The Channel Islands (Norman Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. Norman can be classified in the northern Oïl languages with Picard and Walloon. The name Norman-French is sometimes used to describe not only the Norman language, but also the administrative languages of Anglo-Norman and Law French used in England: Îles d'la Manche, French French is a Romance language spoken as a first language by about 136 million people worldwide. Around 190 million people speak French as a second language, and an additional 200 million speak it as an acquired foreign language. French speaking communities are present in 57 countries and territories. Most native speakers of the language live in: Îles Anglo-Normandes or Îles de la Manche) are an archipelago Archipelagos can be found isolated in bodies of water; or with a large land mass may neighbour them. For example, Scotland has more than 700 islands surrounding its mainland. Archipelagos are often volcanic, forming along island arcs generated by subduction zones or hotspots, but there are many other processes involved in their construction, of British Crown Dependencies The Crown Dependencies are possessions of The Crown in Right of the United Kingdom, as opposed to overseas territories of the United Kingdom. They comprise the Channel Island bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel, and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea in the English Channel The English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Great Britain from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about 560 km (350 mi) long and varies in width from 240 km (150 mi) at its widest, to only 34 km (21 mi) in the Strait of Dover. It is the smallest of the shallow seas around the continental shelf of, off the French France (pronounced /ˈfrænts/ frantss or /ˈfrɑːnts/ frahnts; French pronunciation (help·info): [fʁɑ̃s]), officially the French Republic (French: République française, pronounced: [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]), is a state in Western Europe with several of its overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, coast of Normandy Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is situated along the English Channel coast of Northern France between Brittany (to the west) and Picardy (to the east) and comprises territory in northern France and the Channel Islands. The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part. They include two separate bailiwicks A bailiwick is the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff. The term was also applied to a territory in which the sheriff's functions were exercised by a privately appointed bailiff under a royal imperial writ. The word is now more generally used in a metaphorical sense, to indicate a sphere of authority, experience, activity, study, or interest: the Bailiwick of Guernsey The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy and the Bailiwick of Jersey The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands which are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and other rocks and reefs. Together with the bailiwick of Guernsey, it, neither of which is part of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland[note 7] is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many small islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land; rather they are considered the remnants of the Duchy of Normandy The Duchy of Normandy stems from various Danish, Norwegian, Hiberno-Norse, Orkney Viking and Anglo-Danish invasions of France in the 8th century. A fief, probably as a county, was created by the treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte in 911 out of concessions made by King Charles, and granted to Rollo, leader of the Vikings known as Northmen (or in Latin.[1] They have a total population of about 158,000 and their respective capitals A capital city is the area of a country, province, region, or state, regarded as enjoying primary status; although there are exceptions, a capital is almost always a city which physically encompasses the offices and meeting places of the seat of government and is fixed by law. An alternate term is political capital, but this phrase has a second, St. Peter Port Saint Peter Port is the capital of Guernsey as well as the main port. The population in 2001 was 16,488. In Guernésiais and in French, historically the official language of Guernsey, the name of the town and its surrounding parish is St Pierre Port. The "port" distinguishes this parish from Saint Pierre Du Bois and St. Helier Saint Helier is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. St. Helier has a population of about 28,000, roughly 31.2% of the total population of Jersey, and is the capital of the Island (although Government House is situated in St. Saviour). The urban area of the parish of St. Helier makes up, have populations of 16,488 and 28,310. The total area of the islands is 194 km².

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, ITV Channel Television Channel Television is a television station in the British Isles which has served as an Independent Television contractor to the Channel Islands since 1962. It has a main studio centre in Jersey, a smaller studio complex in Guernsey and offices in London on the South Bank, near to The London Studios. As well as producing and broadcasting regional, as well as a common BBC television news opt-out BBC Channel Islands News.

Contents

Geography

Map of Channel Islands and adjacent coast of France. Viewed from Jersey's north coast, Jethou From 1920 to 1923 it was leased by Compton MacKenzie along with Herm and remained part of that estate for years, although it is currently part of a different one, Herm Herm is the smallest of the Channel Islands that is open to the public. Cars are banned from the small island just like its Channel Island neighbour, Sark. Unlike Sark, bicycles are also banned. However, Herm does allow quad bikes and tractors for the locals and Sark The SARK or NSAR (Navy Search and Rescue) is a folding knife designed by Knifemaker Ernest Emerson for use as a Search and Rescue knife for the US Military. It features a wharncliffe blade with a blunt tip in order to cut free trapped victims without cutting them in the process. A variant with a pointed-tip designed for police use exists, known as are hazy outlines on the horizon.

The inhabited islands of the Channel Islands are Jersey The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands which are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and other rocks and reefs. Together with the Bailiwick of Guernsey, it, Guernsey The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy, Alderney Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands and a British Crown dependency. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) wide. The area is 3 square miles (7.8 km2), making it the third largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick. It is around 10 miles (16, Sark The SARK or NSAR (Navy Search and Rescue) is a folding knife designed by Knifemaker Ernest Emerson for use as a Search and Rescue knife for the US Military. It features a wharncliffe blade with a blunt tip in order to cut free trapped victims without cutting them in the process. A variant with a pointed-tip designed for police use exists, known as, Herm Herm is the smallest of the Channel Islands that is open to the public. Cars are banned from the small island just like its Channel Island neighbour, Sark. Unlike Sark, bicycles are also banned. However, Herm does allow quad bikes and tractors for the locals (the main islands); Jethou From 1920 to 1923 it was leased by Compton MacKenzie along with Herm and remained part of that estate for years, although it is currently part of a different one, Brecqhou Brecqhou is one of the Channel Islands and part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. It is located just west of Sark and has a surface area of approximately 200 acres (0.31 sq mi). Sark claims it as a tenement, but these claims are disputed by the current tenants (Brechou) and Lihou Lihou is a small tidal island (95 vergées; 38½ acres; 15.6 hectares) that is part of the Channel Islands. It lies off the west coast of Guernsey and is the most westerly point in the Channel Islands. Coordinates: 49°27′38.16″N 2°40′4.44″W / 49.4606°N 2.6679°W. The island was bought by the States of Guernsey in January 1995. All of these except Jersey are in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. In addition there are the following uninhabited islets: the Minquiers The Minquiers (Les Minquiers; in Jèrriais: Les Mîntchièrs pronunciation ; nicknamed "the Minkies" in local English) are a group of islands and rocks situated 9 miles south of Jersey forming part of the Bailiwick of Jersey. They are administratively part of the Parish of Grouville, Écréhous The Écréhous are a groups of islands and rocks situated six miles north-east of Jersey (eight miles from France). They form part of the Bailiwick of Jersey and are administratively part of the Parish of St. Martin, Les Dirouilles Categories: Bailiwick of Jersey | Ramsar sites in the Channel Islands | Wetlands of the Channel Islands | and Les Pierres de Lecq Les Pierres de Lecq or the Paternosters are a group of uninhabitable rocks or a reef in the Bailiwick of Jersey between Jersey and Sark, 16 km north of Grève de Lecq in Saint Mary, and 22.4 km west of the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy (the Paternosters), are part of the Bailiwick of Jersey, and Burhou Burhou is a small island approximately 1.4 miles (2.25 km) northwest of Alderney that is part of the Channel Islands. It has no permanent residents, and is a bird sanctuary, so landing there is banned from March 15 to July 27. The island's wildlife includes a colony of puffins (declining in numbers) and large numbers of rabbits and the Casquets Les Casquets or The Casquets are a group of rocks 13 km northwest of Alderney and are part of an underwater sandstone ridge. Other parts which emerge above the water are the islets of Burhou and Ortac. Little vegetation grows on them. The "t" is pronounced in English, with the stress on the second syllable (/kæsˈkɛts/, kas-KETS) lie off Alderney. As a general rule, the larger islands have the -ey suffix, and the smaller ones have the -hou -hou is a suffix found commonly in Channel Islands and Norman names. It is the Norman language version of the Old Norse holmr, meaning a small island, and often found anglicised elsewhere as "holm". It can still be found in modern Scandinavian languages, e.g. Stockholm suffix; this is believed to be from the Old Norse Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300 ey and holmr, respectively.

The Chausey Islands south of Jersey are not generally included in the geographical definition of the Channel Islands but occasionally described as 'French Channel Islands' in English in view of their French jurisdiction. They were historically linked to the Duchy of Normandy, but they are part of the French territory along with continental Normandy, and not part of the British Isles 1 These are the official languages of the eight jurisdictions within the British Isles. Other languages are spoken, including several other native languages and dialects that have regional or special status or of the Channel Islands in a political sense. They are an incorporated part of the commune of Granville (Manche Manche is a French department in Normandy named after La Manche , which is the French name for the English Channel). While popular with visitors from France they are rarely visited by Channel Islanders, as there are no direct transport links from the other islands.

In official Jersey French (see Jersey Legal French Jersey Legal French, also known as Jersey French, is the official dialect of French used administratively in Jersey. Since the anglicisation of the island, it survives as a written language for some laws, contracts, and other documents. Jersey's parliament, the States of Jersey, is part of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie. The), the islands are called 'Îles de la Manche', while in France, the term 'Îles 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 'Île normande' (as opposed to anglo-normande). 'Îles 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, and some sites have received Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognising the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value. It is named after the designation (see Category:Ramsar sites in the Channel Islands).

The waters around the islands include the following:

History

Main articles: History of Jersey The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. Jersey lies in the Bay of Mont St Michel and is the largest of the Channel Islands. It has enjoyed self-government since the division of the Duchy of Normandy in 1204, History of Guernsey The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy, Occupation of the Channel Islands The Occupation of the Channel Islands refers to the military occupation of the Channel Islands by Germany during World War II which lasted from 30 June 1940 until the Liberation on 9 May 1945. The Channel Islands comprise the crown dependencies of the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey which are not parts of the United Kingdom, and also take in the, and Windmills in the Channel Islands The Channel Islands have had a number of windmills over the centuries. They were mostly corn mills, and about half of those built survive in one form or another La Gran'mère du Chimquière, Statue menhir, Saint Martin, Guernsey

Prehistory

The earliest evidence of human occupation of the Channel Islands has been dated to 25,000 years ago when they were attached to the landmass of continental Europe.[2] The islands became detached by rising sea-levels in the Neolithic period. The numerous dolmens A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, cromlech , anta (Portuguese), Hünengrab/Hünenbett (German), Hunebed (Dutch), dyss (Swedish), goindol (Korean) or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of three or more upright stones supporting a large flat horizontal capstone (table). Most date from the and other archaeological sites extant and recorded in history demonstrate the existence of a population large enough and organised enough to undertake constructions of considerable size and sophistication, such as the burial mound at La Hougue Bie[3] in Jersey or the statue menhirs of Guernsey.

From the Iron Age

Hoards of Armorican Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast. The toponym is based on the Gaulish phrase are-mori "on/at [the] sea", made into the Gaulish place coins have been excavated, providing evidence of trade and contact in the Iron Age period. Evidence for Roman settlement is sparse, although evidently the islands were visited by Roman officials and traders. The traditional Latin names of the islands (Caesarea for Jersey; Sarnia for Guernsey, Riduna for Alderney) derive (possibly mistakenly) from the Antonine Itinerary The Antonine Itinerary is a register of the stations and distances along the various roads of the Roman empire, containing directions how to get from one Roman settlement to another. According to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, the Antonini Itinerarium is seemingly based on official documents, probably of the survey organized by Julius Caesar,. Gallo-Roman culture was adopted to an unknown extent in the islands.[4]

In the 6th century Christian missionaries visited the islands. Samson of Dol Saint Samson of Dol was a Christian religious figure who is counted among the seven founder saints of Brittany. Born in southern Wales, he died in Dol-de-Bretagne, a small town in north Brittany, Helier Saint Helier, a 6th century ascetic hermit, is patron saint of Jersey in the Channel Islands, and in particular of the town and parish of Saint Helier, the island’s capital. He is also invoked as a healing saint for diseases of the skin and eyes, Marculf and Magloire are among saints associated with the islands. Although originally included within the diocese of Dol, in the 6th century the islands were transferred to the diocese of Coutances, perhaps under the influence of Prætextatus.

From the beginning of the 9th century Norse raiders appeared on the coasts. Norse settlement succeeded initial attacks, and it is from this period that many placenames of Norse origin appear, including the modern names of the islands.

From the Duchy of Normandy

The islands were annexed to the Duchy of Normandy in 933. In 1066, William II of Normandy, a vassal to the king of France, invaded and conquered England, becoming William I of England, also known as William the Conqueror. 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 islands were invaded by the French in 1338 who held some territory until 1345. Owen of Wales attacked Jersey and Guernsey in 1372, and in 1373 Bertrand du Guesclin besieged Mont Orgueil.[5] Jersey was occupied by the French (as part of the Wars of the Roses) from 1461-1468. In 1483 a Papal Bull decreed that the islands would be neutral during time of war. This privilege of neutrality enabled islanders to trade with both France and England and was respected until 1689 when it was abolished by Order in Council following the Glorious Revolution in Great Britain.

Various attempts to transfer the islands from the diocese of Coutances (to Nantes (1400), Salisbury (1496) and Winchester (1499)) had little effect until an Order in Council of 1569 brought the islands formally into the diocese of Winchester. Control by the bishop of Winchester was ineffectual as the islands had turned overwhelmingly Calvinist and the episcopacy was not restored until 1620 in Jersey and 1663 in Guernsey.

Sark in the 16th century was uninhabited until colonised from Jersey in the 1560s. The grant of seigneurship from Elizabeth I of England forms the basis of Sark's constitution today.

Over a dozen windmills are known to have existed in the Channel Isles. They were mostly tower mills used for grinding corn.

From the 17th century

During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, Jersey held out strongly for the Royalist cause, providing refuge for Charles, Prince of Wales in 1646 and 1649–1650, while the more strongly Presbyterian Guernsey more generally favoured the parliamentary cause (although Castle Cornet was, on 15 December 1651, the last Royalist stronghold in the British Isles to surrender).[6]

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 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.

20th century

To this day, the Channel Islands remain covered in German fortifications built in the second world war.

World War II

The islands were the only part of the British Commonwealth occupied by Germany during the Second World War. The German occupation of 1940–45 was harsh: over 2,000 Islanders were deported by the Germans,[7] Jews sent to concentration camps; partisan resistance and retribution; accusations of collaboration; and slave labour (primarily Russians and eastern Europeans) brought to the islands to build fortifications,[8] with 65,718 landmines laid in Jersey alone.[9]

The British government demilitarised the islands in June 1940 and the Lieutenant-Governors were withdrawn on 21 June, leaving the insular administrations to continue government as best they could under impending military occupation.[7]

Before German troops landed 30 June-4 July 1940, evacuation took place (many young men had already left to join the Allied forces): 6,600 left Jersey (out of 50,000); 17,000 left Guernsey (out of 42,000); the population of Sark remained overwhelmingly;[7] but in Alderney, the entire population, save for six persons, left. In Alderney, the occupying Germans built four concentration camps in which over 700 people died (out of a total inmate population of about 6,000). Due to the destruction of documents, it is impossible to state how many forced workers died in the other islands.[7] These were the only Nazi concentration camps on British soil[10][11].

During the German occupation of Jersey, a stonemason repairing the paving of the Royal Square incorporated a V for victory under the noses of the occupiers. This was later amended to refer to the Red Cross ship Vega. The addition of the date 1945 and a more recent frame has transformed it into a monument

The Royal Navy blockaded the islands from time to time, particularly following the liberation of mainland Normandy in 1944. There was considerable hunger and privation during the five years of German occupation, particularly in the final months when the population was close to starvation. Intense negotiations resulted in some Red Cross humanitarian aid, leading to the arrival of the Red Cross supply ship Vega in December 1944.

The end of the occupation only came after VE-Day on 8 May 1945. Jersey and Guernsey were liberated on 9 May 1945. The German garrison in Alderney did not surrender until 16 May 1945 and was one of the last of the Nazi German remnants to surrender[12]. The first evacuees returned on the first sailing from the UK on 23 June [7], but the population of Alderney was unable to start returning until December 1945.

Post-1945

Following the Liberation of 1945, reconstruction led to a transformation of the economies of the islands, attracting immigration and developing tourism. The legislatures were reformed and non-party governments embarked on social programmes, aided by the incomes from offshore finance which grew rapidly from the 1960s.[13]

The islands decided not to join the European Economic Community when the UK joined, and remain outside.[14]

Since the 1990s declining profitability of agriculture and tourism have challenged the governments of the islands.[15]

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Jersey and Politics of Guernsey

Flag of Jersey

Flag of Guernsey

Flag of Sark

Flag of Herm

Flag of Alderney

The Channel Islands fall into two separate self-governing bailiwicks. Both the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey are British Crown Dependencies, but neither is part of the United Kingdom. They have been part of the Duchy of Normandy since the 10th century and 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 for monarchists to treat the situation otherwise: the Loyal Toast at formal dinners is to 'The Queen, our Duke', rather than 'Her Majesty, the Queen' as in the UK.[16]

Entrance to the public gallery of the States Chamber in Jersey.

The Channel Islands are not represented in the UK Parliament but 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 Assent by the Queen in Council, to whom the islands' governments are responsible.[17]

The systems of government date from Norman times, which accounts for the names of the legislatures, the States, derived from the Norman 'États' or '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 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 Home Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department, replaced in 2003 by the Department of Constitutional Affairs and in 2007 by the Ministry of Justice.

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 some responsibility for good governance in the islands). By constitutional convention this is only done at the request of the Insular Authorities,[18] and has become a rare option (thus giving the Insular Authorities themselves the responsibility for good governance in the islands), the islands usually preferring nowadays to pass localised versions of laws giving effect to international treaties.

Matters reserved to the Crown (i.e. acting through 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 Three to the Treaty on European Union.

Islanders are full British citizens, and therefore 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 Three, 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 five-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. But according to the British Nationality Act 1981 the United Kingdom means Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, taken together.[19]

Both Bailiwicks are members of the British-Irish Council, and Jèrriais and guernésiais 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.

Economy

See also: Guernsey pound and Jersey pound

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 greenhouse 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.

There are many exports, largely consisting of crafted goods and farmed produce. The Genuine Jersey Products Association[20] certify products as being locally made/sourced.

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 charged at UK inland rates. However, it was not until the early 1990s that the islands joined the UK's postcode system, Jersey postcodes using the initials JE and Guernsey using GY.

Alderney, Guernsey and Jersey are connected by what could be called an aerial bus service operated and competed on by Blue Islands and Aurigny. The latter use the incredibly rare Britten-Norman Trislander on the route while the former use Britten-Norman Islanders and BAe Jetstream 32s.

The islands are connected to the radio and television system of the UK. They are part of BBC Channel Islands, and have since 2000 had regular opt-outs from the main Spotlight programme: 15 minutes at 18.30 and a full late bulletin at 22.25. There are also two local BBC radio stations, BBC Radio Guernsey and BBC Radio Jersey.

Alderney has its own radio station, QUAY-FM, which operates in the summer tourist season and at Christmas.

The islands have had their own ITV franchise, Channel Television, since September 1962. The islands will switch to digital-only transmissions in November 2010.[21]

Jersey always operated its own telephone services independently of the UK's national systems, 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 telecommunications regulatory and licensing issues on the islands. (It is responsible for wireless telegraphy licensing throughout the islands, and by agreement, for broadcasting regulation in the two large islands only).

The Channel Islands have their own country-code top-level-domains (ccTLDs) on the Internet, managed by CHANNELISLES.NET. The ccTLDs are .gg for the Bailiwick of Guernsey (including Alderney and Sark) and .je for the Bailiwick of Jersey. The country codes first appeared on the Internet in 1996 after Jon Postel agreed with Nigel Roberts of Island Networks to add four codes (GG,JE as well as IM and AC) to the IANA list of TLDs. The codes for the Channel Islands and for the Isle of Man were entered on to the official United Nations ISO-3166 list in 2006.

Alderney has a large and growing internet gambling industry with a full regulatory authority in operation.

Each of the three largest islands has a distinct vehicle registration scheme:

In Sark, where most motor traffic is prohibited, the few vehicles on the island – nearly all tractors – do not display plates. Bicycles display cardboard tax discs.

In the 1960s, names used for the cross-Channel ferries plying the mail route between the islands and Weymouth, Dorset were taken from the popular Latin names for the islands: "Caesarea" (Jersey), "Sarnia" (Guernsey) and "Riduna" (Alderney).

Today, the ferry route between the Channel Islands and the UK is operated by Condor Ferries from both St Helier, Jersey and St Peter Port, Guernsey using high speed catamarans fast craft to Weymouth, and Poole in the UK. A regular passenger ferry service on the Commodore Clipper goes from both Channel Island ports to Portsmouth daily which carries both passengers and freight.

Ferry services to mainland Normandy are operated by Manche Îles Express, and a service between Jersey and Saint Malo is also operated by Compagnie Corsaire. Condor also operate a service to Saint Malo.

Culture

Main articles: Culture of Jersey and Culture of Guernsey See also: Music of the Channel Islands A sea festival advertised using Dgèrnésiais.

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.[22] There are four main dialects/languages of Norman in the islands, Auregnais (Alderney, extinct in late 20th century), Dgèrnésiais (Guernsey), Jèrriais (Jersey) and Sercquiais (Sark, an offshoot of Jèrriais).[23]

Victor Hugo spent many years in exile, first in Jersey and then in Guernsey, where he wrote Les Misérables.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]

The annual "Muratti", the inter-island football match, is considered the sporting event of the year—although, due to broadcast coverage, it no longer attracts the crowds of spectators, travelling between the islands, that occurred during the 20th century.[24]

Channel Island sportsmen and women compete in the Commonwealth Games for their respective islands and the islands have also been enthusiastic supporters of the Island Games. Shooting is a popular sport, in which islanders have won Commonwealth medals.[25]

Guernsey's traditional colour for sporting and other purposes is green and Jersey's is red.[26]

This statue of a crapaud (toad) in St. Helier represents the traditional nickname for Jersey people.

The main islanders have traditional animal nicknames:[27][28]

Christianity was brought to the islands around the 6th century; according to tradition, Jersey was evangelised 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 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 Catholic communities from France and seasonal workers from Brittany and Normandy added to the mix of denominations among the population.[citation needed]

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 Ouessant/Ushant, Bréhat, Île de Batz, Chausey, Grande-Île, Tatihou and Îles Saint-Marcouf (under French jurisdiction) and the Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly (both part of England and under UK jurisdiction).

See also

References

  1. ^ Royal.gov.uk
  2. ^ Thisisjersey.com
  3. ^ Thisisjersey.com
  4. ^ Balleine's History of Jersey, Marguerite Syvret and Joan Stevens (1998) ISBN 1-86077-065-7
  5. ^ Thisisjersey.com
  6. ^ Portrait of the Channel Islands, Lemprière, London 1970
  7. ^ a b c d e The German Occupation of the Channel Islands, Cruikshank, Oxford 1975 ISBN 0192850873
  8. ^ Thisisjersey.com/
  9. ^ German Fortifications in Jersey, Ginns & Bryans, Jersey 1975
  10. ^ Christine O'Keefe, Appendix F: Concentration Camps: Endlösung – The Final Solution, http://www.tartanplace.com/tartanhistory/concentrationcamps.html, retrieved 2009-06-06
  11. ^ Matisson Consultants, Aurigny ; un camp de concentration nazi sur une île anglo-normande (English: Alderney, a Nazi concentration camp on an island Anglo-Norman), http://www.matisson-consultants.com/affaire-papon/aurigny.htm, retrieved 2009-06-06 (French)
  12. ^ Legacy Publishers, Nazi Germany Surrenders: February 1945-May 1945, http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/nazi-germany-surrenders12.htm
  13. ^ Thisisjersey.com
  14. ^ Gov.je
  15. ^ Thisisjersey.com
  16. ^ Thisisjersey.com
  17. ^ DCA.gov.uk
  18. ^ DCA.gov.uk
  19. ^ "British Nationality Act 1981", Legislation, UK, Acts (Office of Public Sector Information), http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1981/cukpga_19810061_en_8#pt5-l1g57, retrieved 2009-09-14, "the Islands” means the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man; [...] the United Kingdom” means Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Islands, taken together." [Schedule 1., s. 50 (1)]
  20. ^ Genuinejersey.com
  21. ^ Digitaluk.co.uk
  22. ^ The Triumph of the Country, Kelleher, Jersey 1994, ISBN 0-9518162-4-1
  23. ^ La Grève de Lecq, Roger Jean Lebarbenchon, 1988 ISBN 2905385138
  24. ^ Thisisjersey.com
  25. ^ Thecgf.com
  26. ^ http://www.rsssf.com/colours/nonfifateams.html
  27. ^ Dictionnaire Jersiais-Français, 1966
  28. ^ Thisisjersey.com

External links

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Links to related articles
The Channel Islands
Bailiwick of Guernsey Guernsey · Alderney · Sark · Herm · Brecqhou · Burhou · Ortac · Les Casquets · Jethou · Lihou · Crevichon · Les Houmets
Bailiwick of Jersey Jersey · Les Écréhous · La Motte · Les Minquiers · Pierres de Lecq · Les Dirouilles
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Sovereign states and constituent countries Ireland · United Kingdom (England · Northern Ireland · Scotland · Wales)
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Political cooperation British–Irish Council · British Irish Parliamentary Assembly · Common Travel Area · North/South Ministerial Council · British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference
Geography
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