Isle of Man
The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin in Manx), a British crown dependency, lies in the Irish Sea almost equidistant from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. With an area of 572 km² (221 square miles) and a population of around 76,315 (2001 Census) it has the "Oldest Continuously Democratic Parliament in the World" - the Tynwald - founded in 979.
|
| |||
| National motto: Quocunque Jeceris Stabit (Latin: Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand) | |||
| Official languages | English, Manx | ||
| Capital | Douglas | ||
| Lord of Mann | Elizabeth II | ||
| Lieutenant Governor | Air Marshal Ian Macfadyen | ||
| Chief Minister | Richard Corkill | ||
| Currency | Isle of Man pound (on par with Pound Sterling) | ||
| Time zone | UTC (DST +1) | ||
| National anthem | Isle of Man National Anthem | ||
| Internet TLD | .IM | ||
| Calling Code | 44 (UK area code 1624) | ||
| Table of contents |
|
2 Politics 3 Geography 4 Economy 5 Demographics 6 Culture 7 Miscellaneous topics 8 See also 9 References 10 External links |
The Isle of Man formed a Viking outpost/kingdom from circa 700 A.D. to 900 A.D., and part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland. The island came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the once almost extinct Manx language.
It is a common misconception that Man forms part of the United Kingdom; under British law it does not, though the United Kingdom takes care of its external and defence affairs. The Isle of Man does not have membership of the European Union either.
Man is in fact a British Crown Dependency, although the party Mec Vannin advocates the establishment of Man as a sovereign republic.
Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy of the Isle of Man. 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 and other services now contribute the great bulk of GDP. Trade is mostly with the United Kingdom. The Isle of Man has access to European Union markets.
History
Main article: History of the Isle of ManPolitics
''Main article: Government of the Isle of ManGeography
''Main article: Geography of the Isle of ManEconomy
''Main article: Economy of the Isle of ManDemographics
''Main article: Demographics of the Isle of ManCulture
''Main article: Culture of the Isle of ManMiscellaneous topics
See also
References
External links
| [ Edit { | Countries in Europe | |
| Albania | Andorra | Austria | Azerbaijan | Belarus | Belgium | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bulgaria | Croatia | Czech Republic | Cyprus | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Iceland | Ireland | Italy | Kazakhstan | Latvia | Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Republic of Macedonia | Malta | Moldova | Monaco | Netherlands | Norway | Poland | Portugal | Romania | Russia | San Marino | Serbia and Montenegro | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | Turkey | Ukraine | United Kingdom | Vatican City | ||
| Dependencies: Faroe Islands | Gibraltar | Guernsey | Isle of Man | Jersey | Svalbard | ||