ISLEFACT
ISLAND NEWS
ISLEFOCUS highlights some of the latest issues being recorded by island communities around the world. It is interesting to note how many of these are common across the global island spectrum.
Young adults are leaving JERSEY in a trend known as the ‘bean drain’ driven primarily by high living costs, expensive housing, and a perceived lack of career variety. Recent data highlights the scale and causes of this demographic shift.
At a recent workshop in FIJI, it was noted that the rapid growth of AI on pacific island newsrooms could be transformative, but it could also put pressure on journalism jobs and revenue where resources are already limited.
ICELAND has retained first place in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index for the 17th consecutive year. According to the 2026 report, 93% of the island’s measured gender gap has been closed and remains the only economy above 90%.
Driven by the artificial intelligence boom, ANGUILLA now earns many millions of dollars annually from its .ai country-code domain. This revenue is able to fund around 47% of the island's overall budget, transforming its economic outlook.
The SEYCHELLES and the European Union have just signed a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) protocol renewing this partnership for a further four years and ending uncertainty for the EU tuna fleet in the Indian Ocean.
Tourism in the AZORES has declined for nine consecutive months due to the loss of flights and airline competition. Immediate action to address the decline is being called for by the local Chamber of Commerce and the hospitality sector.