Isle of Man
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Isle of Man⌘K
Overview
- Background
- 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
Area
- Land
- 572 sq km
- Water
- 0 sq km
- Total
- 572 sq 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
Land Use
- Other
- 24.5% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 6.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 69.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 41.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 28% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland
- Coastline
- 160 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Irish Sea 0 m
- Highest point
- Snaefell 621 m
- Irrigated land
- 0 sq km (2022)
- Map references
- Europe
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Maritime Claims
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Exclusive fishing zone
- 12 nm
- 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
- Natural resources
- none
- Area comparative
- slightly more than three times the size of Washington, D.C.
- Geographic coordinates
- 54 15 N, 4 30 W
- Population distribution
- most people concentrated in cities and large towns; Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest
People & Society
- 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.)
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
- Total population
- 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.89 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 10.25 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 43.7 years
- Total
- 45.1 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 46.1 years
Population
- Male
- 46,543
- Total
- 92,666 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 46,123
Nationality
- Noun
- Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
- Adjective
- Manx
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 53.5% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 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)
- Ethnic groups
- White 94.7%, Asian 3.1%, Mixed 1%, Black 0.6%, other 0.4% (2021 est.)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 62.4 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 25.9 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 2.7 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 36.5 (2025 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 4.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.87 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: total
- total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 0.41% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.9 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- most people concentrated in cities and large towns; Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 80.7 years
- Female
- 84.4 years
- Total population
- 82.5 years (2024 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: total
- total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: NA
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0% of population (2022 est.) NA
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: NA
- Major urban areas population
- 27,000 DOUGLAS (capital) (2018)
Government
- 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; a two-sided emblem is used to allow the toes to point clockwise on both sides of the flag
history: 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
Capital
- Name
- Douglas
- 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
- 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
- Geographic coordinates
- 54 09 N, 4 29 W
- Suffrage
- 16 years of age; universal
- Citizenship
- see United Kingdom
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
Country Name
- 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
- Abbreviation
- I.O.M.
- Local long form
- Ellan Vannin
- Conventional long form
- none
- Conventional short form
- Isle of Man
- Independence
- none (British Crown dependency)
- Legal system
- UK laws apply, as well as Manx statutes
- Government type
- parliamentary democracy (Tynwald)
Judicial Branch
- Note
- note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
- 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
- Subordinate courts
- High Court; Court of Summary Gaol Delivery; Summary Courts; Magistrate's Court; specialized courts
- 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
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Council of Ministers appointed by the lieutenant governor
- Chief of state
- Lord of Mann King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir John LORIMER (since 29 September 2021)
- 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- Head of government
- Chief Minister Alfred CANNAN (since 12 October 2021)
- Most recent election date
- 23 September 2021
- Election/appointment process
- 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)
- Expected date of next election
- 2026
- National holiday
- Tynwald Day, 5 July (1417); date Tynwald Day was first recorded
- Dependency status
- British crown dependency
- National color(s)
- red, white
- Political parties
- Green Party
Liberal Vannin Party or LVP
Manx Labor Party
Legislative Branch
- Note
- 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
- Legislature name
- Tynwald (High Court of Tynwald)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "God Save the King"
- History
- official anthem, as a British Crown dependency; played when the sovereign, members of the royal family, or the lieutenant governor are present
- Lyrics/music
- unknown
- National symbol(s)
- triskelion (a motif of three legs)
- 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
- Administrative divisions
- no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 24 local authorities each hold elections
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Chamber name
- House of Keys
- Term in office
- 5 years
- Number of seats
- 24 (directly elected)
- Electoral system
- plurality/majority
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 9/23/2021
- Expected date of next election
- September 2026
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 40%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- independent (21); Manx Labour Party (2); Liberal Vannin (1)
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Chamber name
- Legislative Council
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 11 (3 appointed, 8 indirectly elected)
- Scope of elections
- partial renewal
- Most recent election date
- 3/14/2023
- Expected date of next election
- March 2028
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 36.4%
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Embassy
- none (British crown dependency)
- International organisations
- UPU
Economy
- Industries
- financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 0.78 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 0.727 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 0.811 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 0.805 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 0.782 (2024 est.)
- 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
- Exports partners
- almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
- Imports partners
- almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2020
- -8.8% (2020 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2021
- 3.8% (2021 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- -4.2% (2022 est.)
- Agricultural products
- cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
- Exports commodities
- crude petroleum, artwork, vegetables, fruits, whiskies (2022)
- Imports commodities
- ships, delivery trucks (2022)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $7.431 billion (2022 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- -29.5% (2022 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 6.9% (2022 est.)
- Services
- 95.1% (2022 est.)
- Agriculture
- 0.4% (2022 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
- Internet country code
- .im
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 2
- Medium
- 0
- Key ports
- Douglas, Ramsey
- Very small
- 0
- Total ports
- 2 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 1
- Airports
- 4 (2025)
Railways
- Note
- 57 0.914-mm gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions
- Total
- 63 km (2008)
- Narrow gauge
- 6 km (2008) 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified)
- Heliports
- 1 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 269 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 102, container ship 6, general cargo 27, oil tanker 56, other 78
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- M
Environment
- Climate
- temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time
Land Use
- Other
- 24.5% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 6.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 69.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 41.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 28% (2023 est.)
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
- 50,600 tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 50% (2011 est.)
- Environmental issues
- air pollution, marine pollution; waste disposal (both household and industrial)
Military & Security
- Military note
- defense is the responsibility of the UK
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Isle of Man — vintage 2026-Q1: Isle of Man factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/isle-of-man
Sources: CIA World Factbook