Jersey, Channel Islands, UK
Created | Updated Feb 9, 2006
A small island in the Channel Islands that lies in the English Channel between England and France, Jersey is nine miles long and five miles wide. It's famous for its finance industry and for its tourism. Despite its small size, Jersey has a population of approximately 90,000. However, despite the size of the population, there is still much of the countryside left untouched. Jersey is famous for its sprawling beaches and its 12 mile tidal range. This range means that the difference on the beach between high and low tides is often well over a mile. In the summer, temperatures reach 30°C and in the winter temperatures drop to about -5°C.
Jersey truly is a great holiday destination with a mix of French and English cultures, as well as a culture that is distinctly its own. In fact, the island has been lost and won by both England and France many times in history. It is also the crown dependency, meaning in order for a royal to become King or Queen, they must ask the Bailiff of Jersey for permission first. The Channel Islands was the only place in the British Isles to be occupied by the Germans in the Second World War and many of Jersey's tourist attractions show evidence of German fortifications such as the German Underground Hospital.
Other tourist attractions include Elizabeth Castle and Mont Orgueil Castle, the Jersey Maritime Museum and La Hougue Bie, a prehistoric tomb. Jersey has many world records to its name, including the world's largest steam clock, as well as the honour of having the most number of cars per person in the world.