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572 sq km (221 sq miles).

76,315 (2001).

133.4 per sq km.

Douglas. Population: 25,347 (2001).

The Isle of Man is situated in the Irish Sea, 114km (71 miles) from Liverpool and 133km (83 miles) from Dublin. The island has a mountain range down the middle, the highest peak being Snaefell at 620m (2036ft) and a flat northern plain to the Point of Ayre, the most northerly point. The Calf of Man, an islet off the southwest coast, is administered as a nature reserve and bird sanctuary by the Manx Museum and National Trust.

Crown Dependency with own Parliament. The Isle of Man is not constitutionally part of the UK; it is a self-governed dependency of the Crown within the British Commonwealth. The Parliamentary institution of Tynwald (a word which comes from the Old Norse ‘thing’ meaning assembly and ‘vollr’ meaning field) comprises the Legislative Council and the 24 elected members of the House of Keys legislates for the island, levies taxation and has control of the island’s finances. A contribution is paid annually to the UK Treasury. The Acts of Tynwald require the royal assent, and are proclaimed to the people in July each year at the open-air assembly on Tynwald Hill at St John’s, thus maintaining the Norse tradition. The Government of the Isle of Man maintains its own education, health, national insurance, social security, police, postal and other public services. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Lieutenant-Governor Ian MacFadyen since 2000. Head of Government: Chief Minister Donald Gelling since 2004. Recent history: Recent years have brought two major economic successes to the Isle of Man, whose economy is surprisingly strong. Formerly largely reliant on mining, fishing, farming and tourism, the Island has lately capitalised on its independent status to build up a thriving offshore banking and financial services sector, which has brought with it much wealth and employment. Another major success came in the film industry – in 1995, the island’s Government decided to enter films in a big way, and Man is now one of the busiest production areas in the UK. Many major movies and TV programmes have been filmed on location there, and the island also boasts a large sound stage facility. Following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease on the UK mainland in 2001, the Manx Government made the difficult decision to cancel that year’s TT motorcycle races, an event that temporarily more than doubles the population in June each year. The measure worked, as the disease did not reach the island. Also in 2001, a new primary school teaching purely in the Manx language was established, as part of efforts to revive the island’s branch of Gaelic. This too has been a success, and more than 40 children now study at the school.

Manx Gaelic, the indigenous language, is related to Scots and Irish Gaelic. At one time spoken by all the Manx, the tongue was replaced by English during the last century, and now only 600 or so people speak it to some degree. On Tynwald Day, summaries of the new laws are read out in Manx and English. Manx Gaelic evening classes are regularly held, and a weekly radio programme and newspaper column appear in the language.

240 volts AC, 50Hz.