Isle of Man

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: NA

Telephones

41,000 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

4

Televisions

NA Defense

Agriculture

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Budget

revenues: $130.4 million expenditures: $114.4 million, including capital expenditures of $18.1 million (1985 est.)

Currency

1 Manx pound (LM) = 100 pence

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic 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.

Electricity

capacity: 61,000 kW production: 190 million kWh consumption per capita: 2,965 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Manx pounds (LM) per US$1 - 0.6537 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991); the Manx pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$NA commodities: tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb partners: UK

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $780 million (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$10,800 (1994 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$NA commodities: timber, fertilizers, fish partners: UK

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7% (1992 est.)

Labor force

31,829 (1991) by occupation: manufacturing 11%, construction 11%, transport and communication 6%, retail distribution 9%, professional and scientific services 17%, public administration 7%, banking and finance 8%

Unemployment rate

1% (1992 est.)

Area

total area: 588 sq km land area: 588 sq km comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

113 km

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Geographic coordinates

54 15 N, 4 30 W

Geographic note

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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA% (extensive arable land and forests)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

lead, iron ore

Terrain

hills in north and south bisected by central valley lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 620 m

Administrative divisions

none (British crown dependency)

Capital

Douglas

Constitution

1961, Isle of Man Constitution Act

Data code

IM

Diplomatic representation in US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (of the United Kingdom since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor His Excellency Sir Timothy DAUNT (since NA 1995) who was appointed for a five-year term by the queen head of government: President of the Legislative Council Sir Charles KERRUISH (since NA 1990); was elected by the Tynwald cabinet: Council of Ministers

Flag

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

House of Keys

elections last held NA November 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (24 total) independents 24

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

International organization participation

none

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

English law and local statute

Legislative Council

consists of 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

Legislative branch

bicameral Tynwald

Name of country

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man

National holiday

Tynwald Day, 5 July

Political parties and leaders

there is no party system; members sit as independents

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Type of government

British crown dependency

US diplomatic representation

none (British crown dependency)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 6,606; female 6,348) 15-64 years: 65% (male 23,917; female 23,815) 65 years and over: 17% (male 5,239; female 7,912) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

12.43 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

12.09 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Infant mortality rate

2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English, Manx Gaelic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.15 years male: 73.56 years female: 80.91 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Manxman, Manxwoman adjective: Manx

Net migration rate

9.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

73,837 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.94% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

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 all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.68 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 640 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 320 km

Merchant marine

total: 83 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,099,888 GRT/3,569,632 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 10, chemical tanker 4, container 12, liquefied gas tanker 8, oil tanker 18, passenger 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; UK owns 10 ships, Switzerland 2, South Africa 2, Denmark 1, and Netherlands 1 (1995 est.)

Ports

Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey

Railways

total: 52 km (27 km electrified)