Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Isle Of Man shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Isle Of Man offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Isle Of Man at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Isle Of Man? Wrong! If the Isle Of Man is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Isle Of Man then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Isle Of Man? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Isle Of Man and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Isle Of Man wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Isle Of Man then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Isle Of Man site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Isle Of Man, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Isle Of Man, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox Country or territory|native_name = |conventional_long_name = Isle of Man|common_name = the Isle of Man|image_flag = Flag of the Isle of Man.svg|image_coat = Isle of Man - Coat of Arms.svg|image_map = LocationIsleofMan.png|national_motto = (Latin)Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand]"
"" (Manx language)|royal_anthem = "God Save the Queen"], English language |capital = Douglas, Isle of Man|latd=54 |latm=09 |latNS=N |longd=4 |longm=29 |longEW=W|largest_city = capital|government_type =  |leader_title1 = Lord of Mann|leader_title2 = [Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man|leader_name2 = Sir Paul Haddacks|leader_name3 = [Mike Kerruish|leader_title4 = President of Tynwald|leader_title5 = [Chief Minister of the Isle of Man|leader_name5 = James Anthony Brown|area_rank = 190th|area_magnitude = 1 E8|area_km2 = 572|area_sq_mi = 221 ]-->|population_density_rank = 75th|GDP_PPP = $2.113 billion |GDP_PPP_rank = 182nd|GDP_PPP_year = 2003|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $35,000|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 11/12th|sovereignty_type = Status|sovereignty_note = Crown dependency1|currency_code = GBP|country_code =|time_zone = [Greenwich Mean Time|utc_offset = +0|time_zone_DST =|utc_offset_DST = +1|cctld = .im notes and coins (see [Manx pound).-->

The Isle of Man (, pronounced //) or Mann (, pronounced ) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical centre of the British Isles.

The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Crown is represented by a Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man. 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 The Isle of Man is one of six Celtic nations and its history reflects this. It is likely that the first Celtic tribes to inhabit the Island were of the Brythonic variety but around 700 AD it is assumed that Irish invasion or immigration formed the basis of the early Manx population. This is evident in the change in language used in Ogham inscriptions.

Viking settlement on the Isle of Man began at the end of the eighth century. Although other than the establishment of Tynwald and land divisions they had little actual impact on the culture of the Manx people. 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 World War I and World War IIs.

During Viking times, the islands of the Norse Kingdom of Mann and the Isles were called the or ("southern isles") in contrast to the ("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 W.V. Awdry wrote The Railway Series, he invented the island of Sodor (fictional island) 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.Both the Icelandic Althing and the Faroe Islands Løgting are older, but were abolished from 1800 to 1845 and 1816 to 1852, respectively. 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 1 E8 m² (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 foot (unit of length), 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.http://www.iomguide.com/mountainrailway.phphttp://www.gov.im/tourism/culture/attractions/snaefell_attract.xmlhttp://www.bestloved.com/attractions/snaefell-mountain-railway-in-douglas-isle-of-man-the-north-england-uk.php Some versions add a seventh kingdom, that of Neptune (mythology) or the Sea.http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/tourism/pcards/snaefell.htmhttp://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/volumes/vol2/2_4/maddrell_2_4.pdf

People According to the 2006 interim census, Summary results of the Isle of Man Census 2006 the Isle of Man is home to 80,058 people, of whom 26,218 reside in the island's capital Douglas, Isle of Man. Most of the population is born in the British Isles, with 47.6% born in the Isle of Man, 37.2% born in England, 3.4% in Scotland, 2.1% in Northern Ireland, 2.1% in the Republic of Ireland, 1.2% in Wales and 0.3% born in the Channel Islands.

Culture The culture of the Isle of Man is strongly influenced by its Celtic and to a lesser extent its Norsemen origins.

Etymology of name The origin of the name Isle of Man is unclear. In the Manx language Gaelic language the Isle of Man is known as , where is a Gaelic word meaning 'island'. The earliest form of 'Man' is or 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 giving the genitive name leading to the word .

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.'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

Language The official languages of the Isle of Man are the Manx language Gaelic and the English language. A dialect of English known as Manx English is spoken.

The Manx language is a Goidelic languages 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 language 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 Language 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, Isle of Man School building has been used by the (Manx language-medium school). Degrees in Manx are available from the Isle of Man College and the Centre for Manx Studies. 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 was presumably varied.

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

Symbols featuring the Manx triskelion.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: , 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 Manannán mac Lir 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 'human leg'. The Norse royal family of Man stayed on the island for some years after the death of Magnus III of Norway 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, Godfred Magnuson of the Isle of Man 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 mythology 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 , a malevolent spirit who according to legend blew the roof off St Trinian's church in a fit of pique; the ; the ; and the , a black dog (ghost) who wandered the walls and corridors of Peel Castle.

The Isle of Man is also said to be home to mooinjer veggey, 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 and the .

An old Irish story tells how Lough Neagh was formed when Ireland's legendary giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (sometimes known as Finn McCool) scooped up a portion of the land and tossed it at a Scotland rival. He missed, and the chunk of earth landed in the Irish Sea, thus creating the Isle of Man.

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 in Peel 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, Common 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 (established in 1850) and Bushy's Brewery.

Government picture of the Isle of Man.The United Kingdom is responsible for the Island's defence and ultimately for good governance, and for representing the Island in international forums, while the Island's own parliament and government have competence over 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 of the Isle of Man (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 of the Isle of Man, which is composed of members of Tynwald. It is headed by the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, currently James Anthony Brown Member of the House of Keys.

Vice-regal functions of the Head of State are performed by a Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man.

External relations Under British law, the Isle of Man 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 although this legislation is written and reviewed in the island.

Citizenship Citizenship is covered by United Kingdom law, and Manx people are classed as British nationality law, although those without a grandparent born in the UK (or who have not lived continuously for a period of five or more years in the UK) do not have the same rights as other British Citizens with regard to employment and establishment in the European Union.

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.http://www.bmdf.co.uk/ukaccessiontreaty.pdf 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 Member of the House of Keys.

A nationalist pressure group Mec Vannin advocates the establishment of a sovereignty 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 municipal 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 taxhttp://www.gov.im/iomfinance/tax/directtax.xml and income tax rates of 10% and 18%; corporate tax is at 0%.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

Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism form key sectors of the economics. 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 07624/07924 (mobiles).

The Isle of Man has three radio stations: Manx Radio, Energy FM (Isle of Man), 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. Five (channel) and Freeview are not available via the Island's transmitters, but Sky Digital (UK & Ireland) satellite television can be received, as can Free To Air satellite via Astra 1A, Hotbird and a range of other satellites around Europe.

In some areas, terrestrial television (including digital terrestrial) 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 International Island Games Association 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 (soccer), gymnastics, Field 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 Isle of Man TT 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 Cammag is the national sport of the Isle of Man. It is similar to the Scotland game of shinty, and Ireland 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, Isle of Man.

Famous residents Born or raised on the island

Moved to the island

See also {{columns |width=300px |gap=10px|col1 = |col2 = |col3 = -->

References

External links

{{Template group|title = Geographic locale|list =

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{{Infobox Country or territory|native_name = |conventional_long_name = Isle of Man|common_name = the Isle of Man|image_flag = Flag of the Isle of Man.svg|image_coat = Isle of Man - Coat of Arms.svg|image_map = LocationIsleofMan.png|national_motto = (Latin)Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand]"
"" (Manx language)|royal_anthem = "God Save the Queen"], English language |capital = Douglas, Isle of Man|latd=54 |latm=09 |latNS=N |longd=4 |longm=29 |longEW=W|largest_city = capital|government_type =  |leader_title1 = Lord of Mann|leader_title2 = [Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man|leader_name2 = Sir Paul Haddacks|leader_name3 = [Mike Kerruish|leader_title4 = President of Tynwald|leader_title5 = [Chief Minister of the Isle of Man|leader_name5 = James Anthony Brown|area_rank = 190th|area_magnitude = 1 E8|area_km2 = 572|area_sq_mi = 221 ]-->|population_density_rank = 75th|GDP_PPP = $2.113 billion |GDP_PPP_rank = 182nd|GDP_PPP_year = 2003|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $35,000|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 11/12th|sovereignty_type = Status|sovereignty_note = Crown dependency1|currency_code = GBP|country_code =|time_zone = [Greenwich Mean Time|utc_offset = +0|time_zone_DST =|utc_offset_DST = +1|cctld = .im notes and coins (see [Manx pound).-->

The Isle of Man (, pronounced //) or Mann (, pronounced ) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical centre of the British Isles.

The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Crown is represented by a Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man. 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 The Isle of Man is one of six Celtic nations and its history reflects this. It is likely that the first Celtic tribes to inhabit the Island were of the Brythonic variety but around 700 AD it is assumed that Irish invasion or immigration formed the basis of the early Manx population. This is evident in the change in language used in Ogham inscriptions.

Viking settlement on the Isle of Man began at the end of the eighth century. Although other than the establishment of Tynwald and land divisions they had little actual impact on the culture of the Manx people. 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 World War I and World War IIs.

During Viking times, the islands of the Norse Kingdom of Mann and the Isles were called the or ("southern isles") in contrast to the ("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 W.V. Awdry wrote The Railway Series, he invented the island of Sodor (fictional island) 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.Both the Icelandic Althing and the Faroe Islands Løgting are older, but were abolished from 1800 to 1845 and 1816 to 1852, respectively. 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 1 E8 m² (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 foot (unit of length), 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.http://www.iomguide.com/mountainrailway.phphttp://www.gov.im/tourism/culture/attractions/snaefell_attract.xmlhttp://www.bestloved.com/attractions/snaefell-mountain-railway-in-douglas-isle-of-man-the-north-england-uk.php Some versions add a seventh kingdom, that of Neptune (mythology) or the Sea.http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/tourism/pcards/snaefell.htmhttp://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/volumes/vol2/2_4/maddrell_2_4.pdf

People According to the 2006 interim census, Summary results of the Isle of Man Census 2006 the Isle of Man is home to 80,058 people, of whom 26,218 reside in the island's capital Douglas, Isle of Man. Most of the population is born in the British Isles, with 47.6% born in the Isle of Man, 37.2% born in England, 3.4% in Scotland, 2.1% in Northern Ireland, 2.1% in the Republic of Ireland, 1.2% in Wales and 0.3% born in the Channel Islands.

Culture The culture of the Isle of Man is strongly influenced by its Celtic and to a lesser extent its Norsemen origins.

Etymology of name The origin of the name Isle of Man is unclear. In the Manx language Gaelic language the Isle of Man is known as , where is a Gaelic word meaning 'island'. The earliest form of 'Man' is or 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 giving the genitive name leading to the word .

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.'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

Language The official languages of the Isle of Man are the Manx language Gaelic and the English language. A dialect of English known as Manx English is spoken.

The Manx language is a Goidelic languages 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 language 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 Language 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, Isle of Man School building has been used by the (Manx language-medium school). Degrees in Manx are available from the Isle of Man College and the Centre for Manx Studies. 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 was presumably varied.

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

Symbols featuring the Manx triskelion.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: , 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 Manannán mac Lir 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 'human leg'. The Norse royal family of Man stayed on the island for some years after the death of Magnus III of Norway 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, Godfred Magnuson of the Isle of Man 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 mythology 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 , a malevolent spirit who according to legend blew the roof off St Trinian's church in a fit of pique; the ; the ; and the , a black dog (ghost) who wandered the walls and corridors of Peel Castle.

The Isle of Man is also said to be home to mooinjer veggey, 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 and the .

An old Irish story tells how Lough Neagh was formed when Ireland's legendary giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (sometimes known as Finn McCool) scooped up a portion of the land and tossed it at a Scotland rival. He missed, and the chunk of earth landed in the Irish Sea, thus creating the Isle of Man.

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 in Peel 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, Common 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 (established in 1850) and Bushy's Brewery.

Government picture of the Isle of Man.The United Kingdom is responsible for the Island's defence and ultimately for good governance, and for representing the Island in international forums, while the Island's own parliament and government have competence over 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 of the Isle of Man (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 of the Isle of Man, which is composed of members of Tynwald. It is headed by the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, currently James Anthony Brown Member of the House of Keys.

Vice-regal functions of the Head of State are performed by a Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man.

External relations Under British law, the Isle of Man 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 although this legislation is written and reviewed in the island.

Citizenship Citizenship is covered by United Kingdom law, and Manx people are classed as British nationality law, although those without a grandparent born in the UK (or who have not lived continuously for a period of five or more years in the UK) do not have the same rights as other British Citizens with regard to employment and establishment in the European Union.

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.http://www.bmdf.co.uk/ukaccessiontreaty.pdf 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 Member of the House of Keys.

A nationalist pressure group Mec Vannin advocates the establishment of a sovereignty 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 municipal 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 taxhttp://www.gov.im/iomfinance/tax/directtax.xml and income tax rates of 10% and 18%; corporate tax is at 0%.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

Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism form key sectors of the economics. 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 07624/07924 (mobiles).

The Isle of Man has three radio stations: Manx Radio, Energy FM (Isle of Man), 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. Five (channel) and Freeview are not available via the Island's transmitters, but Sky Digital (UK & Ireland) satellite television can be received, as can Free To Air satellite via Astra 1A, Hotbird and a range of other satellites around Europe.

In some areas, terrestrial television (including digital terrestrial) 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 International Island Games Association 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 (soccer), gymnastics, Field 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 Isle of Man TT 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 Cammag is the national sport of the Isle of Man. It is similar to the Scotland game of shinty, and Ireland 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, Isle of Man.

Famous residents Born or raised on the island

Moved to the island

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References

External links

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