortified. On 6 January 1781, a French invasion force of 2,000 men set out to take over the island, but only half of the force arrived and landed. The\u00a0Battle of Jersey<\/a>\u00a0lasted about half an hour, with the British successfully defending the island. There were about thirty casualties on each side, and the British took 600 French prisoners who were subsequently sent to Great Britain. Both of the army commanders were slain.<\/p>\n Trade laid the foundations of prosperity, aided by neutrality between England and France.<\/sup>\u00a0The Jersey way of life involved agriculture,\u00a0milling<\/a>, fishing,\u00a0shipbuilding<\/a> and production of woolen goods. 19th-century improvements in transport links brought tourism to the island.<\/p>\n During the\u00a0Second World War<\/a>, some citizens were evacuated to the UK but most remained. Jersey was\u00a0occupied by Germany<\/a>\u00a0from 1 July 1940 until 9 May 1945, when Germany surrendered.<\/sup>\u00a0During this time the Germans constructed many fortifications using\u00a0Soviet<\/a> slave labor. After 1944, supplies from France were interrupted by the\u00a0D-Day landings<\/a>, and food on the island became scarce. The SS\u00a0Vega<\/a><\/i>\u00a0was sent to the island carrying\u00a0Red Cross<\/a>\u00a0supplies and news of the success of the Allied advance in Europe. During the Nazi occupation, a resistance cell was created by communist activist\u00a0Norman Le Brocq<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Jersey Communist Party<\/a>, whose communist ideology of forming a ‘United Front’ led to the creation of the Jersey Democratic Movement. The Channel Islands were one of the last places in Europe to be liberated. 9 May is celebrated as the island’s\u00a0Liberation Day<\/a>, where there are celebrations in Liberation Square.<\/p>\n Escalation in a fishing-rights dispute between the Jersey government and French fishers led to an\u00a0international dispute in May 2021<\/a>.\u00a0Royal Navy<\/a>\u00a0vessels were deployed to prevent a potential blockade by French ships. Previously in March 2021, fishing vessels from Jersey blocked\u00a0Saint Helier Marina<\/a>\u00a0in protest.<\/sup><\/p>\n Jersey is an island measuring 118.2 square kilometers (45.6 sq mi) (or 66,436\u00a0verg\u00e9es<\/a>),<\/sup>\u00a0including\u00a0reclaimed<\/a>\u00a0land and intertidal zone. It lies in the\u00a0English Channel<\/a>, about 12\u00a0nautical miles<\/a>\u00a0(22\u00a0km<\/a>; 14\u00a0mi<\/a>) from the\u00a0Cotentin Peninsula<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Normandy<\/a>, France, and about 87 nautical miles (161\u00a0km; 100\u00a0mi) south of\u00a0Great Britain<\/a>.<\/sup>\u00a0It is the largest and southernmost of the Channel Islands and part of the British Isles, with a maximum land elevation of 143\u00a0m (469\u00a0ft) above sea level.<\/p>\n About 24% of the island is built-up. 52% of the land area is dedicated to cultivation and around 18% is the natural environment.<\/p>\n Jersey has a coastline that is 70 km long and a total area of 119 square kilometers. It measures roughly 9 miles from west to east and 5 miles north to south, which gives it the affectionate name among locals of “nine-by-five”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The island is divided into twelve parishes, the largest of which is St Ouen and the smallest of which is St Clement. The island is characterized by a number of valleys which generally run north-to-south, such as Waterworks Valley, Grands Vaux, Mont les Vaux, although a few run in other directions, such as Le Mourier Valley. The highest point on the island is Les Platons at 136 m.<\/p>\n There are several smaller island groups that are part of the Bailiwick of Jersey, such as Les Minquiers and Les \u00c9crehous, however unlike the smaller islands of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, none of these are permanently inhabited.<\/p>\n Jersey’s economy is highly developed and services-focused, with a\u00a0GDP per capita<\/a>\u00a0of \u00a345,320[9]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0in 2019. It is a\u00a0mixed market economy<\/a>, with\u00a0free market<\/a>\u00a0principles and an advanced\u00a0social security<\/a>\u00a0infrastructure.<\/sup>\u00a0It is based on\u00a0financial services<\/a>\u00a0(40% of\u00a0GVA<\/a> in 2012), tourism and hospitality (hotels, restaurants, bars, transport and communications totaling 8.4% of GVA in 2012), retail and wholesale (7% of GVA in 2012), construction (6.2% of GVA in 2012) and agriculture (1.3% of GVA in 2012).<\/sup>\u00a053,460 people were employed in Jersey as of December\u00a02010: 24% in financial and legal services; 16% in wholesale and retail trades; 16% in the public sector; 10% in education, health and other private sector services; 10% in construction and quarrying; 9% in hotels, restaurants and bars.<\/sup><\/p>\n Thanks to specialization in a few high-return sectors, at purchasing power parity<\/a>\u00a0Jersey has high economic output per capita, substantially ahead of all of the world’s large developed economies.\u00a0Gross national income<\/a>\u00a0in 2009 was \u00a33.7\u00a0billion (approximately \u00a340,000 per head of population).<\/sup> However, this is not indicative of each individual resident’s purchasing power and the actual standard of living in Jersey is comparable to that in the UK outside central London.<\/p>\n Jersey is most notable for being one of the world’s largest offshore finance centers. The UK acts as a conduit for financial services between European countries and the island.<\/sup> The growth of this sector however has not been without its controversies as Jersey has been characterized by critics and detractors as a place in which the “leadership has essentially been captured by global finance, and whose members will threaten and intimidate anyone who dissents.”<\/sup>\u00a0In June 2005 the States introduced the Competition (Jersey) Law 2005,<\/sup>\u00a0a\u00a0competition law<\/a>\u00a0based on those of other jurisdictions, to regulate competition and stimulate economic growth.<\/p>\n Tourism is an important economic sector for the island. Hospitality (hotels, restaurants and bars) made up 4.2% of Jersey’s GVA in 2019. It is estimated that the wider contribution of tourism in particular is 8.3% (2017). Travel to Jersey is very seasonal. Accommodation occupancy is much higher in the summer months, especially August, than in the winter months (with a low in November). The majority of visitors to the island arrive by\u00a0air<\/a>\u00a0from the UK.<\/p>\n In 2017, 52% of the Island’s area was agricultural land (a decrease since 2009).<\/sup>\u00a0Major agricultural products are\u00a0potatoes<\/a>\u00a0and dairy produce; agriculture’s share of GVA increased 5% in 2009, a fifth successive year of growth.<\/sup>\u00a0Jersey cattle<\/a> are a small breed of cow widely known for its rich milk and cream; the quality of its meat is also appreciated on a small scale.\u00a0The herd total in 2009 was 5,090 animals.<\/sup>\u00a0Fisheries and aquaculture make use of Jersey’s marine resources to a total value of over \u00a36\u00a0million in 2009.<\/sup>\u00a0Farmers and growers often sell surplus food and flowers in boxes on the roadside, relying on the honesty of customers to drop the correct change into the money box and take what they want. In the 21st century, diversification of agriculture and amendments in planning strategy have led to farm shops replacing many of the roadside stalls.<\/p>\n Jersey along with\u00a0Guernsey<\/a>\u00a0has its own lottery called the\u00a0Channel Islands Lottery<\/a>\u00a0that was launched in 1975.<\/p>\n On 18 February 2005, Jersey was granted\u00a0Fairtrade Island<\/a>\u00a0status.<\/p>\n The primary mode of transport on the island is the\u00a0motor vehicle<\/a>. Jersey has a road network consisting of 557 km of roads and there are a total of 124,737 motor vehicles registered on the island as of 2016.<\/p>\n There are no longer any railways on the island, however there used to be two main railway lines, the Jersey Western Railway and the Jersey Eastern Railway. The Western Railway track has been converted to a cycle track.<\/p>\n Public transport in Jersey consists of a bus network currently operated by\u00a0LibertyBus<\/a>; there are currently 84 buses which cover 25 public routes, the company also operates local school buses. There is also a taxi network and an electronic bike scheme (EVie).<\/p>\n Jersey has a large network of lanes, some of which are classified as green lanes, which have a 15\u00a0mph speed limit and where priority is afforded to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.<\/p>\n Jersey has an\u00a0airport<\/a>\u00a0and a number of ports, which are operated by Ports of Jersey.<\/p>\n The\u00a0flag of\u00a0Jersey<\/a>\u00a0is composed of a red\u00a0saltire<\/a>\u00a0on a white field. In the upper quadrant the\u00a0badge of Jersey<\/a>\u00a0surmounted by a yellow “Plantagenet<\/a>\u00a0crown<\/a>“. The flag was adopted by the\u00a0States of Jersey<\/a>\u00a0on 12 June 1979,\u00a0proclaimed<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Queen Elizabeth II<\/a> on 10 December 1980 and first officially hoisted on 7 April 1981.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2021\/09\/Jersey-on-the-Globe-300x252.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>History:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/1\/13\/Assize_d%27Heritage.jpg\/290px-Assize_d%27Heritage.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/8\/8b\/Jour_d%27la_Lib%C3%A9th%C3%A2tion_J%C3%A8rri_9_d%27Mai_2012_81.jpg\/220px-Jour_d%27la_Lib%C3%A9th%C3%A2tion_J%C3%A8rri_9_d%27Mai_2012_81.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Geography:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/9\/98\/Jersey_by_Sentinel-2.jpg\/220px-Jersey_by_Sentinel-2.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/6\/6e\/Jersey-islands.png\/220px-Jersey-islands.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Economy:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/f\/f7\/Jersey_finance_centre_2021.jpg\/220px-Jersey_finance_centre_2021.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/c\/c4\/Aerial_view_of_fields_in_St_Clement%2C_Jersey.jpg\/220px-Aerial_view_of_fields_in_St_Clement%2C_Jersey.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Transportation:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2022\/04\/Jersey-Airport-300x169.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Flag of Jersey:<\/h2>\n