Channel Islands

:Alternative meaning: Channel Islands of California

Geography

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.

Related Topics:
Jersey - Guernsey - Alderney - Sark - Herm - Jethou - Brecqhou - Lihou - Minquiers and Ecréhous - Burhou - Old Norse

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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.

Related Topics:
Chausey - Manche

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In official Channel Island French, 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.

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The very large tidal variation provides an environmentally rich inter-tidal zone around the islands.

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