A map showing the areas referred to as the British Islands shaded red.

The term British Islands is used in the law of the United Kingdom to refer collectively to the following four states:

• the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
• the Bailiwick of Jersey;
• the Bailiwick of Guernsey (including Alderney, Herm, and Sark); and
• the Isle of Man. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Bailiwick of Jersey ( Jèrriais: Jèrri) is a British Crown dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. The Bailiwick of Guernsey (Bailliage de Guernesey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. Alderney ( French: Aurigny; Auregnais: Aoeur'gny) is the most northerly of the Channel Islands and a British Crown dependency Herm ( Guernésiais: Haerme) is the smallest of the Channel Islands that is open to the public Sark (Sercq Sercquiais: Sèr) is a small Island in the southwestern English Channel. The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical

The latter three territories are Crown dependencies and are not a part of the United Kingdom. The Crown Dependencies are possessions of The Crown in Right of the United Kingdom, as opposed to overseas territories or colonies of the United The Parliament of the United Kingdom on occasions introduces legislation that is extended to the islands, normally by the use of Orders in Council. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in Commonwealth Realms. For this reason it has been found useful to have a collective term for the combined territories. Dating back to 1889, the current formal definition can be found in the Interpretation Act 1978, an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom:

"British Islands" means the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The Interpretation Act 1978 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that governs the interpretation of terms within acts of Parliament An Act of Parliament is a Law enacted as Primary legislation by a national or sub-national Parliament. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories The Channel Islands ( Norman: Îles d'la Manche, French: Îles Anglo-Normandes or Îles de la Manche) are a group of Islands ^[1][2]

The term United Kingdom and Islands is used in the Immigration Act 1971. [1]

Passports

British passports issued in the UK have the wording "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" on their cover. British passports may be issued to people holding any of the various forms of British nationality. In the Crown dependencies, this is replaced by "British Islands - Bailiwick of Jersey", "British Islands - Bailiwick of Guernsey" or "British Islands - Isle of Man". These passports are issued to all British citizens resident in the jurisdiction in question^[3]. .

As the Crown dependencies are affected only by the European Community provisions relating to the free movement of goods, and are not member or associated states of the European Union, there is no right for Channel Islanders or Manxmen to live or work in European Union countries. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

However, if a Channel Islander or Manxman has lived in the UK for move than five years, or had a parent or grandparent who was born or lived in the UK, then they are entitled to European Union citizenship in right of the UK.

If this is not the case, then the passport is stamped with the inscription "Holder is not entitled to benefit from European Community provisions relating to employment or establishment. "

Although neither the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) nor the Isle of Man are part of the EU proper, their passports bear the inscription "European Union". The Channel Islands ( Norman: Îles d'la Manche, French: Îles Anglo-Normandes or Îles de la Manche) are a group of Islands The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

Historical usage

In previous times, particularly the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the term was sometimes used to refer to islands under British control, worldwide.

See also

• British Isles (terminology)
• British Isles naming dispute

External links

• Official text of the Interpretation Act 1978 as amended and in force today within the United Kingdom, from the UK Statute Law Database
• Interpretation Act, 1978 (unofficial text)

References