Minquiers and Ecréhous
Encyclopedia
The Minquiers and Ecréhous are two groups of island
s and rocks forming part of the Bailiwick
of Jersey
, Channel Islands
. They are respectively the most southerly and northerly land territories of the Bailiwick. The islands have no permanent inhabitants.
went to the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) for friendly discussions to decide to which country the Minquiers and Ecréhous belonged.
The French fished in the waters, but Jersey exercised various administrative rights. Certain maps showed the Ecréhous islands as not being part of Jersey.
The ICJ considered the historical evidence, and in its Judgment of 17 November 1953 awarded the islands to Jersey.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s and rocks forming part of the Bailiwick
Bailiwick
A bailiwick is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and may also apply to a territory in which the sheriff's functions were exercised by a privately appointed bailiff under a royal or imperial writ. The word is now more generally used in a metaphorical sense, to indicate a sphere of...
of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
. They are respectively the most southerly and northerly land territories of the Bailiwick. The islands have no permanent inhabitants.
- The MinquiersMinquiersThe Minquiers are a group of islands and rocks situated 9 miles south of Jersey forming part of the Bailiwick of Jersey....
(Les Minquiers) are situated 9 miles south of Jersey, and are administratively part of the Parish of GrouvilleGrouville-Vingtaines:Grouville is divided for administrative purposes into vingtaines as follows:*La Vingtaine des Marais*La Vingtaine de la Rue*La Vingtaine de Longueville*La Vingtaine de la RocqueThe Minquiers are part of the parish of Grouville....
.
- The ÉcréhousÉcréhousThe Écréhous are a group of islands and rocks situated six miles north-east of Jersey . They form part of the Bailiwick of Jersey and are administratively part of the Parish of St...
(Les Écréhous) are situated 6 miles north-east of Jersey (8 miles from France), and are administratively part of the Parish of St. MartinSaint Martin, Jersey-Subdivisions:St. Martin is divided into vingtaines as follows:*La Vingtaine de Rozel*La Vingtaine de Faldouet*La Vingtaine de la Quéruée*La Vingtaine de l'Église*La Vingtaine du Fief de la ReineThe Écréhous are part of the parish of St...
.
History
In 1950, Britain and FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
went to the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
(ICJ) for friendly discussions to decide to which country the Minquiers and Ecréhous belonged.
The French fished in the waters, but Jersey exercised various administrative rights. Certain maps showed the Ecréhous islands as not being part of Jersey.
The ICJ considered the historical evidence, and in its Judgment of 17 November 1953 awarded the islands to Jersey.