Isle of Man

Introduction

Background

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. The Isle of Man is a crown dependency, which makes it a self-governing possession of the British crown that is not part of the UK. The UK Government, however, remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Geography

Location

Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland

Geographic coordinates

54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 194

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

160 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12nm

Climate

temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time

Terrain

hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation

lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Natural resources

none

Land use

agricultural land: 74.7% (2011 est.)
arable land: 43.8% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 30.9% (2011 est.)
forest: 6.1% (2011 est.)
other: 19.2% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

most people concentrated in cities and large towns of which Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest

Natural hazards

occasional high winds and rough seas

Environment - current issues

air pollution, marine pollution; waste disposal (both household and industrial)

Geography - note

one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary

People and Society

Population

89,407 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199

Nationality

noun: Manxman(men), Manxwoman(women)
adjective: Manx

Ethnic groups

white 96.5%, Asian/Asian British 1.9%, other 1.5% (2011 est.)

Languages

English, Manx Gaelic (about 2% of the population has some knowledge)

Religions

Protestant (Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends), Roman Catholic

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.27%(male 7,587 /female 6,960)
15-24 years: 11.3%(male 5,354 /female 4,750)
25-54 years: 38.48%(male 17,191 /female 17,217)
55-64 years: 13.34%(male 6,012 /female 5,919)
65 years and over: 20.6%(male 8,661 /female 9,756) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Median age

total: 44.4 years (2018 est.)
male: 43.4 years
female: 45.2 years
country comparison to the world: 11

Population growth rate

0.65% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Birth rate

10.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180

Death rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31

Net migration rate

5.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19

Population distribution

most people concentrated in cities and large towns of which Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest

Urbanization

urban population: 52.7% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

27,000 DOUGLAS (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 191

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.4 years (2018 est.)
male: 79.6 years
female: 83.3 years
country comparison to the world: 29

Total fertility rate

1.92 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

Education expenditures

NA

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 10.1%
male: 11.8%
female: 8.2% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130

Government

Country name

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"

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Tynwald); a crown dependency of the UK

Capital

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
etymology: name derives from the Dhoo and Glass Rivers, which flow through the valley in which the town is located and which in Manx mean the "dark" and the "light" rivers respectively

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

none (British Crown dependency)

National holiday

Tynwald Day, 5 July (1417); date Tynwald Day was first recorded

Constitution

history: development of the Isle of Man constitution dates to at least the 14th century
amendments: proposed as a bill in the House of Keys, by the "Government," by a "Member of the House," or through petition to the House or Legislative Council; passage normally requires three separate readings and approval of at least 13 House members; following both House and Council agreement, assent is required by the lieutenant governor on behalf of the Crown; the constitution has been expanded and amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)

Legal system

the laws of the UK apply where applicable and include Manx statutes

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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 - 21 of 33

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Tynwald or the High Court of Tynwald consists of:
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)
House of Keys (24 seats; 2 members directly elected by simple majority vote from 12 constituencies to serve 5-year terms)
elections:
Legislative Council - last held 28 February 2018 (next to be held NA)
House of Keys - last held on 22 September 2016 (next to be held in September 2021)
election results:  
Legislative Council - composition - men 6, women 5, percent of women 45.5%
House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Liberal Vannin 6.4%, independent 92.3%, other 1.3%; seats by party - Liberal Vannin 3, independent 21; composition - men 19, women 5, percent of women 20.8%; note - total Tynwald percent of women 28.6%
note: as of January 2019, seats by party - Liberal Vannin 2, independent 22

Judicial branch

highest courts: 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

Political parties and leaders

Liberal Vannin Party [Kate BEECROFT]
Manx Labor Party
Mec Vannin [Mark KERMODE] (sometimes referred to as the Manx Nationalist Party)
note: most members sit as independents

International organization participation

UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (British crown dependency)

Flag description

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

National symbol(s)

triskelion (a motif of three legs); national colors: red, white

National anthem

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

Economy

Economy - overview

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 opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their contributions to GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Online gambling sites provided about 10% of the islands income in 2014. The Isle of Man currently enjoys free access to EU markets and trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man’s trade relationship with the EU derives from the United Kingdom’s EU membership and will need to be renegotiated in light of the United Kingdom’s decision to withdraw from the bloc. A transition period is expected to allow the free movement of goods and agricultural products to the EU until the end of 2020 or until a new settlement is negotiated.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$6.792 billion (2015 est.)
$7.428 billion (2014 est.)
$6.298 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2014 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 169

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.792 billion(2015 est.) (2015 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-8.6% (2015 est.)
17.9% (2014 est.)
2.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 221

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$84,600 (2014 est.)
$86,200 (2013 est.)
$73,700 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1% (FY12/13 est.)
industry: 13% (FY12/13 est.)
services: 86% (FY12/13 est.)

Agriculture - products

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Industries

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Labor force

41,790 (2006)
country comparison to the world: 195

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing: 5% (2006 est.)
construction: 8% (2006 est.)
tourism: 1% (2006 est.)
transport and communications: 9% (2006 est.)
agriculture, forestry, and fishing: 2% (2006 est.)
gas, electricity, and water: 1% (2006 est.)
wholesale and retail distribution: 11% (2006 est.)
professional and scientific services: 20% (2006 est.)
public administration: 7% (2006 est.)
banking and finance: 23% (2006 est.)
entertainment and catering: 5% (2006 est.)
miscellaneous services: 8% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.1% (2017 est.)
2% (April 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10

Population below poverty line

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Budget

revenues: 965 million (FY05/06 est.)
expenditures: 943 million (FY05/06 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.2% (of GDP) (FY05/06 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.3% (of GDP) (FY05/06 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.1% (2017 est.)
1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Market value of publicly traded shares

NA

Exports

NA

Exports - commodities

tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Imports

NA

Imports - commodities

timber, fertilizers, fish

Debt - external

NA

Exchange rates

Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar -
0.7836 (2017 est.)
0.738 (2016 est.)
0.738 (2015)
0.6542 (2014)
0.6472 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Communications

Telephone system

domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: country code - 44; fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.im

Military and Security

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

M (2016)

Airports

1 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 224

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)

Railways

total: 63 km (2008)
narrow gauge: 6 km1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified) (2008)
57 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions
country comparison to the world: 130

Roadways

total: 500 km (2008)
country comparison to the world: 190

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Douglas, Ramsey

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

none

Flag of Isle of Man