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Jersey's population has grown by nearly 10,000 in the last decade and is now 97,857 according to the 2011 census.

The States of Jersey Statistics Unit said the island's population had risen by 10% since the last census 10 years ago.

If Jersey was a town in the UK, it would come about 70th in the list of the largest towns and cities, somewhere between Cheltenham and Worthing.

The census also found most islanders live in or around St Helier.

The Statistics Unit said one reason for the rise was that more people had been born than had died.

About 6,800 people had also come to live in Jersey in the last decade.

Chief Minister Senator Ian Gorst said he was cautious about trying to read too much into the figures at this stage.

He said: "There are many reasons why people come to our community not least of which might be retired people with Jersey qualifications moving back to Jersey because of what's happening in the economy elsewhere around the world.

"So until we know the details and characteristics of the underlying reasons for these statistics we shouldn't be drawing conclusions."

A spokesman for the States of Jersey statistics unit said further census information would be released in bulletins published at regular intervals.