|RConstitution:|N Dependency of the British Crown.
|RNature and climate:|N The islands Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Brechou, Great Sark, Little Sark, Herm, Jethou and Lihou.
The climate is mild with an average temperature in January of 6°C and in July of 16°C.
Percipitation 850 mm.
|RPeople:|N Both English and French are official languages, though English is the main language. In rural areas of Jersey and Guernsey as well as on the whole Sark people speak a Norman-French dialect. Alderney used to have such a dialect but it has died out.
|REconomy:|N Agriculture is extensive but the most important source of income is financial services.
The islands have their own, very liberal, laws for taxes and customs.
There is also some manufacturing of electrical equipment, toys and textiles.
Tourism is extensive.
|RHistory:|N All islands belonged to the Duchy of Normandy. In 1066 the Duke of Normandy won the battle of Hastings and became king of England an the Duchy thus became a part of England. The Channel Islands are the only part of the duchy that still belongs to England, since the ties between England and Normandy were dissolved in 1204.
The islands are divided in two legal bodies, Jersey with the dependency of Miniquiers archipelago, and Guernsey with the dependencies of Aldernay, Brechou, Great Sark, Little Sark, Herm, Jethou and Lihou.
The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.
