Isle of Man

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

Internet hosts

765 (2010) country comparison to the world: 173

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: country code - 44; fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable

Telephones - main lines in use

51,000 (1999) country comparison to the world: 162

Agriculture - products

cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Budget

revenues: $965 million expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.8% of GDP (FY05/06 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Debt - external

$NA

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.

Exchange rates

Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar - 0.6388 (2010) 0.6175 (2009) 0.5302 (2008) 0.4993 (2007) 0.5418 (2006)

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.719 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.719 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$35,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

GDP - real growth rate

5.2% (2005) country comparison to the world: 67

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

timber, fertilizers, fish

Industries

financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.1% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Labor force

39,690 (2001) country comparison to the world: 194

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture, forestry, and fishing: 3% manufacturing: 11% construction: 10% transport and communication: 8% wholesale and retail distribution: 11% professional and scientific services: 18% public administration: 6% banking and finance: 18% tourism: 2% entertainment and catering: 3% miscellaneous services: 10% (2001)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Taxes and other revenues

35.5% of GDP (FY05/06 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Unemployment rate

1.8% (October 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 1.5% (December 2006 est.)

Area

total: 572 sq km country comparison to the world: 194 land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

160 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Environment - current issues

waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution

Geographic coordinates

54 15 N, 4 30 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 9% permanent crops: 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

none

Terrain

hills in north and south bisected by central valley

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

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

Constitution

unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man abbreviation: I.O.M.

Dependency status

British crown dependency

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (British crown dependency)

Executive branch

chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Adam WOOD (since 7 April 2011) head of government: Chief Minister Allan BELL (since 11 October 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; the chief minister elected by the Tynwald for a five-year term; election last held on 14 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: House of Keys speaker Allan BELL elected chief minister by the Tynwald

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (British crown dependency)

International organization participation

UPU

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

the laws of the UK where applicable apply and include Manx statutes

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) elections: House of Keys - last held on 29 September 2011 (next to be held in September 2016) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 3, independents 21

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 Queen" is official (see United Kingdom) and is played when the sovereign, members of the royal family, or the lieutenant governor are present

National holiday

Tynwald Day, 5 July

National symbol(s)

triskelion (a motif of three legs)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter KARRAN]; Manx Labor Party; Manx Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin) [Bernard MOFFATT] note: most members sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders

Alliance for Progressive Government or APG (a government watchdog); Mec Vannin (political party advocating a sovereign state and environment policies); note - has only had one member elected to the Tynwald

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

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.

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 15,206 females age 16-49: 15,127 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 507 female: 494 (2010 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.6% (male 7,362/female 6,664) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 27,752/female 27,466) 65 years and over: 18.2% (male 7,003/female 8,408) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

11.42 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Death rate

9.92 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.32 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 194 male: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Languages

English, Manx Gaelic (about 2% of the population has some knowledge)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.64 years country comparison to the world: 22 male: 79.09 years female: 82.32 years (2011 est.)

Literacy

NA

Major cities - population

DOUGLAS (capital) 26,000 (2009)

Median age

total: 42.6 years male: 41.8 years female: 43.3 years (2011 est.)

Nationality

noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women) adjective: Manx

Net migration rate

7.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Population

84,655 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Population growth rate

0.921% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Religions

Protestant (Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends), Roman Catholic

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

NA

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.96 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 7.2% country comparison to the world: 116 male: 9.5% female: 5.1% (2006)

Urbanization

urban population: 51% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 220

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)

Merchant marine

total: 292 country comparison to the world: 31 by type: bulk carrier 45, cargo 49, chemical tanker 48, container 6, liquefied gas 41, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 91, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 200 (Bermuda 7, Chile 8, Denmark 26, Germany 56, Greece 57, Ireland 1, Japan 15, Norway 26, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, US 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Douglas, Ramsey

Railways

total: 63 km country comparison to the world: 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 (2008) country comparison to the world: 194