Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British Crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British Crown dependency but is not part of the UK or of the EU. However, the UK Government remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.
Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland
54 15 N, 4 30 W
Europe
total: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km
water: 0 sq km
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
160 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time
hills in north and south bisected by central valley
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m
none
agricultural land: 74.7%
arable land 43.8%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 30.9%
forest: 6.1%
other: 19.2% (2011 est.)
0 sq km (2012)
NA
waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary
0.72% (2016 est.)
88,195 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Manxman(men), Manxwoman(women)
adjective: Manx
white 96.5%, Asian/Asian British 1.9%, other 1.5% (2011 est.)
English, Manx Gaelic (about 2% of the population has some knowledge)
Protestant (Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends), Roman Catholic
0-14 years: 16.31% (male 7,526/female 6,855)
15-24 years: 11.61% (male 5,354/female 4,886)
25-54 years: 39.04% (male 17,212/female 17,222)
55-64 years: 12.93% (male 5,752/female 5,649)
65 years and over: 20.11% (male 8,287/female 9,452) (2016 est.)
total: 43.9 years
male: 43.2 years
female: 44.7 years (2016 est.)
11 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
6.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
most people concentrated in cities and large towns of which Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest
urban population: 52.1% of total population (2014)
rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
DOUGLAS (capital) 29,000 (2014)
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
total: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 81.2 years
male: 79.5 years
female: 83 years (2016 est.)
1.93 children born/woman (2016 est.)
NA
NA
NA
total: 10.1%
male: 11.8%
female: 8.2% (2011 est.)
Tynwald Day, 5 July (1417); date Tynwald Day was first recorded
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man
abbreviation: I.O.M.
etymology: the name "man" may be derived from the Celtic word for "mountain"
British Crown dependency
parliamentary democracy (Tynwald); a Crown dependency of the UK
name: Douglas
geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 29 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections
none (British crown dependency)
history: development of the Isle of Man constitution dates to at least the 14th century
amendments: proposed as bills in the House of Keys by the “Government,” by a “Member of the House,” or by outside bodies or private individuals through petition to the House or Council; passage normally requires three separate readings and approval of at least 13 House members; following both House and Legislative Council agreement, assent is required by the lieutenant governor acting on behalf of the Crown; the constitution has been expanded and amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and include Manx statutes
see United Kingdom
16 years of age; universal
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard GOZNEY (since 27 May 2016)
head of government: Chief Minister Howard QUAYLE (since 4 October 2016)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the lieutenant governor
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister indirectly elected by the Tynwald for a 5-year term (eligible for second term); election last held on 4 October 2016 (next to be held in 2021)
election results: Howard QUAYLE (independent) elected chief minister; Tynwald vote count - 21 of 33
description: bicameral Tynwald or the High Court of Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (11 seats; includes the President of Tynwald, 2 ex-officio members - the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man and the attorney general (non-voting) - and 8 members indirectly elected by the House of Keys with renewal of 4 members every 2 years; elected members serve 4-year terms) and the House of Keys (24 seats; 2 members directly elected by simple majority vote from 12 constituencies to serve 5-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held on 22 September 2016 (next to be held in September 2021)
election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Liberal Vannin 6.4%, independent 91.7%; seats by party - Liberal Vannin 3, independent 21
highest resident court(s): Isle of Man High Court of Justice (consists of 3 permanent judges or "deemsters" and 1 judge of appeal; organized into the Staff of Government Division or Court of Appeal and the Civil Division); the Court of General Gaol Delivery is not formally part of the High Court but is administered as though part of the High Court and deals with serious criminal cases; note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: deemsters appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor; deemsters can serve until age 70
subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Summary Gaol Delivery; Summary Courts; Magistrate's Court; specialized courts
Liberal Vannin Party [Kate BEECROFT]
Manx Labor Party
Mec Vannin [Bernard MOFFATT]; (sometimes referred to as the Manx Nationalist Party; advocates a sovereign state and environment policies)
note: most members sit as independents
Alliance for Progressive Government or APG (a government watchdog)
UPU
triskelion (a motif of three legs); national colors: red, white
none (British Crown dependency)
none (British Crown dependency)
red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (triskelion), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used; the flag is based on the coat-of-arms of the last recognized Norse King of Mann, Magnus III (r. 1252-65); the triskelion has its roots in an early Celtic sun symbol
name: "Arrane Ashoonagh dy Vannin" (O Land of Our Birth)
lyrics/music: William Henry GILL [English], John J. KNEEN [Manx]/traditional
note: adopted 2003, in use since 1907; serves as a local anthem; as a British Crown dependency, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom) and is played when the sovereign, members of the royal family, or the lieutenant governor are present
Financial services, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers low taxes and other incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment
$6.298 billion (FY12/13 est.)
$5.85 billion (FY11/12 est.)
$5.621 billion (FY10/11 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
$4.076 billion (2007 est.)
2.2% (2012)
3.4% (2011)
2.1% (2010)
$83,100 (2007 est.)
$35,000 (2005 est.)
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (FY12/13 est.)
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
41,790 (2006)
agriculture, forestry, and fishing: 2%
manufacturing: 5%
construction: 8%
gas, electricity, and water: 1%
transport and communication: 9%
wholesale and retail distribution: 11%
professional and scientific services: 20%
public administration: 7%
banking and finance: 23%
tourism: 1%
entertainment and catering: 5%
miscellaneous services: 8% (2006)
2% (April 2011 est.)
1.8% (October 2010 est.)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $965 million
expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.)
23.7% of GDP (FY05/06 est.)
0.5% of GDP (FY05/06 est.)
1 April - 31 March
5% (2010 est.)
3.1% (2006)
$NA
$NA
tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb
$NA
timber, fertilizers, fish
$NA
Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar -
0.7391 (2016 est.)
0.6542 (2015 est.)
0.6542 (2014)
0.6472 (2013 est.)
0.6241 (2012 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: country code - 44; fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable
national public radio broadcasts over 3 FM stations and 1 AM station; 2 commercial broadcasters operating with 1 having multiple FM stations; receives radio and TV services via relays from British TV and radio broadcasters (2008)
.im
M (2016)
1 (2013)
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
total: 63 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified); 57 km 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified)
note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2008)
total: 500 km (2008)
total: 321
by type: bulk carrier 59, cargo 55, chemical tanker 52, container 7, liquefied gas 43, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 93, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: 223 (Bermuda 7, Chile 9, Denmark 30, Germany 56, Greece 62, Ireland 1, Japan 19, Malaysia 6, Norway 30, South Africa 2, US 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): Douglas, Ramsey
defense is the responsibility of the UK
none