Isle of Man

The Isle of Man is a self-governing Crown Dependency located in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. The island has its own government and parliament, known as Tynwald, which is believed to have been in continuous operation since at least 979, making it the oldest continuous parliament in the world.

People have lived on the island since around 6500 BCE, and the capital city is Douglas.

While the UK government is responsible for defence and foreign affairs, all domestic matters are managed under full self-governance.

The Manx economy is based on financial services, information technology, and tourism. The island is also famous for the TT motorcycle races and the Manx cat, a breed known for its short or missing tail.

It was on the Isle of Man that the first Island Games were held, in 1985.

Population: Approx. 84,500
Currency: Isle of Man Pound (IMP)
Area: 574 km²
IIGA Member since: 1985 (one of the founding member islands)