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Channel islands
*** Shopping-Tip: Channel islands
:''Alternative meaning:
Channel Islands of California''
Image:ChannelIslands.png right
The '''Channel Islands''' are a group of
islands off the coast of
Normandy,
France, in the
English Channel. They comprise two separate
bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of
Guernsey and the Bailiwick of
Jersey.
History
Major articles:
History of Jersey,
History of Guernsey
The Islands were annexed to the
Duchy of Normandy in
933. In
1066 the Duke
William I of England William the Conqueror invaded and conquered
England, becoming the English monarch. Since
1204, the loss of the rest of the monarch's lands in mainland Normandy has meant that the Channel Islands have been governed as separate possessions of
the Crown.
The Bailiwicks have been administered separately from each other since the late
13th century, and although those unacquainted with the Islands often assume they form one political unit, common institutions are the exception rather than the rule. The two Bailiwicks have no common laws, no common elections, and no common representative body (although their politicians consult regularly). There is no common newspaper or radio station, but a common television station,
Channel Television.
The Islands acquired commercial and political interests in the
North American colonies. Islanders became involved with the
Newfoundland fisheries in the 17th century. In recognition for all the help given to him during his exile in Jersey in the
1640s,
Charles II of England Charles II gave
George Carteret, Bailiff and governor, a large grant of land in the American colonies, which he promptly named
New Jersey, now part of the
United States of America.
Edmund Andros of Guernsey was an early colonial governor in North America, and head of the short-lived
Dominion of New England.
During the
World War II Second World War, the Islands were the only British soil
Occupation of the Channel Islands occupied by Germany (excepting that part of
Egypt occupied by the
Afrika Korps at the time of the
Second Battle of El Alamein). The
Nazism Nazi occupation
1940–
1945 was harsh, with some island residents being taken for
Unfree labour slave labour on the Continent; native
Jews sent to
concentration camps;
Partisan (military) partisan resistance and retribution; accusations of
collaboration; and slave labour (primarily
Russians and eastern Europeans) being brought to the islands to build
fortifications. The
Royal Navy blockaded the islands from time to time, particularly following the
Battle of Normandy liberation of mainland Normandy in
1944. Intense negotiations resulted in some
Red Cross humanitarian aid, but there was considerable hunger and privation during the five years of
Germany German occupation.
Politics
Major articles:
Politics of Jersey,
Politics of Guernsey
The Channel Islands fall into two separate self-governing bailiwicks. Both the Bailiwick of
Guernsey and the Bailiwick of
Jersey are
British Empire British Crown dependency crown dependencies, but neither is part of the
United Kingdom. They have been part of the
Duchy of Normandy since the
10th century and
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom Queen Elizabeth II is often referred to by her traditional and conventional title of
Duke of Normandy. However, pursuant to the
Treaty of Paris (1259) she is not the Duke in a constitutional capacity and instead governs in her right as Queen. This notwithstanding, it is a matter of local pride by monarchists to treat the situation otherwise; the
Loyal Toast at formal dinners is to "The Queen, our Duke" rather than to "Her Majesty, the Queen" as in the UK.
Image:States Chamber public entrance Jersey.jpg thumb|Entrance to the public gallery of the States Chamber in Jersey
The Channel Islands are not represented in the
UK Parliament and each Island has its own primary legislature, known as the
States of Guernsey and the
States of Jersey, with Chief Pleas in
Sark and
the States of
Alderney. Laws passed by the States are given
Royal Sanction by
Privy Council of the United Kingdom the Queen in Council, to which the Islands' governments are responsible.
The systems of government date from
Normans Norman times, which accounts for the names of the
legislatures, the States, derived from the
Norman language Norman ''États'' or ''
Estates of the realm estates'' (i.e. the Crown, the Church, and the people). The States have evolved over the centuries into democratic
parliaments.
A bailiwick is a territory administered by a bailiff. The
Bailiff (Channel Islands) Bailiff in each bailiwick is the civil head, presiding officer of the States, and also head of the
judiciary.
In
2001 responsibility for links between the Channel Islands (together with the
Isle of Man) and the Crown passed from the
Secretary of State for the Home Department Home Secretary to the
Lord Chancellor's Department, replaced in
2003 by the
Department of Constitutional Affairs.
In addition, Acts of the UK Parliament may be extended to any of the Channel Islands by Order-in-Council (thus giving the UK Government the ultimate responsibility for good government in the Islands). By constitutional convention this is only done at the request of the Insular Authorities, and has become a rare option, the Islands usually preferring nowadays to pass localised versions of laws giving effect to international treaties.
Matters reserved to the Crown (i.e. the United Kingdom government) are limited to defence, citizenship, and diplomatic representation. The Islands are not bound by treaties concluded by the United Kingdom (unless they so request) and may separately conclude treaties with foreign governments (except concerning matters reserved to the Crown). The United Kingdom conceded at the end of the 20th century that the Islands may establish direct political (non-diplomatic) contacts with foreign governments to avoid the situation whereby British Embassies were obliged to pass on communications from the governments of the Bailiwicks that were in conflict with United Kingdom government policy.
The Islands are not part of the
European Union but are part of the Customs Territory of the
European Community by virtue of Protocol 3 to the
Treaty on European Union.
Islanders are full British Citizens, but not all are European Citizens. Any British citizen who applies for a passport in Jersey or Guernsey receives a passport bearing the words '
British Islands, Bailiwick of Jersey' or '
British Islands, Bailiwick of Guernsey'. Under the provisions of Protocol 3, Channel Islanders who do not have a close connection with the UK (no parent or grandparent from the UK, and have never been resident in Great Britain or Northern Ireland for any 5 year period) do not automatically benefit from the EU provisions on free movement within the EU and consequently their passports receive an endorsement to that effect. This only affects a minority of Islanders.
Under the Interpretation Act 1978, the Channel Islands are deemed to be part of the
British Islands, not to be confused with the
British Isles, of which they are also historically considered a part.
Both Bailiwicks are members of the
British-Irish Council, and
Jèrriais and
Dgèrnésiais are recognised
regional languages of the Isles.
The legal courts are separate (separate courts of appeal have been in place since 1961). Among the legal heritage from Norman law is the
Clameur de haro Clameur de Haro.
Geography
Image:Jethou Herm Sark viewed from Jersey.jpg thumb|Viewed from Jersey's north coast, Jethou, Herm and Sark are hazy outlines on the horizon
The inhabited islands of the Channel Isles are
Jersey,
Guernsey,
Alderney,
Sark,
Herm (the main islands);
Jethou,
Brecqhou (Brechou), and
Lihou. All of these except Jersey are in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, but the
Minquiers and Ecréhous, uninhabited groups of islets, are part of the Bailiwick of Jersey.
Burhou lies off Alderney. As a general rule, the larger islands have the ''-ey'' suffix, and the smaller ones have the ''-hou'' suffix; this is believed to be from the
Old Norse ''ey'' and ''holmr'' respectively.
There is another small island
Chausey, south of Jersey - not generally included in the geographical definition of the Channel Islands but occasionally as a 'Channel Island' in English despite its French jurisdiction. It is part of France and is incorporated in the commune of Granville (
Manche), and although popular with visitors from France, it is rarely visited by Channel Islanders as there are no direct transport links from the other islands.
In official Channel Island French, the Islands are called ''ÃŽles de la Manche'', while in France, the term ''ÃŽles anglo-normandes'' (Anglo-Norman isles) is used to refer to the British ''Channel Islands'' in contrast to other islands in the channel. Chausey is referred to as an ''ÃŽle normande'' (as opposed to ''anglo-normande''). ''ÃŽles Normandes'' and ''Archipel Normand'' have also historically been used in Channel Island French to refer to the islands as a whole.
The very large tidal variation provides an environmentally rich inter-tidal zone around the islands.
Economy
Tourism is the major industry in the smaller islands (with some agriculture). Jersey and Guernsey have, since the
1960s, relied on financial services. Guernsey's horticultural and glasshouse activities have been more significant than in Jersey, and Guernsey has maintained light industry as a higher proportion of its economy than Jersey. Jersey's economy since the
1980s has been substantially more reliant on finance.
Both Bailiwicks issue their own banknotes and coins, which circulate freely in all the islands alongside UK coinage and Bank of England and Scottish banknotes. ''See:
Guernsey pound and
Jersey pound''
Transport and Communications
Since
1969, Jersey and Guernsey have operated postal administrations independently of the UK's
Royal Mail, with their own postage stamps, which can only be used for postage in their respective Bailiwicks. UK stamps are no longer valid, but mail to the Islands, and to the
Isle of Man, is still treated as UK inland. However, it was not until the early
1990s that the Islands joined the
UK postcodes UK's postcode system, Jersey postcodes using the initials JE and Guernsey using GY.
Jersey always operated its own
telephone services independently of the UK's General Post Office, but Guernsey did not establish its own telephone services until
1969. Both Islands still form part of the
UK telephone numbering plan, but
Ofcom in the UK does not have responsibility for regulatory and licensing issues on the Islands.
The Channel Islands have their own country-code top-level-domains (
ccTLDs) on the internet, managed by a single registry based in Alderney. The ccTLDs are
.gg for the Bailiwick of Guernsey (including Alderney and Sark) and
.je for the Bailiwick of Jersey. Alderney has a large and growing internet gambling industry.
Each of the three largest islands has a distinct vehicle registration scheme:
* Guernsey (GBG)- simply a number, up to five digits;
* Jersey (GBJ) - ''J'' followed by up to seven digits (''JSY'' vanity plates are also issued);
* Alderney (GBA) - ''AY'' followed by up to five digits (though it seems that four digits are the most that have been used).
In Sark - where most motor traffic is prohibited - the few vehicles (nearly all tractors) on the island do not display plates.
Culture
''Main article:
Culture of Jersey,
Culture of Guernsey''
Culturally, the
Norman language predominated in the Islands until the
19th century, when increasing influence from English-speaking settlers and easier transport links led to anglicisation.
Victor Hugo spent many years in exile, first in Jersey and then in Guernsey where he wrote ''Les Misérables''. Guernsey is also the setting of Hugo's later novel, ''Les travailleurs de la mer'' (The
Toilers of the Sea). A 'Guernsey-man' also makes an appearance in
Herman Melville's
Moby Dick.
The annual ''
Muratti'', the inter-Island
football match, is considered the sporting event of the year - although, thanks to broadcast coverage, it no longer attracts the crowds of spectators travelling between the islands that occurred during the
20th century.
Channel Island sportsmen and women compete in the
Commonwealth Games for their respective Islands, and the Islands have been enthusiastic supporters of the
Island Games. Shooting is a popular sport - islanders have won Commonwealth medals in this discipline.
Guernsey's traditional colour for sporting and other purposes is
green, and Jersey's is
red.
Image:Crapaud St Helier Jersey.jpg toad thumb|This statue of a [[toad|crapaud in St. Helier represents the traditional nickname for Jersey people.html" title="Meaning of crapaud.html" title="Meaning of thumb|This statue of a [[toad|crapaud">thumb|This statue of a [[toad|crapaud in St. Helier represents the traditional nickname for Jersey people">crapaud.html" title="Meaning of thumb|This statue of a [[toad|crapaud">thumb|This statue of a [[toad|crapaud in St. Helier represents the traditional nickname for Jersey people
The main islanders have traditional animal nicknames:
*Guernsey: ''les ânes'' ("donkeys" in French and Jèrriais) - The steepness of St. Peter Port streets required beasts of burden, but Guernsey people also claim it is a symbol of their strength of character.
*Jersey: ''crapauds'' ("toads" in French and Jèrriais) - Jersey has toads and snakes that Guernsey lacks.
*Sark: ''corbins'' ("crows" in
Sercquiais,
Dgèrnésiais and
Jèrriais) - Crows could be seen from sea on the island's coasts.
*Alderney: ''lapins'' ("rabbits") - The island is noted for its warrens.
Christianity was brought to the islands around the
6th century; according to tradition, Jersey was evangelized by Saint
Helier, Guernsey by Saint
Samson of Dol and other smaller islands were occupied at various times by monastic communities representing strands of
Celtic Christianity. At the
Reformation, the islands turned
Calvinism Calvinist under the influence of an influx of French-language pamphlets published in Geneva.
Anglicanism was imposed in the
17th century, but the non-conformist tendency re-emerged with a strong adoption of
Methodism. The presence of long-term
Catholicism Catholic communities from France and seasonal workers from Brittany and Normandy added to the mix of denominations among the population.
''See also
Music of the Channel Islands''
Other islands in the English channel
There are other islands in other stretches of the English Channel that are not traditionally included within the grouping of Channel Islands. Among these are
ÃŽle d'Ouessant Ouessant/Ushant,
Bréhat,
ÃŽle de Batz, and
ÃŽles Saint-Marcouf (under French jurisdiction), and the
Isle of Wight, and
Isles of Scilly (under UK jurisdiction).
External links
-
Map of Alderney
-
Map of Guernsey, Herm, and Sark
-
Map of Jersey
-
.GG and .JE Domain Registry
-
States of Alderney
-
States of Guernsey
-
States of Jersey
-
Seigneur of Sark
{{Channel Islands}}
Category:Guernsey
Category:Jersey
Category:Channel Islands *
Category:Archipelagoes
Category:Special territories
nrm:ÃŽles d'la Manche
af:Kanaaleilande
bs:Kanalska ostrva
ca:Illes Anglonormandes
cs:Normanské ostrovy
da:Kanaløerne
de:Kanalinseln
es:Islas del Canal
eo:Manikinsuloj
fr:ÃŽles anglo-normandes
gl:Illas da Canle - Channel Islands
ko:채ë„? ì œë?„
hr:Kanalski otoci
id:Kepulauan Channel
is:Ermarsundseyjar
it:Isole del Canale
he:×?×™×™ התעלה
nl:Kanaaleilanden
ja:�ャン�ル諸島
no:Kanaløyene
pl:Wyspy Normandzkie
pt:Ilhas do Canal
ro:Insulele Canalului
simple:Channel Islands
sk:Normanské ostrovy
fi:Kanaalisaaret
sv:Kanalöarna
zh:海峡群岛
Main article:
Channel Islands
Category:Islands in the British Isles
Category:British Isles
Category:Archipelagoes
Category:Western Europe
Category:Islands in the English Channel
bs:Category:Kanalska ostrva
cs:Kategorie:Normanské ostrovy
de:Kategorie:Kanalinseln
es:CategorÃa:Islas del Canal
fr:Catégorie:Île anglo-normande
ko:분류:채ë„? ì œë?„
id:Kategori:Kepulauan Channel
is:Flokkur:Ermarsundseyjar
he:קטגוריה:×?×™×™ התעלה
nl:Categorie:Kanaaleilanden
no:Kategori:Kanaløyene
pl:Kategoria:Wyspy Normandzkie
fi:Luokka:Kanaalisaaret
sv:Kategori:Kanalöarna
{| class="toccolours" style="margin: 0 2em 0 2em;" align="center"
! align="center" style="background:#ccccff" width="100%" |
Channel Islands The Channel Islands ||
|-
| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" colspan="2" | '''Bailiwick of Jersey:'''
image:Flag of Jersey.svg 45px '''
Jersey''' |
Minquiers and Ecréhous
|-
| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" colspan="2" | '''Bailiwick of Guernsey''' image:Flag_of_Alderney.svg 50px '''Alderney''' .html">image:Flag of Guernsey.svg 50px '''Guernsey''' .html">Image:Flag of Sark.svg 50px '''Sark''' .html">image:Herm.gif 50px_Herm .html" title="Meaning of Herm.html" title="Meaning of Herm">Herm ">Brecqhou _Burhou | Casquets .html" title="Meaning of Burhou.html" title="Meaning of Burhou">Burhou | Casquets ">Jethou _Lihou
|-
|}
see Channel Islands
*** Shopping-Tip: Channel islands
