The Island

THE ISLAND OF Jersey is part of the Channel Islands which are situated in the Bay of Mont St Michel.

Jersey is just 14 miles (22.5km) from the coast of France and 100 miles (161km) south of mainland Britain.

It is 45 square miles (116 square kilometres), 9 x 5 miles (14.5 x 8 kilometres), with over 500 miles (805km) of roadway. The population recorded in the March 2001 census was 87,186 and this figure is known to double in the tourist season. In the summer, Jersey is usually the warmest place in the British Isles with temperatures averaging 20°C (68°F).

Jersey is steeped in history from the time of cavemen to the present. Roman, Viking and Norman invaders have influenced the island but, most famously, the Nazis invaded Jersey during World War II.

The Occupation of the island by German troops between 1940 and 1945 saw about 8,000 islanders evacuated, 1,200 islanders deported to camps in Germany and over 300 islanders being sentenced to the prison and concentration camps of Europe. Twenty people died as a result. Liberation Day - May 9th is marked as a public holiday.