2010 Edition

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. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK or of the European Union. However, the UK Government remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation.

Area

land

572 sq km

total

572 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

160 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Snaefell 621 m

lowest point

Irish Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution

Geographic coordinates

54 15 N, 4 30 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

9%

other

91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002)

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

none

Terrain

hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.9% (male 6,612/female 6,300) 15-64 years: 66% (male 25,433/female 25,083) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,408/female 7,676) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

11.54 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

9.87 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.18 years (2010 est.)

male

79.01 years

total population

80.53 years

Literacy

NA

Median age

female

43 years (2010 est.)

male

41.6 years

total

42.3 years

Nationality

adjective

Manx

noun

Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)

Net migration rate

8.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

83,859 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.968% (2010 est.)

Religions

Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends

Sex ratio

at birth

1.077 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.97 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

-0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

51% of total population (2008)

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

54 09 N, 4 29 W

name

Douglas

time difference

UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Country name

abbreviation

I.O.M.

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Isle of Man

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)

election results

House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief minister by the Tynwald

elections

the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; the chief minister elected by the Tynwald for a five-year term; election last held on 14 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)

head of government

Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December 2006)

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. 1252-1265); the triskelion has its roots in an early Celtic sun symbol

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

International organization participation

UPU

Judicial branch

High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)

Legal system

the laws of the UK where applicable apply and Manx statutes

Legislative branch

bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (11 seats; members composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Manx Labor Party 1, independents 21

elections

House of Keys - last held on 23 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2011)

National anthem

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

name

"Arrane Ashoonagh dy Vannin" (O Land of Our Birth)

National holiday

Tynwald Day, 5 July

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter KARRAN]; Manx Labor Party; Manx Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin) [Bernard MOFFATT] note: most members sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders

Alliance for Progressive Government or APG (a government watchdog); Mec Vannin (political party advocating a sovereign state and environment policies); note - has only had one member elected to the Tynwald

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Debt - external

$NA

Economy - overview

Offshore banking, 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. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets.

Exchange rates

Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar - 0.6504 (2010), 0.6389 (2009), 0.5302 (2008), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006) note: the Manx pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1%

industry

13%

services

86% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$35,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.2% (2005)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.719 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.719 billion (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

timber, fertilizers, fish

Industries

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.1% (December 2006 est.)

Labor force

39,690 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture, forestry, and fishing: 3%

banking and finance

18%

construction

10%

entertainment and catering

3%

manufacturing

11%

miscellaneous services

10% (2001)

professional and scientific services

18%

public administration

6%

tourism

2%

transport and communication

8%

wholesale and retail distribution

11%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

1.8% (October 2010 est.) 1.5% (December 2006 est.)

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 (2008)

Internet country code

.im

Internet hosts

765 (2010)

Telephone system

domestic

landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 44; fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable

Telephones - main lines in use

51,000 (1999)

Airports

1 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 45, cargo 49, chemical tanker 48, container 6, liquefied gas 41, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 91, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned

200 (Bermuda 7, Chile 8, Denmark 26, Germany 56, Greece 57, Ireland 1, Japan 15, Norway 26, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, US 2) (2010)

total

292

Ports and terminals

Douglas, Ramsey

Railways

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

63 km

Roadways

total

500 km (2008)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 14,748 females age 16-49: 14,392 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

449 (2010 est.)

male

469

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none page last updated on January 12, 2011 ======================================================================