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Isle of Man

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great
Britain

   Ellan Vannin
   Isle of Man

   Flag of the Isle of Man Coat of arms of the Isle of Man
   Flag                    Coat of arms
   Motto: Quocunque Jeceris Stabit  (Latin)
   "Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand"
   Anthem: Isle of Man National Anthem
   Location of the Isle of Man
   Capital Douglas
   54°09′N 4°29′W
   Largest city Douglas
   Official languages English, Manx
   Government Crown Dependency (UK)
    - Lord of Mann Elizabeth II
    - Lieutenant Governor Paul Haddacks
    - Chief Minister Donald Gelling
    - First Deemster Michael Kerruish
    - President of Tynwald Noel Cringle
   Independence Crown dependency
    - Passed to British crown 1765
   Area
    - Total 572 km² ( 191st)
   221 sq mi
    - Water (%) 0
   Population
    - July 2005 estimate 76,538 ( 201st)
    - Density 131.2/km² ( 75th)
   339.6/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2003 estimate
    - Total $2.113 billion ( 182nd)
    - Per capita $28,500 ( 19th)
   HDI  (n/a) n/a (unranked) ( n/a)
   Currency Pound sterling^1 ( GBP)
   Time zone GMT ( UTC+0)
    - Summer ( DST) ( UTC+1)
   Internet TLD .im
   Calling code +44 (UK area code 01624)
   ^1 The Isle of Man Treasury issues its own sterling notes and coins
   (see Manx pound).

          Not to be confused with the phantom Isle of Mam.

   The Isle of Man ( Manx: 'Ellan Vannin') or Mann (Manx: 'Mannin'), is an
   island located in the Irish Sea at the geographical centre of the
   British Isles. Although it is not part of the United Kingdom, it is a
   Crown dependency.

Geography

   The Isle of Man is part of the British Isles, an archipelago off the
   north-western coast of mainland Europe. The island lies in the Irish
   Sea, approximately equidistant between England, Scotland and Ireland.

   Approximately 48 kilometres (32  miles) long and between 13 and 24
   kilometres (8 and 15  miles) wide, the island has an area of around 572
   km² (221  square miles).

   Hills in the north and south are bisected by a central valley. The
   extreme north is exceptionally flat, consisting mainly of deposits
   built up by deposition from glacial advances from Western Scotland
   during colder times. There are more recently deposited shingle beaches
   at the Point of Ayre. It has only one mountain higher than 2,000 feet,
   Snaefell, with a height of 621 metres (2,036 ft). According to an old
   saying, from the summit one can see six kingdoms: those of Mann,
   Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, and Heaven , , . Some versions add a
   seventh kingdom, that of Neptune or the Sea , .

People

   According to the 2001 census, the Isle of Man is home to 76,315 people,
   of whom around 25,347 reside in the Island's capital, Douglas
   (Doolish). This gives the island a population density of 133 per square
   kilometre, or 345 people per square mile.

Culture

   The culture of the Isle of Man is strongly influenced by its Celtic and
   Norse origins. Manx is closely related to the Scottish Gaelic and Irish
   languages.

   By the middle of the 20th century only a few elderly native speakers
   remained (the last of them, Ned Maddrell, died on December 27, 1974),
   but by then a scholarly revival had begun to spread to the populace and
   many had learned Manx as a second language. The first native speakers
   of Manx (bilingual with English) in many years have now appeared:
   children brought up by Manx-speaking parents. Primary immersion
   education in Manx is provided by the Manx government: since 2003, the
   former St. John's School building has been used by the Bunscoill
   Gaelgagh (Manx language-medium school). Degrees in Manx are available
   from the Isle of Man College, the Centre for Manx Studies and the
   University of Edinburgh. Manx-language playgroups also exist, and Manx
   language classes are available in island schools. In the 1991 census,
   1,689 out of a population of about 71,000 claimed to have knowledge of
   Manx, although the degree of knowledge in these cases presumably
   varied. It is currently enjoying a revival of the Gaelic Manx language
   (Gaelg).

   A well known Manx expression is "Traa Dy Liooar", meaning "time enough"
   and represents a stereotypical view of the Manx attitude to life.

Food and drink

   The national dish of the island is "Spuds and Herrin'", boiled potatoes
   and herring. This plain dish is chosen because of its role supporting
   the subsistence farmers of the island, who crofted the land and fished
   the sea for centuries.

   Seafood makes up a large proportion of the Manx diet. Although
   commercial fishing has declined in recent years, local delicacies
   include manx kippers (smoked herring) which are produced by the
   smokeries on the west coast of the island, albeit mainly from North Sea
   herring these days. The smokeries also produce other specialities
   including smoked salmon and bacon.

   Crab, lobster and scallops are commercially fished, and the Queen
   Scallop ('Queenies') is regarded as a particular delicacy, with a
   light, sweet flavour. Cod, ling and mackerel are often angled for the
   table, and freshwater trout and salmon can be taken from the local
   rivers and lakes, supported by the Government fish hatchery at Cornaa.

   Manx meat has a good reputation. Cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry are
   all commercially farmed, Manx lamb from the hill-farms being a popular
   dish. The Loughtan, the indigenous breed of manx sheep, has a rich,
   dark meat that has found favour with chefs, featuring in dishes on the
   BBC's Masterchef series.

   Milk and cheese are produced by IOM Creameries. Manx cheese has been a
   particular success, featuring smoked and herb-flavoured varieties, and
   is stocked by many of the UK's supermarket chains. Manx cheese took
   bronze medals in the 2005 British Cheese Awards, and sold 578 tonnes
   over the year.

   Beer is brewed on a commercial scale by Okells Brewery (established in
   1850) and Bushy's Brewery.

   Okells produces a number of beers including classic bitters, ales and
   milds, with a range of specialities including "Mac Lir" wheat beer and
   "Aile" smoked porter.

   Martin Brunnschweiler's "Bushy's Brewery" is a relatively recent
   startup that has found favour with the younger crowd and with the TT
   fans who congregate in his beer tent over the TT festival. Bushy's
   produces ales, bitters and stouts, including "Old Bushy Tail" and
   "Piston Brew", alongside one-off specials and seasonal brews.

   "Manx Spirit", a spirit distilled from Scotch whisky, is produced by
   Kella Distillers.

Government

Structure

   The Isle of Man is a self-governing crown dependency. The Head of State
   is the Lord of Mann, who since 1765 has been the British Sovereign,
   currently Elizabeth II. She is represented by the Island's Lieutenant
   Governor. The United Kingdom is responsible for the Island's defence
   and for representing the Island in international forums, while the
   Island's own parliament has competence over almost all domestic
   matters.

   The Island's parliament is Tynwald (Tinvaal), which dates from at least
   AD 979. Tynwald is a bicameral legislature, comprising the House of
   Keys (directly elected by universal suffrage) and the Legislative
   Council (consisting of indirectly elected and ex officio members).
   These two bodies meet together in joint session as Tynwald. There is a
   Council of Ministers, which is headed by the Chief Minister, currently
   Donald Gelling MLC.
   A satellite picture of the Isle of Man
   Enlarge
   A satellite picture of the Isle of Man

External relations

   Under British law, Mann is not part of the United Kingdom. However, the
   UK takes care of its external and defence affairs, and retains
   paramount power to legislate for the Island. The Isle of Man had a
   dispute with the European Court of Human Rights in the 1970s because it
   was reluctant to change its laws concerning birching (corporal
   punishment).

   The Isle of Man holds neither membership nor associate membership of
   the European Union, and lies outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
   Nonetheless, Protocol Three of the treaty of accession of the United
   Kingdom permits trade for Manx goods without non-EU tariffs. In
   conjunction with the Customs and Excise agreement with the UK, this
   facilitates free trade with the UK. While Manx goods can be freely
   moved within the EEA, people, capital and services cannot.

   There is no Manx citizenship. Citizenship is covered by UK law, and
   Manx people are classed as British citizens. However, those defined as
   Manx under Protocol Three have a special endorsement placed in their
   passports preventing them from freely living or working in EU states.
   Those Manx persons with a parent or grandparent born in the United
   Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), or who have
   lived in the UK for five years, are not subject to this provision.

   The restriction on free movement of persons is anomalous in that the
   treaty establishing the EU (formerly EEC) clearly states that all
   citizens of member states will also be citizens of the EU. However a
   special protocol was inserted in the Treaty of Accession of the United
   Kingdom excluding the Channel Islands and Isle of Man from the
   provisions governing free movement of people. This was done at the
   request of the governments of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man at
   the time.

   Travel to the Isle of Man is regulated by the local government laws,
   although the Isle of Man is part of the Common Travel Area. Visitors
   from countries who require a UK visa may also require a special Manx
   visa, obtainable from a British diplomatic mission. All non-Manx,
   including UK citizens, are required to obtain a work permit to take up
   employment on the Island until they have lived there for five years or
   more.

Politics

   Most Manx politicians stand for election as independents rather than as
   representatives of political parties. Though political parties do
   exist, their influence is not nearly as strong as is the case in the
   United Kingdom. Consequently, much Manx legislation develops through
   consensus among the members of Tynwald, which contrasts with the much
   more adversarial nature of the UK parliament.

   One political party, Mec Vannin, advocates the establishment of a
   sovereign republic. A Manx Labour Party also exists, unaffiliated to
   the UK Labour Party. The island formerly had a Manx National Party and
   a Manx Communist party. There are Manx members in the Celtic League, a
   political pressure group that advocates greater co-operation between
   and political autonomy for the Celtic nations. The main political
   issues include the Island's relationship with the finance sector,
   housing prices and shortages, and the Manx language. The vast majority
   of the members of the House of Keys are non-partisan (19), with two
   representatives from the Manx Labour Party and three from the Alliance
   for Progressive Government. The next scheduled election is in 2006.

Local government

   Isle of Man sheadings map
   Enlarge
   Isle of Man sheadings map

   The Isle of Man is divided into six administrative districts, called
   sheadings. The six sheadings are Ayre, Glenfaba, Garff, Michael, Rushen
   and Middle. The sheadings form the basis of some constituencies and
   each has a Coroner. This office must not be confused with the Coroner
   for Inquests, a role usually fulfilled by the High Bailiff. A person
   may fulfil the role of coroner for more than one sheading at the same
   time.

   The term 'sheading' is thought to be a Norse word for 'ship division';
   each district was believed to be responsible for producing a certain
   number of warships. It could also be a Celtic word meaning 'sixth
   part'.

Economy

   The Isle of Man is a low tax economy with income tax rates of 10% and
   18% and 0% rate of corporate tax. Offshore banking, manufacturing, and
   tourism form 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 expanded
   employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result,
   agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have
   declined in their shares of gross domestic product (GDP). Banking and
   other services now contribute the great bulk of GDP. Trade takes place
   mostly with the United Kingdom. The Isle of Man has access to European
   Union markets.

   The Isle of Man has also recently entered the online gambling industry.
   In 2005 PokerStars, one of the world's largest online poker sites,
   relocated its headquarters to the Isle of Man from Costa Rica.

   The Manx government also promotes island locations for making films by
   contributing to the production costs. Among the most successful
   productions funded in part by the Isle of Man film industry were Waking
   Ned, where the Manx countryside stood in for rural Ireland, and films
   like Stormbreaker, Shergar, Tom Brown's Schooldays, I Capture the
   Castle, The Libertine (with Johnny Depp), Island at War (TV series), 5
   Children and IT, Colour me Kubrick, Sparkle, etc: see
   http://www.gov.im/dti/iomfilm/pastproductions.xml

   Since 1999, the Isle of Man has received electricity through the
   world's longest submarine AC cable, the 90 kV Isle of Man to England
   Interconnector, as well as from a natural gas power station in Douglas,
   an oil power station in Peel and a small hydro-electric power station
   in Sulby Glen.

History

Ancient times to present

   The Isle of Man became a Viking outpost/kingdom from circa AD 700 to AD
   900. The Norse Kingdom of Mann and the Isles was created by Godred
   Crovan in 1079. Norway's King Magnus VI ceded the isles to Scotland in
   1266, as dictated in the Treaty of Perth. The Isle of Man came under
   English control in the 14th century and to the British Crown in 1765.

   The Isle of Man was used as a base for Alien Civilian Internment camps
   in both the First World War (1914-18) and the Second World War
   (1939-45).

   Trivia: During Viking times the Isle of Man was the mainland of the
   Western Isles, Mull, Skye, etc.. It is still considered offensive to
   refer to the UK as the mainland. Being the Southern (most) Isle, it was
   named Sodor. Churches on the Island are under the stewardship of the
   Diocese of Sodor and Man. When Rev. W. V. Awdry wrote Thomas the Tank
   Engine he based the island of Sodor on his memories of visits to the
   Isle of Man. The film Thomas and the Magic Railroad was filmed in part
   on the Isle of Man.

Myth, Legend and Folklore

   Like most Celtic races the Manx have a rich tradition of folklore, and
   there are many stories of mythical creatures and characters. These
   include the Buggane - a malevolent spirit who according to legend blew
   the roof off St Trinian's church in a fit of pique; and the Moddey Dhoo
   - a ghostly black dog who wandered the walls and corridors of Peel
   Castle.

   The Isle of Man is also said to be home to fairies, known locally as
   "the quaer fellas" or "themselves". There is a famous Fairy Bridge and
   it is said to be bad luck if one doesn't wish the fairies good morning
   or afternoon when passing over it.

The Tynwald

   The Island arguably has the oldest continuous parliament in the world,
   the Tynwald, nominally founded in 979 AD (both the Icelandic parliament
   and the Faroese parliament are older, but they were abolished between
   1800 - 1845, and 1816 - 1852 respectively). The annual ceremonial
   meeting at Tynwald Hill, on Tynwald Day in July, continues the
   celebration of the Island's national day. The main purpose of the
   occasion is to read the titles and to give a brief description of the
   new laws which have been enacted by the Tynwald Court during the
   previous year.

The Triskelion

   Car registration plate, with the triskelion
   Enlarge
   Car registration plate, with the triskelion

   For centuries, the Island's symbol has been the ancient Triskelion and
   is similar to Sicily's Trinacria: three bent legs, each with a spur,
   joined at the thigh. The Triskelion does not appear to have an official
   definition — Government publications, currency, flags, the tourist
   authority and others all use different variants. Most, but not all,
   preserve rotational symmetry. Some run clockwise, others anticlockwise.
   Some have the uppermost thigh at 12:00, others at 11:30 or 10:00, etc.
   Some have the knee bent at 90°, some at 60°, some at closer to 120°.
   Also the degree of ornamentation of the leg wear and spur vary
   considerably.

   The three legs relate directly to the island's motto — Quocunque
   Jeceris Stabit, which translates to Whithersoever you throw it, it will
   stand. Interpretations of the motto often stress stability and
   robustness in the Manx character. Many schools on the island have
   adapted the motto to promote perseverance and hard work.

   Variations on the Triskelion are still in use on the coats of arms
   belonging to the different branches of the ancient Norwegian noble
   family that ruled Mann up until the 13th century. This particular
   version belongs to the Skancke branch of the Skanke family. The name
   stems from skank, the Norwegian version of the word shank. The Norse
   royal family of Man stayed on the island for some years after the death
   of Magnus III and the beginning of Scottish rule. The family's
   emigration only came after the a final attempt on the Manx' part at
   restoring the old Sudreyar dynasty in the 1275 uprising against the
   Scots. This revolt failed disastrously, ending in the deaths of
   hundreds of rebels, including the last Norse King of Man, Godred IV
   Magnuson when the Manx suffered defeat in the decisive Battle of
   Ronaldsway, near Castletown. When the Norse-Manx royals arrived in
   Norway they took service as nobles of the Norwegian king, quickly
   becoming knights, landlords, and clergy under the Norwegian Crown.

Sport

   The Isle of Man is represented as a nation in the Commonwealth Games
   and the Island Games and will be hosting the IV Commonwealth Youth
   Games in 2011. The Island started the Island Games in 1985.

   Isle of Man teams and individuals participate in many sports both on
   and off the island. Among the many sports played on the island are
   cricket, football, gymnastics, hockey and rugby union.

Motorcycle racing

   The main international motorcycle event associated with the island is
   the Isle of Man TT, which began in 1907 and takes place in late May &
   early June. It is now an international road racing event for motor
   bikes and used to be part of the World Championship. The Manx Grand
   Prix is a motorcycle event for amateurs and private entrants that uses
   the same 37.73 mile Snaefell mountain course in late August and early
   September.

Cammag

   One sport that originated on the Isle of Man is cammag. This is similar
   to the Scottish game of shinty, and Irish hurling. It used to be the
   most widespread sport on the Isle of Man, but it ceased to be played
   after the introduction of football, until very recently when it has
   been somewhat revived. It involves a stick (cammag) and a ball (crick)
   with anything between four and hundreds of players. Sometimes whole
   towns and villages took part, or even played each other. The cammag can
   be any stick with a bent end, and the crick can be made from cork or
   wood. Old accounts tell us that it was occasionally covered in a rag to
   make it less painful to hit. Cammag season started on Hunt the Wren Day
   ( 26 December) and was only played by men (of all ages) during the
   winter. Realistically, it ceased to be played around 1900. However, in
   modern times, an annual match of cammag is played in St. John's (Balley
   Keill Eoin). As there are no rules to cammag, a trip to the local inn
   is advised to ease any feelings of cowardice beforehand!

Famous residents

   A number of famous people born, previously or currently living on the
   island:
     * The Bee Gees were born on the island. Their parents ran the Post
       Office in Union Mills. Maurice Gibb returned for a spell during the
       1970's. Robin Gibb is in the process of returning to the Island
       with his family (November 2006).
     * BBC Radio presenter Andy Kershaw lives in Peel.
     * Robert Henry Cain (2 January 1909 - 2 May 1974) was an oil company
       executive who was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry during
       Operation Market Garden in September 1944. He was the father of
       Frances Catherine Cain (Francie Clarkson), wife of Jeremy Clarkson.
     * Jeremy Clarkson has a home at Langness, near Castletown. His wife
       Frances was born on the island, a place described by Clarkson in
       2004 as "a thorn in the side of Tony Blair's nanny state," because
       of its lack of an upper speed limit. This home was revealed to be a
       lighthouse during the July 5, 2006 episode of The F-Word.
     * Alan Warner, a multi-millionaire and prolific writer, novelist,
       lyricist and screenwriter born December 8, 1960 in Bolton,
       Lancashire. He moved to the Isle of Man from the UK in 1989. He
       lives a reclusive and modest lifestyle at a lighthouse in the north
       of the island.
     * Neil Hodgson, the 2003 World Superbike champion.
     * George MacDonald Fraser, the journalist, author, and screenwriter;
       the title of his 2002 memoir Light's on at Signpost is a reference
       to the Isle of Man TT race.
     * Nigel Mansell, the British racing driver, lived on the Isle of Man
       together with his family, including his sons Leo and Greg, both
       racing drivers themselves, and was a Special Constable throughout
       his Formula One career. After retirement, he later moved to Jersey
       and then to the USA.
     * Justin Jackson is a professional footballer who played for numerous
       English league and non-league clubs including Bolton Wanderers,
       Halifax Town, Rushden and Diamonds, Doncaster Rovers and Morecambe.
     * Rick Wakeman has lived on the island for a number of years.
     * Sir Norman Wisdom, comedian and actor, is a long-term resident.
     * Charlotte Lamb, a prolific and bestselling romantic novelist (1937
       – 2000), best-known for writing over 150 Mills & Boon novels, lived
       on the Island from 1977 until her death in October 2000.
     * Florrie Forde (1876 – 1940), known as the queen of the music hall
       sing along chorus, performed at the Derby Castle ballroom stage
       from 1900 to 1937 (excluding the war years) and had a bungalow at
       Niarbyl Bay on the west coast of the island where she spent her
       Sundays relaxing.
     * John Rhys-Davies has lived on the island for a number of years and
       is best known for his acting roles in Indiana Jones as Sallah, in
       Sliders as Professor Arturo and in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy as
       Gimli.
     * Alex Lloyd (racing driver), winner of the McLaren Autosport Young
       Driver of the Year Award, is from the island.
     * T.E. Brown Manx poet, scholar and theologian.

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