The Isle of Man, popularly known as Mann or Manx is a British Crown Dependency, although it is self-governing. Officially the Queen of England is its head of state, and there is also the title of Lord of Manx which is represented by a Lieutenant Governor. Technically, by being a British Crown Dependency, it means that the United Kingdom government still bears responsibility for some of its matters such as its foreign relations and defense matters.

According to archeological records, Manx has been inhabited since before 6500 BC and has been influenced by a number of cultures including the Gaelic culture (5th century AD) and the Norse culture (9th century AD). Rich in history that shows strong influences by the Scottish and English, a lot of this history is reflected in the current systems and structures that prevail on Manx.

One of the key influences is the Vikings who apparently settled on Manx near the end of the 8th century AD. They established Tynwald and also left behind Manx Runestones, that are worth visiting as a tourist attraction.

The 20th century has seen Manx become a tourist holiday destination and over recent years, the Isle of Man has also established itself as an international financial centre.
 

The Isle of Man Geography and Climate
The Isle of Man is located within the British Isles and it is a mere 52 kilometres long and 22 kilometres wide. With a land area of 572 square kilometers or 22 square miles, this island or actually group of islands are a combination of hills and valleys and of course, beaches.

The highest mount is Snaefell, which is 2034 feet high and it is said that from its summit, it is possible to see 6 kingdoms – Man, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England and heaven!

Being located within the British Isles, this country has a temperate climate. The summers are cool and the winters mild. It enjoys regular rainfall although there is no specific rainy season, and if you are travelling to Manx, it is always advisable to carry warm clothing and an umbrella.

About The Isle of Man People and Culture
The 572 kilometres and attached islands of Manx are home to about 80,000 people of which about 20 percent reside on the island’s capital, Douglas. Only about 50 percent of the population comprises people actually born on Manx with the remainder coming from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Culturally, the strongest influences are Celtic and Norse. However as a tourist to Manx, you will find that English is commonly spoken although there is a language known as Manx Gaelic, which is slowly dying out. This is a combination of Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and if you listen to this language being spoken, it has an interesting lilting tone and is very pleasant to hear.

The Isle of Man government is currently working toward maintaining this linguistic history by ensuring that its populace has the opportunity to learn Manx as a second language. Examples of this language include basic greeting as follows:

•moghrey mie : good morning
•fastyr mie : good afternoon
•traa dy liooar : time enough (there is time enough for everything)
Citizenship of the Isle of Man is governed by the United Kingdom, and the people are all British citizens. It should be noted though that the Isle of Man is not a part of the European Union, unlike the United Kingdom.
 

The Isle of Man Economy
With a permanent population of about 80,000 people, Manx is a low-tax economy. This basically means that there is no inheritance tax or stamp duty, capital gains tax or wealth tax either. While personal income is taxable, this is usually calculated taking into account all income earned worldwide by the individual and is not limited to income earned only on Manx.

There is almost no corporate tax whatsoever, with the exception being bank profits that carry a 10 percent tax, and rental income for properties situation on Manx.

Key contributors to the Manx economy are offshore banking, the insurance industry, tourism and manufacturing. The government actively works on promoting the Isle of Man as a tourist destination to the extent that they even offer to contribute financially to films that are made on the island.

Because of limited land on Manx, property tends to be expensive, and while it may be possible to invest in property on Manx, the returns are limited through rental although on resale, it may be possible to get better returns.

Bearing in mind the Isle of Man’s intention to position itself as a financial centre, communication facilities are important. There are two primary mobile operators and four broadband Internet providers. In terms of its top-level domain, the post-fix for the Isle of Man is .im. These islands now also enjoy Internet and communication connectivity via fibre-optic links to the world.

A rather unique contributor to the Isle of Man economy is space commerce. Emerging space travel companies are located on Manx with it being anticipated that this little group of islands will be the fifth most likely nation to reach the moon!

Tourist Attractions on The Isle of Man
Surprisingly, there is much to do on Manx as a tourist. Rich in ancient heritage and culture, there are a variety of tourist attractions on Manx that are appealing. If you are a history buff, you will probably enjoy exploring medieval castles including Castle Rushen in Castletown and the Royal Chapel of St John the Baptist and Rushden Abbey.


It is also possible to visit a vast array of museums including the nautical museum, railway museum and aviation military museum as well. If you are a train buff, you will have the thrill of riding on steam powered trains while on the Isle of Man, and this is something you must do.

The beautiful countryside of Manx is meant for walking, and if you love exploring on foot, there are many maps that provide specific routes that you can take as part of this on-foot journey.

The Curraghs Wildlife Park and Laxley Waterwheel are also worth a visit.

The general feel when you are a tourist on Manx is that you have somehow stepped back through time, into a charming landscape of ancient times, and you will almost expect to hear horses galloping and swords clashing as the knights of old battle for their honor!

The Isle of Man Jobs
There are a variety of jobs available on Manx. These include job opportunities in the financial and technology sectors as well as administrative and sales jobs as well. The best way to explore job opportunities is to use the Internet or alternatively, to provide your resume to established international recruitment agencies or local recruitment agencies on the Isle of Man.

The Government
The Isle of Man is arguably home to the oldest continuous parliament in the world, Tynwald which was founded in 979 AD.

While the United Kingdom oversees the island’s defences and foreign relations, the Isle of Man has its own parliament and government.

This parliament comprises the House of Keys (elected) and the Legislative Council (indirectly elected and appointed), making it a bicameral legislature.

The government is represented by a Council of Ministers. Its head, the Chief Minister is currently Mr Tony Brown MHK.
 

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