The Bailiwick of Jersey is located off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and other rocks and reefs. Together with the Bailiwick of Guernsey, it forms the grouping known as the Channel Islands. Like the Isle of Man, Jersey is a separate possession of the Crown and is not part of the United Kingdom. Jersey has an international identity different from that of the UK, although it belongs to the Common Travel Area. The United Kingdom is constitutionally responsible for the defence of Jersey. Jersey is not a part of the European Union but has a special relationship with it, being treated as part of the European Community for the purposes of free trade in goods.
Jersey’s only newspaper, the Jersey Evening Post, claims that it has an average issue readership of 73% of adults in Jersey and that over the course of a week 93 per cent of all adults will read a copy of the newspaper, it being the main printed source of local news and official notices. The newspaper features a weekly Jèrriais column accompanied by English-language précis.
Thanks to specialisation in a few high-return sectors, at purchasing power parity Jersey has high economic output per capita, substantially ahead of all of the world’s large developed economies. The CIA World Factbook estimate of Jersey’s GDP per capita for 2005 is US$57,000, surpassed only by two other small states with similar economic characteristics, Bermuda and Luxembourg. 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 United Kingdom outside central London . Jersey’s economy is based on financial services, tourism, electronic commerce and agriculture; financial services contribute approximately 60 percent of the island’s economy. The island is recognised as one of the leading offshore financial centres. In June 2005 the States introduced the Competition (Jersey) Law 2005 to regulate competition and stimulate economic growth. This competition law was based on that of other jurisdictions.
On February 18, 2005, Jersey was granted Fairtrade Island status.
Major agricultural products are potatoes and dairy produce. The source of milk is Jersey cattle, a small breed of cow that has also been acknowledged (though not widely so) for the quality of its meat. The Jersey cow has more widely been known for its rich milk and cream. Nowadays, visiting the Isle of Jersey, many local businesses support and thrive on the export of “Jersey Cow” milk, cream and fudge.
Farmers and growers often sell surplus food and flowers in boxes on the roadside. The Isle of Jersey has long been an agricultural community. They rely 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.