Isle of Man

The Isle of Man was 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.

Geography

Location

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

Isle of Man map showing the major population centers of this UK crown dependency in the Irish Sea.

Geographic coordinates

54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references

Europe

Area

total : 572 sq km

land: 572 sq km

water: 0 sq km

comparison ranking: total 193

Area – comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Washington, D.C.

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

Natural resources

none

Land use

agricultural land: 71.4% (2022 est.)

arable land: 42.3% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 29.1% (2022 est.)

forest: 6.1% (2022 est.)

other: 22.5% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Population distribution

most people concentrated in cities and large towns; 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

Population

total: 92,269 (2024 est.)

male: 46,331

female: 45,938

comparison rankings: total 198; female 198; male 198

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% (male 7,701/female 7,100)

15-64 years: 61.9% (male 29,035/female 28,044)

65 years and over: 22.1% (2024 est.) (male 9,595/female 10,794)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 61.7 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 25.9 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 35.7 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 2.8 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 44.9 years (2024 est.)

male: 43.7 years

female: 46.1 years

comparison ranking: total 26

Population growth rate

0.45% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 153

Birth rate

10.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 178

Death rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 34

Net migration rate

4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 22

Population distribution

most people concentrated in cities and large towns; 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: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 186

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.5 years (2024 est.)

male: 80.7 years

female: 84.4 years

comparison ranking: total population 28

Total fertility rate

1.88 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 127

Gross reproduction rate

0.9 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

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

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

local long form: Ellan Vannin

abbreviation: I.O.M.

etymology: the name “man” may be derived from the Gaelic word for “mountain;” the local name is from the words ellan, or “island,” and Vannin, a form of the name Mannan

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: the name comes from the Gaelic name Dubhghlais, or “black stream,” referring to a nearby river; a second river was called Fionnghlais, or “white stream;” both river names were later shortened to Dhoo and Glass, respectively, which coincidentally comprised the elements of the town’s name

Administrative divisions

none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 24 local authorities each hold elections

Legal system

UK laws apply, as well as Manx statutes

Constitution

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

amendment process: 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

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

legislature name: Tynwald (High Court of Tynwald)

legislative structure: bicameral

note: Legislative Council includes the President of Tynwald, 2 non-voting members (the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man and the attorney general), and 8 members indirectly elected by the House of Keys

Legislative branch – lower chamber

chamber name: House of Keys

number of seats: 24 (directly elected)

electoral system: plurality/majority

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 9/23/2021

parties elected and seats per party: independent (21); Manx Labour Party (2); Liberal Vannin (1)

percentage of women in chamber: 40%

expected date of next election: September 2026

Legislative branch – upper chamber

chamber name: Legislative Council

number of seats: 11 (3 appointed, 8 indirectly elected)

scope of elections: partial renewal

term in office: 4 years

most recent election date: 3/14/2023

percentage of women in chamber: 36.4%

expected date of next election: March 2028

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 (not formally part of the High Court but is administered as such) deals with serious criminal cases

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

note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

Political parties

Green Party
Liberal Vannin Party or LVP
Manx Labor Party
Mec Vannin (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)

International organization participation

UPU

Independence

none (British Crown dependency)

National holiday

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

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 coat of arms

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom granted the Isle of Man’s coat of arms on July 12, 1996; the triskelion (three conjoined legs) on the shield represents resilience, resourcefulness, and hope; the Latin motto means “Wherever you throw it, it will stand,” a reference to the islanders’ ability to stand strong; the peregrine falcon represents the two falcons that the Isle of Man has paid to the UK monarch on Coronation Day since 1406, and the raven symbolizes the island’s former status as a Viking colony; the crown represents the UK monarch’s status as the Lord of Mann, although the island is self-governing

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom granted the Isle of Man’s coat of arms on July 12, 1996. The triskelion (three conjoined legs) on the shield represents resilience, resourcefulness, and hope. The Latin motto means “Wherever you throw it, it will stand,” a reference to the islanders’ ability to stand strong. The peregrine falcon represents the two falcons that the Isle of Man has paid to the UK monarch on Coronation Day since 1406, and the raven symbolizes the island’s former status as a Viking colony. The crown represents the UK monarch’s status as the Lord of Mann, although the island is self-governing.:

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.)

note: data are in 2014 dollars

comparison ranking: 173

Real GDP growth rate

3.84% (2021 est.)
-8.84% (2020 est.)
0.25% (2019 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 83

Real GDP per capita

$84,600 (2014 est.)

comparison ranking: 9

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.931 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.1% (2017 est.)
1% (2016 est.)

comparison ranking: 129

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.3% (2021 est.)

industry: 9.4% (2021 est.)

services: 91.8% (2021 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

comparison rankings: services 2; industry 200; agriculture 204

Agricultural products

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Industries

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate

9.95% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 21

Unemployment rate

1.1% (2017 est.)

comparison ranking: 8

Exports – partners

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

Exports – commodities

crude petroleum, artwork, vegetables, fruits, whiskies (2022)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports – partners

almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)

Imports – commodities

ships, delivery trucks (2022)

Exchange rates

Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
0.782 (2024 est.)
0.805 (2023 est.)
0.811 (2022 est.)
0.727 (2021 est.)
0.78 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Communications

Broadcast media

national public radio has 3 FM stations and 1 AM station; 2 commercial radio broadcasters; receives radio and TV services via relays from British TV and radio broadcasters