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.

Geographic coordinates: 54 15 N 4 30 W

Area
Rank: 194
Comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 160 km

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

Terrain: hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Natural resources: none

Irrigated land: 0 km²

Natural hazards: NA

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

Population: 85,421 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 199
Growth rate: 0.882% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 127
Below poverty line: NA%

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 growth rate: 0.882% (2009 est.)
Rank: 127

Birth rate: 11.36 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 170

Death rate: 9.95 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 53

Net migration rate: 7.41 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 15

Environment
Current issues: waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 194

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 24

Total fertility rate: 1.96 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 135

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy: NA

Government type: parliamentary democracy

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

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)

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: Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter KARRAN]; Manx Labor Party; Manx Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin) [Bernard MOFFATT]

International organization participation: UPU

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 (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

National symbols: triskelion (a motif of three legs)

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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $2.719 billion (2005 est.)
Rank: 183

Real gdp growth rate: 5.2% (2005)
Rank: 52

Real gdp per capita: $35,000 (2005 est.)
Rank: 38

Agriculture products: cereals vegetables; cattle sheep pigs poultry

Labor force: 41,790 (2006)
Rank: 194

Unemployment rate: 1.8% (October 2009 est.)
Rank: 12

Population below poverty line: NA%

Budget
Surplus or deficit: 0.8% of GDP (FY05/06 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 32

Taxes and other revenues: 35.5% of GDP (FY05/06 est.)
Rank: 68

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.1% (2006)
Rank: 139

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Exports: $N/A
Commodities: tweeds herring processed shellfish beef lamb

Imports: $N/A
Commodities: timber fertilizers fish

Debt external: $N/A

Exchange rates:

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
Hosts: 895 (2009)
Hosts rank: 174

Airports: 1 (2009)
Rank: 229

Railways
Total: 63 km
Rank: 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
Rank: 191

Merchant marine
Total: 273
Rank: 31
By type: bulk carrier 31 cargo 50 chemical tanker 48 container 12 liquefied gas 41 passenger/cargo 1 petroleum tanker 73 refrigerated cargo 4 roll on/roll off 8 vehicle carrier 5
Foreign owned: 181 (Chile 6 Denmark 29 France 1 Germany 56 Greece 50 Ireland 1 Japan 6 Monaco 3 Netherlands 1 Norway 20 Singapore 1 Sweden 1 Turkey 2 US 4)
Registered in other countries: 7 (Bahamas 1 Liberia 5 Marshall Islands 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Douglas Ramsey

Disputes international: none