2019 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. 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.

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

Highest Point

Snaefell 621 m

Lowest Point

Irish Sea 0 m

Environment Current Issues

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

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 (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

74.7% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

43.8% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

30.9% (2011 est.)

Forest

6.1% (2011 est.)

Other

19.2% (2011 est.)

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

occasional high winds and rough seas

Natural Resources

none

Population Distribution

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

Terrain

hills in north and south bisected by central valley

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.)

Birth Rate

10.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Ethnic Groups

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

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

4 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

4 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

83.3 years

Male

79.6 years

Total Population

81.4 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

27,000 DOUGLAS (capital) (2018)

Median Age

Female

45.2 years

Male

43.4 years

Total

44.4 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Manx

Noun

Manxman(men), Manxwoman(women)

Net Migration Rate

5.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Population

89,407 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.65% (2018 est.)

Religions

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

Sex Ratio

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

At Birth

1.08 male(s)/female

Total Population

1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.92 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

8.2% (2011 est.)

Male

11.8%

Total

10.1%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.89% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

52.7% of total population (2019)

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 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

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)

History

development of the Isle of Man constitution dates to at least the 14th century

Country Name

Abbreviation

I.O.M.

Conventional Long Form

none

Conventional Short Form

Isle of Man

Etymology

the name "man" may be derived from the Celtic word for "mountain"

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 appointed by the lieutenant governor

Chief Of State

Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard GOZNEY (since 27 May 2016)

Election Results

Howard QUAYLE (independent) elected chief minister; Tynwald vote - 21 of 33

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)

Head Of Government

Chief Minister Howard QUAYLE (since 4 October 2016)

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

Government Type

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

Independence

none (British Crown dependency)

International Organization Participation

UPU

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

Legal System

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

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)

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%

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)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

William Henry GILL [English], John J. KNEEN [Manx]/traditional

Name

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

National Holiday

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

National Symbol S

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

Political Parties And Leaders

Liberal Vannin Party [Kate BEECROFT] Manx Labor Party Mec Vannin [Mark KERMODE] (sometimes referred to as the Manx Nationalist Party)

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Budget

Expenditures

943 million (FY05/06 est.)

Revenues

965 million (FY05/06 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

0.3% (of GDP) (FY05/06 est.)

Debt External

NA

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.

Exchange Rates

2013

0.6472

2014

0.6542

2015

0.738

2016

0.738

2017

0.7836

Currency

Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar -

Exports

NA

Exports Commodities

tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

1% (FY12/13 est.)

Industry

13% (FY12/13 est.)

Services

86% (FY12/13 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

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

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2012

$73,700

2013

$86,200

2014

$84,600

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2013

$6.298 billion

2014

$7.428 billion

2015

$6.792 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2010

2.1%

2014

17.9%

2015

-8.6%

Imports

NA

Imports Commodities

timber, fertilizers, fish

Industries

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

1%

2017

4.1%

Labor Force

41,790 (2006)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture Forestry And Fishing

2% (2006 est.)

Banking And Finance

23% (2006 est.)

Construction

8% (2006 est.)

Entertainment And Catering

5% (2006 est.)

Gas Electricity And Water

1% (2006 est.)

Manufacturing

5% (2006 est.)

Miscellaneous Services

8% (2006 est.)

Professional And Scientific Services

20% (2006 est.)

Public Administration

7% (2006 est.)

Tourism

1% (2006 est.)

Transport And Communications

9% (2006 est.)

Wholesale And Retail Distribution

11% (2006 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

NA

Taxes And Other Revenues

14.2% (of GDP) (FY05/06 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2017

1.1%

April 2011

2%

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

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

Telephone System

Domestic

landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system

International

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

Airports

1 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2017)

Total

1 (2017)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

M (2016)

Ports And Terminals

Douglas, Ramsey

Railways

Narrow Gauge

6 km 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified) (2008)

Total

63 km (2008)

Roadways

500 km (2008)

Military Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes International

none