Europe :: Isle of Man (British crown dependency)

EXPAND ALL COLLAPSE ALL

## Introduction ::Isle of Man

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.

## Geography ::Isle of Man

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 country comparison to the world: 194 land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
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 extremes:
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land: 43.86% permanent crops: 0% other: 56.14% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2011)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (2011)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution
Geography - note:
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary

## People and Society ::Isle of Man

Nationality:
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women) adjective: Manx
Ethnic groups:
Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons
Languages:
English, Manx Gaelic (about 2% of the population has some knowledge)
Religions:
Protestant (Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends), Roman Catholic
Population:
86,159 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 199
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.4% (male 7,456/female 6,692) 15-24 years: 11.9% (male 5,298/female 4,983) 25-54 years: 39.7% (male 17,055/female 17,186) 55-64 years: 12.8% (male 5,574/female 5,478) 65 years and over: 19.1% (male 7,597/female 8,840) (2013 est.) population pyramid:
Median age:
total: 43.1 years male: 42.4 years female: 43.8 years (2013 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.84% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Birth rate:
11.27 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Death rate:
9.99 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Net migration rate:
7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Urbanization:
urban population: 51% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
DOUGLAS (capital) 26,000 (2009)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 195 male: 4.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.87 years country comparison to the world: 24 male: 79.25 years female: 82.61 years (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.95 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 135
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Education expenditures:
NA
Literacy:
NA
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 7.2% country comparison to the world: 124 male: 9.5% female: 5.1% (2006)

## Government ::Isle of Man

Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man abbreviation: I.O.M.
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
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
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
Constitution:
unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution
Legal system:
the laws of the UK where applicable apply and include Manx statutes
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 Adam WOOD (since 7 April 2011) head of government: Chief Minister Allan BELL (since 11 October 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 11 October 2011 (next to be held in December 2016) election results: House of Keys speaker Allan BELL elected chief minister by the Tynwald with 27 votes out of 30
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) elections: House of Keys - last held on 29 September 2011 (next to be held in September 2016) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 3, independents 21
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Isle of Man High Courts of Justice (consists of 3 permanent judges called "deemsters" and 1 judge of appeal; organized into the Staff of Government Division or Court of Appeal and the Civil Division) note - appeals beyond the High Court of Justice are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor; judge tenure NA subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Summary Gaol Delivery; Summary Courts; magistrate's Court; specialized courts
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
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 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 ::Isle of Man

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. In January 2013, the Isle of Man signed a tax agreement with Guernsey and Jersey, in order to enable the islands' authorities to end tax avoidance and evasion. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.076 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176 $2.719 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.076 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2005) country comparison to the world: 56
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$53,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $35,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 1% industry: 11% services: 88% (FY08/09 est.)
Labor force:
41,790 (2006) country comparison to the world: 194
Labor force - by occupation:
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)
Unemployment rate:
2% (April 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 1.8% (October 2010 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $965 million expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
23.7% of GDP (FY05/06 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
0.5% of GDP (FY05/06 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 3.1% (2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Industries:
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
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 - 0.6307 (2011) 0.6472 (2011) 0.6472 (2010) 0.6175 (2009) 0.5302 (2008)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

## Communications ::Isle of Man

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 (2008)
Internet country code:
.im
Internet hosts:
895 (2012) country comparison to the world: 174

## Transportation ::Isle of Man

Airports:
1 (2012) country comparison to the world: 219
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2012)
Railways:
total: 63 km country comparison to the world: 129 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)
Roadways:
total: 500 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 195
Merchant marine:
total: 321 country comparison to the world: 30 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)
Ports and terminals:
Douglas, Ramsey

## Military ::Isle of Man

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,206 females age 16-49: 15,127 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 507 female: 494 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

## Transnational Issues ::Isle of Man

Disputes - international:
none

EXPAND ALL COLLAPSE ALL