Channel Islands
This article is about the Channel Islands of the English Channel; for the California Channel Islands, see Channel Islands (California).
The Channel Islands or Norman Islands (English Channel Islands, French Îles Anglo-Normandes, Norman Îles de la Manche) are a group of islands in the southwestern part of the English Channel - near the coast of the French department of Manche. They are home to approximately 166,000 people (as of 2015).
The Channel Islands are geologically summit remnants of the Armorican Massif and consist mainly of deep rocks (0.4 to 2.6 billion years old). They became islands after the sea level rose after the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. Erosion formed the surface shapes we see today: Jersey and Sark are flat plateaus with high coasts; Guernsey, Alderney and Herm, on the other hand - located further north - slope down from south to north and have flat beaches in the north. Their climate, influenced by the Gulf Stream, favours a special flora.
During the Second World War, the German Wehrmacht managed to occupy it as the only British territory - from 1940 until the end of the war. The traces of the German occupation, such as high concrete turrets, bunkers, as well as the underground hospital of Jersey (which was never put into operation) are still visible today, as the Germans developed the islands into real sea fortresses, just like Heligoland.
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Politically, they are divided into the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey. The two bailiwicks have their own parliaments, the States.
As a remnant of the historic Duchy of Normandy, whose mainland territory now belongs to France, the Channel Islands are neither part of the United Kingdom nor a crown colony, but are directly subject to the British Crown (in its function as Dukes of Normandy) as a crown dependency (→ Suzerainty). Only the Isle of Man has this special status.
Although the Channel Islands are not geographically part of the British Isles, they are often included for political reasons. When Great Britain joined the European Community in 1973, the status of the Channel Islands was regulated in an additional protocol. Accordingly, the Channel Islands were not members of the EU, but were part of its customs territory.
With more than 100 financial institutions and 352 insurance companies (as of 2008), the Channel Islands are a major financial centre and are still considered an attractive tax haven.
Islands
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Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap
Bailiwick of Jersey
| Island | surface km² | Inhabitants | Coordinates |
| Jersey | 119,6 | 100.800 | 49° 13′ 0″ N, 2° 7′ 57″ W |
| Les Dirouilles | < 1 | uninhabited | 49° 19′ 30″ N, 2° 2′ 30″ W |
| Ecréhous | < 1 | uninhabited | 49° 17′ 30″ N, 1° 55′ 30″ W |
| Minquiers | < 1 | uninhabited | 48° 58′ 30″ N, 2° 7′ 30″ W |
| Pierres de Lecq | < 1 | uninhabited | 49° 17′ 30″ N, 2° 12′ 10″ W |
Bailiwick of Guernsey
| Island | surface km² | Inhabitants | Coordinates |
| Guernsey | 63,4 | 62.533 | 49° 27′ 21″ N, 2° 34′ 39″ W |
| Alderney | 7,8 | 2020 | 49° 42′ 0″ N, 2° 12′ 0″ W |
| Sark | 5,5 | 492 | 49° 26′ 0″ N, 2° 22′ 0″ W |
| Herm | 2 | 79 | 49° 28′ 22″ N, 2° 26′ 58″ W |
| Brecqhou | 0,6 | 2 | 49° 25′ 53″ N, 2° 23′ 14″ W |
| Burhou | 0,13 | uninhabited | 49° 43′ 53″ N, 2° 15′ 7″ W |
| Jethou | 0,18 | 3 | 49° 27′ 28″ N, 2° 27′ 45″ W |
| Lihou | 0,156 | uninhabited | 49° 27′ 38″ N, 2° 40′ 6″ W |
| Casquets | 0,03 | uninhabited | 49° 43′ 4″ N, 2° 22′ 7″ W |
- ↑ a b c d e Group of reefs and cliffs
- ↑ Jethou included
- ↑ Tidal Island
