Isle of Man
Isle of Man [Ellan Vannin] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) | |
|---|---|
| Motto: Quocunque Jeceris Stabit (Latin) Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand | |
| Anthem: Isle of Man National Anthem | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Douglas |
| Official languages | Manx, English |
| Government | Crown dependency (UK) |
| Elizabeth II | |
| Sir Paul Haddacks | |
| Michael Kerruish | |
| Noel Cringle | |
| Tony Brown | |
| Status | |
• Revested in British crown | 1765 |
• Water (%) | 0 |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 80,058 (201st) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2003 estimate |
• Total | $2.113 billion (182nd) |
• Per capita | $35,000 (11/12th) |
| HDI (n/a) | n/a Error: Invalid HDI value (n/a) |
| Currency | Pound sterling1 (GBP) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 |
| Calling code | 44 (UK area code 01624) |
| ISO 3166 code | IM |
| Internet TLD | .im |
| |
Template:Edit-first-section The Isle of Man (Manx: Ellan Vannin) is a self-governing British Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical centre of the British Isles.
The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Crown is represented by a Lieutenant Governor. The Island is not part of the United Kingdom, but external relations, defence, and ultimate good-governance of the Isle of Man are the responsibility of the government of the UK.
The Isle of Man is not a part of the European Union, but has a limited relationship relating to the free movement of goods.
History
Ancient times to present
Viking settlement on the Isle of Man began at the end of the eighth century. The Norse Kingdom of Mann and the Isles was created by Godred Crovan in 1079. In 1266, as dictated in the Treaty of Perth, Norway's King Magnus VI ceded the isles to Scotland. The Isle of Man came under English control in the fourteenth century and to the British Crown in 1765.
The Isle of Man was used as a base for "Alien Civilian Internment" camps during both the First and Second World Wars.
During Viking times, the islands of the Norse Kingdom of Mann and the Isles were called the [Súðreyjar] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) or [Sudreys] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) ("southern isles") in contrast to the [Norðreyjar] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) ("northern isles") of Orkney and Shetland. This became Sodor. The Church of England diocese is still called the Diocese of Sodor and Man although it only covers Mann. When the Rev. W. V. Awdry wrote The Railway Series, he invented the island of Sodor as an imaginary island located between the Isle of Man and the Cumbrian coast.
Tynwald
Tynwald, the Island's parliament nominally founded in 979 AD, is arguably the oldest continuous parliament in the world.[1] The annual ceremonial meeting in July on Tynwald Day, the Island's national day, continues to be held at Tynwald Hill, where titles are announced and a brief description of the new laws enacted by the Tynwald Court during the previous year is given.
Geography
As well as the main island of Man itself, the Isle of Man includes the small partially inhabited islands of the Calf of Man, Chicken Rock and St Patrick's Isle.
The Isle of Man is located geographically in the middle of the Irish Sea, which is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by St George's Channel between the Republic of Ireland and Wales and Cornwall to the south and by the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
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 Northern 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 two thousand 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.[2][3][4] Some versions add a seventh kingdom, that of Neptune or the Sea.[5][6]
People
According to the 2006 interim census, the Isle of Man is home to 80,058 people, of whom 26,218 reside in the island's capital Douglas. The population is 93.9 percent from the British Isles, (place of birth: Isle of Man (47.6%), England (37.2%), Scotland (3.4%), Northern Ireland (2.1%), Republic of Ireland (2.1%), Wales (1.2%), Channel Islands (0.3%)), and 6.1 percent from the rest of the world. This gives the island a population density of 140 people per square kilometre, or 362 people per square mile.
Culture
The culture of the Isle of Man is strongly influenced by its Celtic and Norse origins.
Etymology of name
The origin of the name Isle of Man is unclear. In the Manx Gaelic language the Isle of Man is known as Ellan Vannin, where ellan is a Gaelic word meaning 'island'. The earliest form of 'Man' is Manu or Mana[7] giving the genitive name Manann leading to the word Mannin.
During the period of Julius Caesar as proconsul and his visit to Britain during 55 and 54 BC Caesar referred to the Isle of Man in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico to 'an island called Mona which lies midway across the sea separating Britain from Ireland.' [8]
Language
The official languages of the Isle of Man are the Manx Gaelic and the English language. A dialect of English known as Manx English is spoken.
The Manx Gaelic language is a Goidelic Celtic language and is one of a number of insular Celtic languages spoken in the British Isles. Manx Gaelic has been officially recognised as a legitimate autochthonous regional language under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, ratified by the United Kingdom on 27 March 2001 on behalf of the Isle of Man government.
The Manx language is closely related to the Scottish Gaelic and Irish languages. By the middle of the twentieth century only a few elderly native speakers remained: the last of them, Ned Maddrell, died on December 27, 1974. 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 2001 census, 1,689 out of 76,315, or 2.2% of the population, claimed to have knowledge of Manx, although the degree of knowledge in these cases presumably varied.
A well known Manx expression is Traa Dy Liooar, meaning 'time enough' and represents a stereotypical view of the Manx attitude to life.
Symbols
For centuries, the Island's symbol has been its ancient triskelion, a device similar to Sicily's Trinacria: three bent legs, each with a spur, joined at the thigh. The Manx 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 running clockwise, others counter-clockwise. 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, translated as '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.
The origin of the 'Three Legs of Man' (as they are usually called) is explained in the Manx legend that Manannan repelled an invasion by transforming into the three legs and rolling down the hill and defeating the invaders.
Variations on the Manx triskelion are still in use on the coats of arms belonging to the different branches of the ancient Norwegian noble family that ruled Mann until the thirteenth 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', or 'leg'. 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 part of the Manx 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.
Myth, legend and folklore
In Manx mythology, the island was ruled by Manannán mac Lir, a Celtic sea god, who would draw his misty cloak around the island to protect it from invaders. One of the principal theories about the origin of the name Mann is that it is named after Manannan.
In the Manx tradition of folklore, 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; the Fenodyree; the Glashtyn; 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 little folk' or 'themselves'. There is a famous Fairy Bridge and it is said to be bad luck if one fails to wish the fairies good morning or afternoon when passing over it. Other types of fairies are the Mi'raj and the Arkan Sonney.
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 has traditionally accounted for a large proportion of the local 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.
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.
Government
The United Kingdom is responsible for the Island's defence, for representing the Island in international forums, and ultimately for "good governance", while the Island's own parliament and government have competence over almost all domestic matters.
Structure
The Island's parliament is Tynwald, which dates from at least AD 979 and is said to be the oldest continuously existing parliament in the world. 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.
The executive branch of government is the Council of Ministers, which is composed of members of Tynwald. It is headed by the Chief Minister, currently Tony Brown MHK.
Vice-regal functions of the Head of State are largely performed by a Lieutenant Governor 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.
Citizenship
Citizenship is covered by UK law, and Manx people are classed as British citizens, although those without a grandparent born in the UK do not have the same rights as other British Citizens with regard to employment and establishment in the EC.
European Union
The Isle of Man holds neither membership nor associate membership of the European Union.
Protocol Three of the treaty of accession of the United Kingdom permits trade for Manx goods without tariffs.[9] 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 EU, people, capital and services cannot.
Commonwealth of Nations
The Isle of Man is not itself a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. By virtue of its relationship with the United Kingdom, it takes part in several Commonwealth institutions, including the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Commonwealth Games.
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.
The largest political party is the recently established Liberal Vannin Party, which promotes greater Manx independence and more accountability in Government. The LibVannin party has two members of Tynwald including Leader Peter Karran MHK.
A nationalist pressure group Mec Vannin advocates the establishment of a sovereign republic.
Local government
Local government on the Isle of Man is based around the concept of ancient parishes. There are three types of local authorities: a borough corporation, town commissions, and parish commissions.
Economy
The Isle of Man is a low tax economy with no capital gains tax, wealth tax, stamp duty, death duty or inheritance tax[10] and income tax rates of 10% and 18%; corporation tax is at 0%.[11][12]
Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism form key sectors of the economy. Agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, now make declining contributions to the Island's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Trade takes place mostly with the United Kingdom.
The Manx government promotes island locations for making films by contributing to the production costs.
Communications
The main telephone provider on the Isle of Man is Manx Telecom. The Island does not have its own ITU country code, but is accessed via the UK's code (+44) and the Island's telephone numbers are part of the UK telephone numbering plan with local dialling codes 01624 (landlines) and 07624 (mobiles).
The Isle of Man has three radio stations: Manx Radio, Energy FM, and 3 FM.
There is no insular television service, and local transmitters retransmit analogue broadcasts of BBC 1 and BBC 2 (with BBC North West regional programmes), ITV Border Television and Channel 4. Channel Five and Freeview are not available via the Island's transmitters, but Sky Digital satellite television can be received, as can Free To Air satellite via Astra , Hotbird and a range of other satellites around Europe.
In some areas, terrestrial television from the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland can be received.
Analogue television transmission will cease between 2008 and 2009, and limited local transmission of digital terrestrial television will then commence.
Transport
The island has a total of 800 km (500 miles) of public roads, all of which are paved. Many of the roads on the island have no speed limit.
Douglas is served by frequent ferries to and from United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. All ferries are operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
The only commercial airport on the island is the Isle of Man Airport at Ronaldsway.
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 and 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
The sport of cammag originated on the Isle of Man. It is similar to the Scottish game of shinty, and Irish hurling. Once the most popular sport on the Island, it ceased to be played by the start of the 20th century. It has more recently been revived with an annual match at St. John's.
Famous residents
Born or raised on the island
- The Bee Gees
- Mark Cavendish, sprint cyclist.
- Charles Kerruish became in 1961 the first Manxman to be head of government.
- Illiam Dhone led an uprising against English rule over the island and was executed in 1663.
Moved to the island
- Jeremy Clarkson, journalist and broadcaster.
- Neil Hodgson, the 2003 Superbike and World Superbike Champion.
- Sir Norman Wisdom, comedian and actor.
See also
Column-generating template families
The templates listed here are not interchangeable. For example, using {{col-float}} with {{col-end}} instead of {{col-float-end}} would leave a <div>...</div> open, potentially harming any subsequent formatting.
| Type | Family | Handles wiki
table code?† |
Responsive/ mobile suited |
Start template | Column divider | End template |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Float | "col-float" | Yes | Yes | {{col-float}} | {{col-float-break}} | {{col-float-end}} |
| "columns-start" | Yes | Yes | {{columns-start}} | {{column}} | {{columns-end}} | |
| Columns | "div col" | Yes | Yes | {{div col}} | – | {{div col end}} |
| "columns-list" | No | Yes | {{columns-list}} (wraps div col) | – | – | |
| Flexbox | "flex columns" | No | Yes | {{flex columns}} | – | – |
| Table | "col" | Yes | No | {{col-begin}}, {{col-begin-fixed}} or {{col-begin-small}} |
{{col-break}} or {{col-2}} .. {{col-5}} |
{{col-end}} |
† Can template handle the basic wiki markup {| | || |- |} used to create tables? If not, special templates that produce these elements (such as {{(!}}, {{!}}, {{!!}}, {{!-}}, {{!)}})—or HTML tags (<table>...</table>, <tr>...</tr>, etc.)—need to be used instead.
Further reading
- Russel, G. 1988. Distribution and development of some Manx epiphyte populations. Helgolander Meeresunters. 42: 477 - 492.
References
- ^ Both the Icelandic parliament and the Faroese parliament are older, but were abolished from 1800 to 1845 and 1816 to 1852, respectively.
- ^ http://www.iomguide.com/mountainrailway.php
- ^ http://www.gov.im/tourism/culture/attractions/snaefell_attract.xml
- ^ http://www.bestloved.com/attractions/snaefell-mountain-railway-in-douglas-isle-of-man-the-north-england-uk.php
- ^ http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/tourism/pcards/snaefell.htm
- ^ http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/volumes/vol2/2_4/maddrell_2_4.pdf
- ^ The Isle of Man. A Social, Cultural and Political History. by R.H. Kinvig pp18 (1975) (3rd Edition) Liverpool University Press ISBN 0-85323-391-8
- ^ The Isle of Man. A Social, Cultural and Political History. by R.H. Kinvig pp18-19 (1975) (3rd Edition) Liverpool University Press ISBN 0-85323-391-8
- ^ http://www.bmdf.co.uk/ukaccessiontreaty.pdf
- ^ http://www.gov.im/iomfinance/tax/directtax.xml
- ^ http://www.gov.im/treasury/incometax/strategy/viewnews.gov?page=lib/news/treasury/incometax/newassessorofinc.xml&menuid=
- ^ http://money.independent.co.uk/personal_finance/tax/article349147.ece
External links
- isleofman.com The Isle of Man online. Comprehensive Business Directory, Events Calendar, Travel, Accommodation, Cars and Property for Sale, Finance and much more.
- Isle of Man Guide An extensive guide to the Isle of Man
- Manx Government A comprehensive site covering many aspects of Manx life from fishing to financial regulation
- Tynwald Hansard, Order Papers and background to the Manx parliament.
- Manx Radio The Isle of Man national radio station
- Manx Scenes.com Extensive photographic library.
- Index of Isle of Man Sailing Ships
- CIA World Factbook listing for the Isle of Man
- Isle of Man Tour 360 degree pictures of the Isle of Man.
