Map of Isle of Man | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


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 Celtic language.


top of page


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

Geographic coordinates: 54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 588 km²
Land: 588 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 113 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: cool summers and mild winters; humid; overcast about half the time

Terrain: hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Snaefell 620 m

Natural resources: lead, iron ore

Land use
Arable land: NA%
Permanent crops: NA%
Permanent pastures: NA%
Forests and woodland: NA%
Other: NA% (extensive arable land: and forests)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

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


top of page


Population: 74,504 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 0.86% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Manxman, Manxwoman
Adjective: Manx

Ethnic groups: Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Languages: English, Manx Gaelic

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 18% (male 6,681; female 6,427)
15-64 years: 65% (male 24,225; female 24,102)
65 years and over: 17% (male 5,198; female 7,871) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.86% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 12.48 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 11.89 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 8.05 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 2.4 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.36 years
Male: 73.79 years
Female: 81.09 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Isle of Man

Government type: NA

Capital: Douglas

Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (British crown dependency)

National holiday: Tynwald Day, 5 July

Constitution: 1961, Isle of Man Constitution Act

Legal system: English law and local statute

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor His Excellency Sir Timothy DAUNT (since NA 1995)
Head of government: President of the Legislative Council Sir Charles KERRUISH (since NA 1990)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers
Elections: the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor appointed by the queen for a five-year term; president of the Legislative Council elected by the Tynwald for a NA-year term; election last held NA (next to be held NA)
Election results: Sir Charles KERRUISH elected president of the Legislative Council; percent of legislative vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (a 10-member body composed of 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 are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: House of Keys - last held NA November 1991 (next to be held NA 1996)
Election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 24

Judicial branch: High Court of Justice, justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (British crown dependency)
From the us: none (British crown dependency)

Flag description: red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island 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 shares of GDP. Banking now contributes about 45% to GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,800 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Industries: financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Total: 33,189 (1991)
By occupation manufacturing: 11%
By occupation construction: 11%
By occupation transportandcommunication: 6%
By occupation retaildistribution: 9%
By occupation professionalandscientificservices: 17%
By occupation public administration: 7%
By occupation bankingandfinance: 8%

Unemployment rate: 1% (1992 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $333.7 million
Expenditures: $333.5 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY94/95 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $NA
Commodities: tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb
Partners: UK

Imports: $NA
Commodities: timber, fertilizers, fish
Partners: UK

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Manx pounds (£M) per US$1 - 0.6023 (January 1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992; the Manx pound is at par with the British pound


top of page


Electricity
Capacity: NA kW
Production: NA kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones: 41,000 (1995)

Telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: NA

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: total:52 km (27 km electrified)

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 106 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,679,710 GRT/4,450,358 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 9, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 1, container 14, liquefied gas tanker 9, oil tanker 22, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 16, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3
Note: a flag of convenience registry; UK owns 11 ships, Switzerland 2, South Africa 1, Denmark 1, and Netherlands 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs