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Location
Irish Sea.
Time
GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October).
Area
572 sq km (221 sq miles).
Population
75,831 (official estimate 2007).
Population Density
132.6 per sq km.
Capital
Douglas. Population: 26,218 (census 2006).
Geography
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 (2,036ft) 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.
Government
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. 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 Sir Paul K Haddacks since 2005.
Head of Government
Chief Minister Tony Brown since 2006.
Recent History
Recent years have brought two major economic successes to the Isle of Man, whose economy is surprisingly strong. Formerly 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, and Man is now one of the busiest production areas in the UK.
The island's government does not traditionally have a party political framework. However this shifted slightly in the run up to the 2006 election when the Liberal Vannin Party (LVP) was founded. It took 14.2% of the vote.
The island's government does not traditionally have a party political framework. However this shifted slightly in the run up to the 2006 election when the Liberal Vannin Party (LVP) was founded. It took 14.2% of the vote.
Language
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.
Electricity
240 volts AC, 50Hz.
For information on religion, social conventions, passport and visa and duty-free, see the main United Kingdom section.
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