The Republic of the Channel, known formerly as the Channel Islands is a nation located in the British Channel, south of the British Isles and north of the French mainland. The nation was formed through the union of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey, crown dependencies of the British Empire, shortly after the Yellowstone Eruption. At the time of the British evacuation the islands remained relatively inhabited, as many believed the islands would survive the ice age that would follow. The Republic of the Channel is a member of the British Union and the British Commonwealth, known collectively as Britannia.