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THE ISLE OF
MAN
History and Heritage
The Island has a rich and fascinating
history leading to its present unique character and political situation. It
is indeed a very different island with its own laws, its own currency and
stamps, its own native tongue, and the world's oldest continuous
parliament, Tynwald. It is not and never has been part of the United
Kingdom. It is not a member of the European Union but it does enjoy a
special relationship whereby goods can be traded freely within the Union
whilst having no direct involvement with its finance.
The Island's unique history and
heritage is splendidly preserved and explained in 'The Story of Mann'',
award-winning displays in many places round the Island created by the Manx
Museum and National Trust and Manx National Heritage. The Manx Museum
itself, the House of Manannan, Castle Rushen, Peel Castle and Cregneash
Village are all particularly well worth visits.
Geography
The Isle of Man lies at the centre of
the British Isles right in the middle of the Irish Sea, yet it is a truly
separate and clearly defined region in both geographic and political terms.
It is 227 square miles (572 sq.km) in area, measuring 33 miles (52 km) from
its northernmost tip at the Point of Ayre to the Calf of Man in the south.
At its widest point it is 13 miles (22 km) from the east to the West Coast.
In terms of geology and scenery the
Isle of Man offers tremendous variety within its small area. Rugged cliffs
and magnificent coastal scenery, gently sloping beaches, heather moorland,
rich farmland, glorious glens and wooded areas are all easily accessible.
The Island enjoys a temperate climate.
Being warmed by the waters of the Gulf Stream it escapes extreme weather
conditions. Average daytime temperatures in July are 17.6c although a
temperature of 28.9c was recorded on July 12th 1983! Other figures for the
month of July are - days with some rain - 14, average hours of sunshine -
6.5. It can be quite windy at times, particularly in the winter months.
Island's Economy
In the past the Manx relied heavily on
farming and fishing - the traditional basic fare for the majority of Manx
people was herrings and potatoes! The last century saw a rapid development
in mining for lead, zinc and silver but the mines have long since closed
down leaving behind remains such as the Great Laxey Wheel, the world's
largest working water wheel, to tell the tale of the industry.
Towards the end of the last century
the Island became a very important holiday destination for people in
particular from the industrial areas of Northwest England and Scotland. In
some years as many as 600,000 visitors arrived and there was a rapid
expansion of facilities to enhance the natural attractions of the Island.
Over the last 40 years package holidays to warmer climes have changed the
nature of Manx tourism.
Now it is the Island's
colourful heritage, diverse scenic beauty and its many annual sporting
events which provides the draw for tourists.
The Island has long been an area of
low taxation enjoying total independence from the United Kingdom in matters
of direct taxation. As a result the Island has developed into a flourishing
modern-day offshore business centre. Financial services
now make a major contribution to the Manx economy as does a steadily growing
and varied manufacturing industry sector with
over 200 companies successfully operating. The most recent development has
been the establishment of a successful film industry. So together farming, fishing, tourism,
financial services and manufacturing produce a high level of economic
activity, a rapidly rising National Income and an extremely low level of
unemployment.
Sports & Leisure
In recent years facilities have
improved. There are three public indoor swimming pools in different parts of
the island, and the secondary school sports halls are used by the pupils
during the day and by members of the community in the evenings and at
weekends. Three of the secondary schools have their own all-weather pitches.
There are eight excellent golf courses, good harbours and facilities for
water based activities such as sailing, sail boarding, sub-aqua and fishing,
and the coastal and country footpaths provide excellent walks with superb
scenery. The most recent development is the National Sports Centre in
Douglas.
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