See Man, Isle of.
Island in the Irish Sea, a dependency of the British crown, but not part of the uk
Area 570 sq km/220 sq mi
Capital Douglas
Towns and cities Ramsey, Peel, Castletown
Features Snaefell 620 m/2,035 ft; annual tt (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle races, gambling casinos, Britain’s first free port, tax haven; tailless Manx cat
Industries light engineering products; tourism, banking, and insurance are important
Currency the island produces its own coins and notes in uk currency denominations
Population (1991) 69,800
Language English (Manx, nearer to Scottish than Irish Gaelic, has been almost extinct since the 1970s)
Government crown-appointed lieutenant-governor, a legislative council, and the representative House of Keys, which together make up the Court of Tynwald, passing laws subject to the royal assent. Laws passed at Westminster only affect the island if specifically so provided
History Norwegian until 1266, when the island was ceded to Scotland; it came under uk administration 1765.