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.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes
Geography
Location
Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland
Geographic coordinates
54 15 N, 4 30 W
Map references
Europe
Area
total : 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km
water: 0 sq km
comparison ranking: total 193
Area – comparative
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
160 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate
temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time
Terrain
hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Elevation
highest point: Snaefell 621 m
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
Natural resources
none
Land use
agricultural land: 71.4% (2022 est.)
arable land: 42.3% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 29.1% (2022 est.)
forest: 6.1% (2022 est.)
other: 22.5% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Population distribution
most people concentrated in cities and large towns; Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest
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
People and Society
Population
total: 92,269 (2024 est.)
male: 46,331
female: 45,938
comparison rankings: total 198; female 198; male 198
Nationality
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx
Ethnic groups
White 94.7%, Asian 3.1%, Mixed 1%, Black 0.6%, other 0.4% (2021 est.)
note: data represent population by nationality
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.)
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)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 61.7 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 25.9 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 35.7 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 2.8 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 44.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 43.7 years
female: 46.1 years
comparison ranking: total 26
Population growth rate
0.45% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 153
Birth rate
10.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 178
Death rate
10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 34
Net migration rate
4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 22
Population distribution
most people concentrated in cities and large towns; Douglas, in the southeast, is the largest
Urbanization
urban population: 53.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
27,000 DOUGLAS (capital) (2018)
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
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 4.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 186
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 82.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 80.7 years
female: 84.4 years
comparison ranking: total population 28
Total fertility rate
1.88 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 127
Gross reproduction rate
0.9 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:
total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2022 est.) NA
Environment
Environmental issues
air pollution, marine pollution; waste disposal (both household and industrial)
Climate
temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of the time
Land use
agricultural land: 71.4% (2022 est.)
arable land: 42.3% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 29.1% (2022 est.)
forest: 6.1% (2022 est.)
other: 22.5% (2022 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: 50,551 tons (2011 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 25,276 tons (2011 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 50% (2011 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man
local long form: Ellan Vannin
abbreviation: I.O.M.
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
Government type
parliamentary democracy (Tynwald)
Dependency status
British crown dependency
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
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
Administrative divisions
none; no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 24 local authorities each hold elections
Legal system
UK laws apply, as well as Manx statutes
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
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Lord of Mann King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir John LORIMER (since 29 September 2021)
head of government: Chief Minister Alfred CANNAN (since 12 October 2021)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the lieutenant governor
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)
most recent election date: 23 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
expected date of next election: 2026
Legislative branch
legislature name: Tynwald (High Court of Tynwald)
legislative structure: bicameral
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
Legislative branch – lower chamber
chamber name: House of Keys
number of seats: 24 (directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 9/23/2021
parties elected and seats per party: independent (21); Manx Labour Party (2); Liberal Vannin (1)
percentage of women in chamber: 40%
expected date of next election: September 2026
Legislative branch – upper chamber
chamber name: Legislative Council
number of seats: 11 (3 appointed, 8 indirectly elected)
scope of elections: partial renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 3/14/2023
percentage of women in chamber: 36.4%
expected date of next election: March 2028
Judicial branch
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
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
subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Summary Gaol Delivery; Summary Courts; Magistrate’s Court; specialized courts
note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
Political parties
Green Party
Liberal Vannin Party or LVP
Manx Labor Party
Mec Vannin (sometimes referred to as the Manx Nationalist Party)
note: most members sit as independents
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (British crown dependency)
International organization participation
UPU
Independence
none (British Crown dependency)
National holiday
Tynwald Day, 5 July (1417); date Tynwald Day was first recorded
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. 1252-65); the triskelion has its roots in an early Celtic sun symbol
National symbol(s)
triskelion (a motif of three legs)
National color(s)
red, white
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
National anthem(s)
title: “Arrane Ashoonagh dy Vannin” (Isle of Man National Anthem)
lyrics/music: William Henry GILL [English], John J. KNEEN [Manx]/traditional
history: adopted 2003; serves as a local anthem
_____
title: “God Save the King”
lyrics/music: unknown
history: official anthem, as a British Crown dependency; played when the sovereign, members of the royal family, or the lieutenant governor are present
Economy
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
Real GDP growth rate
-4.2% (2022 est.)
3.8% (2021 est.)
-8.8% (2020 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 211
GDP (official exchange rate)
$7.431 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0.4% (2022 est.)
industry: 6.9% (2022 est.)
services: 95.1% (2022 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 1; industry 200; agriculture 193
Agricultural products
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Industries
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate
-29.5% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 193
Exports – partners
almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Exports – commodities
crude petroleum, artwork, vegetables, fruits, whiskies (2022)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports – partners
almost entirely United Kingdom (2022)
Imports – commodities
ships, delivery trucks (2022)
Exchange rates
Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
0.782 (2024 est.)
0.805 (2023 est.)
0.811 (2022 est.)
0.727 (2021 est.)
0.78 (2020 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
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
M
Airports
4 (2025)
comparison ranking: 181
Heliports
1 (2025)
comparison ranking: 142
Railways
total: 63 km (2008)
narrow gauge: 6 km (2008) 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified)
57 0.914-mm gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions
Merchant marine
total: 269 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 102, container ship 6, general cargo 27, oil tanker 56, other 78
comparison ranking: total 62
Ports
total ports: 2 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 2
very small: 0
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Douglas, Ramsey
Military and Security
Military – note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
