It has a total area of 120 square kilometres (46 sq mi) and is part of the British Isles archipelago.

Jersey claims a territorial sea of 3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) and an exclusive fishing zone of 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) and shares maritime borders with the Bailiwick of Guernsey to the north and France to the south and east.

The highest point in the island is Les Platons on the north coast, at 136 metres (446 ft).

Studies suggest the primary sites for tidal energy development would be located in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, especially in the Alderney Race, which could potentially produce up to 5.10 GW of power.

A rise in temperature could be beneficial to the island's tourist industry, with more annual warm days and less rainfall in the summer attracting longer and more frequent stays from travellers.

Outside of the town, the land is largely separated into small closes, dissimilar to the larger fields found on Great Britain or the European continent.

On the 1795 Richmond Map, the land appears "excessively divided" into small closes and even around the parish churches, the houses are no denser than elsewhere.

[14] The island effectively operates as a single conurbation, consisting of an urban core, suburbs and exurban rural communities.

The largest settlement is the town of St Helier, which also plays host to the island's seat of government.

The town is the central business district, hosting a large proportion of the island's retail and employment, such as the finance industry.

The south and east coasts from St Aubin to Gorey are largely urbanised, with only small gaps in their development, such as the Royal Golf Course in Grouville.

The most notable exurban development is the Les Quennevais area, which is home to a small precinct of shops, a park and a leisure centre.

Many people in these communities regularly travel to St Helier for work and leisure purposes.

[17] The Revised 2011 Island Plan[18] is centred of three simple concepts of countryside protection, the wise use of resources and urban regeneration.

It is sovereign territory of the Crown and not part of the United Kingdom, however the UK is internationally responsible for Jersey.

[22]:para 13 Jersey is part of the British-Irish Council, which is formed of the national governments of each of the countries and dependencies in the British Isles.

Jersey has a highly developed economy driven by international financial and legal services, which accounted for 40.5% of total GVA in 2010.

[26] Other important sectors to the Jersey economy include construction, retail and wholesale, agriculture and tourism.