Introduction
Background
Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under English lordship in the 14th century before being purchased by the British Government in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. The Isle of Man is a British 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.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
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 - comparative
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 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
highest point: Snaefell 621 m
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
Land use
agricultural land: 74.7% (2018 est.)
arable land: 43.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 30.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 6.1% (2018 est.)
other: 19.2% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
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
Geography - note
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx
Ethnic groups
White 94.7%, Asian 3.1%, Mixed 1%, Black 0.6%, other 0.4% (2021 est.)
note: data represent population by nationality
Languages
English, Manx Gaelic (about 2% of the population has some knowledge)
Religions
Christian 54.7%, Muslim 0.5%, Buddhist 0.5%, Hindu 0.4%, Jewish 0.2%, none 43.8% (2021 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 16.15% (male 7,715/female 7,114)
15-64 years: 62.09% (male 28,978/female 28,044)
65 years and over: 21.77% (2023 est.) (male 9,408/female 10,581)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 58.6
youth dependency ratio: 23.6
elderly dependency ratio: 34.9
potential support ratio: 2.9 (2021)
Population distribution
most people concentrated in cities and large towns of which Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest
Urbanization
urban population: 53.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
27,000 DOUGLAS (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 186
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 80.4 years
female: 84.2 years
comparison ranking: total population 27
Gross reproduction rate
0.91 (2023 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 99.1% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0.9% of population (2020)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: NA
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: NA
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Environment
Environment - current issues
air pollution, marine pollution; waste disposal (both household and industrial)
Climate
temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time
Land use
agricultural land: 74.7% (2018 est.)
arable land: 43.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 30.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 6.1% (2018 est.)
other: 19.2% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 53.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 50,551 tons (2011 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 25,276 tons (2011 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 50% (2011 est.)
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"
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Tynwald)
Dependency status
British crown dependency
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 2020
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 King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir John LORIMER (since 29 September 2021)
head of government: Chief Minister Alfred CANNAN (since 12 October 2021)
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 23 September 2021 (next to be held in 2026)
election results:
2021: Alfred CANNAN (independent) elected chief minister; Tynwald House of Keys vote - 21 of 24
2016: Howard QUAYLE elected chief minister; Tynwald House of Keys 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 (non-voting) members - the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man and the attorney general - 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 each from 12 constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections:
Legislative Council - last held 14 March 2023 (next to be held by March 2028)
House of Keys - last held on 23 September 2021 (next to be held on 24 September 2026)
election results:
Legislative Council - composition (as of 2022) - men 7, women 3, 1 vacancy; percent of women 30%
House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Liberal Vannin 5.3%, Manx Labour Party 5.1%, Green Party 3.3% independent 86.3%; seats by party - independent 21; Manx Labour Party 2, Liberal Vannin 1; composition – men 14, women 10, percent of women 41.7%; note - total Tynwald percent of women 37.1%
Judicial branch
highest 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
Political parties and leaders
Green Party [Andrew LANGAN-NEWTON]
Liberal Vannin Party or LVP [Lawrie HOOPER]
Manx Labor Party [Joney FARAGHER]
Mec Vannin [Mark KERMODE] (sometimes referred to as the Manx Nationalist Party)
note: most members sit as independents
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: 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 King" is official (see United Kingdom) and is played when the sovereign, members of the royal family, or the lieutenant governor are present
Economy
Economic overview
high-income British island economy; known financial services and tourism industries; taxation incentives for technology and financial firms to operate; historic fishing and agriculture industries are declining; major online gambling and film industry locale
Real 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
comparison ranking: 171
GDP (official exchange rate)
$6.792 billion (2015 est.)
Credit ratings
Moody's rating: Aa3 (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: N/A
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 1% (FY12/13 est.)
industry: 13% (FY12/13 est.)
services: 86% (FY12/13 est.)
comparison rankings: services 17; industry 194; agriculture 199
Agricultural products
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Industries
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 10.1% (2011 est.)
male: 11.8%
female: 8.2%
comparison ranking: total 150
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.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Exports
NA
Exports - partners
almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, artwork, vegetables, fruits, whiskies (2022)
Imports
NA
Imports - partners
almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Imports - commodities
ships, delivery trucks (2022)
Exchange rates
Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.727 (2021 est.)
0.78 (2020 est.)
0.783 (2019 est.)
0.75 (2018 est.)
0.777 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Communications
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: the Isle of Man has an extensive communications infrastructure consisting of telephone cables, submarine cables, and an array of television and mobile phone transmitters and towers (2022)
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
Transportation
Airports - with paved runways
1
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Railways
total: 63 km (2008)
narrow gauge: 6 km (2008) 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified)
57 0.914-mm gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions
comparison ranking: total 131
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Douglas, Ramsey
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified