Channel Islands, group of small islands, dependencies of the British Crown, in the English Channel, off the coast of Normandy, France. The principal islands of the group include Jersey (area, 117 sq km/45 sq mi; population, 1991, 84,082), Guernsey (area, 62 sq km/24 sq mi; population, 1991, 58,867), Alderney (area, about 8 sq km/3 sq mi; population, 1991, 2,297), and Sark (area, about 5 sq km/2 sq mi; population, 1991, 575). The islands are governed by representatives of the British monarch, and each has a constitution and elected government. Since the 16th century, Sark has been ruled as a fiefdom of a hereditary seigneur or dame. The islands control their own taxes.

The temperate climate and picturesque scenery attract tourists, who play an important role in the economy of the islands. French and English are the official languages, but a small proportion of the population, especially on Guernsey and Jersey, adhere to their traditional speech, a dialect of the old Norman French. In the towns, of which the largest is St Helier on Jersey, English is generally spoken.

The financial and banking industries are the principal economic activities of the islands, which have low rates of taxation. In consequence, many banks and other financial institutions have their headquarters on the islands. Agriculture is also important, and the islands are famous for the Jersey breed of cattle. Jerseys are dairy cattle, varying in colour from light grey to very dark fawn. Horticulture and floriculture are successfully pursued, especially in Guernsey, and granite is quarried. During World War II, German troops occupied the islands from June 1940 until May 1945, and Elizabeth Castle, an Elizabethan fortress on Jersey that is now a military museum, has an exhibition concerned with this period.