British Islands

British Islands

A map showing the areas referred to as the British Islands shaded red
Geography
Location	North-western Europe
Adjacent to	Atlantic Ocean, North Sea
Total islands	6,000+
Highest elevation	1,345 m (4413 ft)
Highest point	Ben Nevis[1]
Administration
Bailiwick of Guernsey
Capital and largest settlement	Saint Peter Port
Area covered	78 km2 (30 sq mi)
Bailiwick of Jersey
Capital and largest settlement	Saint Helier
Area covered	118 km2 (46 sq mi)
Isle of Man
Capital and largest settlement	Douglas
Area covered	572 km2 (221 sq mi)
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Capital and largest city	London
Area covered	244,111 km2 (94,252 sq mi)
Demographics
Languages	Auregnais, Cornish, English, French, Guernésiais, Irish, Jèrriais, Manx, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Sercquiais, Shelta, Ulster-Scots, Welsh
Additional information
Time zone	Greenwich Mean Time / Western European Time (UTC)
• Summer (DST)	British Summer Time (UTC+1)
Drives on the	left

The British Islands^[2] is a term within the law of the United Kingdom which refers collectively to the following four polities:

• the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland);
• the Bailiwick of Guernsey (including the jurisdictions of Alderney, Guernsey and Sark);
• the Bailiwick of Jersey;
• the Isle of Man.^[3]

These polities constitute the principal geopolitical and territorial nucleus of British sovereignty. Distinguished from the British Overseas Territories, which are remnants of the former British Empire, the British Islands represent the core legal and constitutional realm under the direct jurisdiction of The Crown and Parliament of the United Kingdom, albeit with varying degrees of self-governance among the Crown Dependencies. This configuration underscores the internal cohesion of the United Kingdom's primary domain, distinct from its external possessions and responsibilities. A statutory definition of the term British Islands can be found in Schedule 1 of the Interpretation Act 1978.^[4]

The Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey are Crown Dependencies and not part of the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, the Parliament of the United Kingdom may, on occasion, introduce legislation that is extended to these islands, typically through Orders in Council. As such, it has been found useful to have a collective term to encompass the combined territories. The phrase The United Kingdom and the Islands is employed in the Immigration Act 1971 to refer to this collective grouping.^[5]

In addition, while several categories of British nationality exist, only British citizens enjoy the automatic right of abode in the British Islands. Other British nationals, such as British Overseas Territories citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), and others, do not possess this right unless they separately acquire British citizenship or are granted immigration status such as indefinite leave to remain. This distinction underscores the limited rights associated with these alternative forms of British nationality, which do not confer unrestricted residence within the British Islands.