Alderney is the northernmost island of the Channel Islands. The Channel Islands are British crown dependencies in the English Channel near France (see Channel Islands ). Crown dependencies are largely self-governing, but the British government takes responsibility for their defense and foreign affairs. Alderney has an area of 5 square miles (13 square kilometers) and a population of about 2,000. St. Anne is the island’s only town. Alderney’s economy is based largely on financial services and tourism. The island has an airport and a harbor.
A small fort known as the Nunnery, built around A.D. 320, indicates that Romans inhabited Alderney. During the Victorian Age (1837-1901), the British built a number of forts, including the Alderney Breakwater, to protect the island. During World War II (1939-1945), German forces occupied the Channel Islands. Alderney’s population evacuated to the United Kingdom prior to the occupation and returned after the war.
