Isle of Man

Ellan Vannin (Manx)
Topographic map of the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
Geography
Location	Northwestern Europe
Coordinates	54°15′N 4°30′W / 54.250°N 4.500°W / 54.250; -4.500
Archipelago	British Isles
Adjacent to	Irish Sea
Area	572 km2 (221 sq mi)
Coastline	160 km (99 mi)
Highest elevation	621 m (2037 ft)
Highest point	Snaefell
Administration
Isle of Man
Largest town	Douglas (pop. 23,000)
Demographics
Population	79,805 (2006)
Pop. density	139.52/km2 (361.36/sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Manx

The Isle of Man is an island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland in Northern Europe, with a population of almost 85,000. It is a British Crown dependency. It has a small islet, the Calf of Man, to its south. It is located at 54°15′N 4°30′W / 54.250°N 4.500°W / 54.250; -4.500.

Dimensions

Satellite image

Area:

Land: 571 km² (220 sq mi; 57,100 ha)
Water: 1 km² (0.4 sq mi) (100 ha)
Total: 572 km² (221 sq mi; 57,200 ha)

This makes it:

• slightly more than three times the size of Washington, D.C.
• slightly more than one-third the size of Hertfordshire
• slightly smaller than Saint Lucia.

Coast and territorial sea

The Isle of Man has a coastline of 160 km (99 mi), and a territorial sea extending to a maximum of 12 nm from the coast, or the midpoint between it and other countries. The total territorial sea area is about 4000 km² or 1500 sq miles, which is about 87% of the total area of the jurisdiction of the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man only holds exclusive fishing rights in the first 3 nm. The territorial sea is managed by the Isle of Man Government Department of Infrastructure.

The Raad ny Foillan long-distance footpath runs 153 km (95 mi) around the Manx coast.

Climate

The Isle of Man enjoys a temperate climate, with cool summers and mild winters. Average rainfall is high compared to the majority of the British Isles, due to its location to the western side of Great Britain and sufficient distance from Ireland for moisture to be accumulated by the prevailing south-westerly winds. Average rainfall is highest at Snaefell, where it is around 1,900 mm (74.8 in) a year. At lower levels, it can fall to around 800 mm (31.5 in) a year.

Temperatures remain fairly cool, with the recorded maximum being 28.9 °C (84.0 °F) at Ronaldsway.

Terrain

Some of the island's mountainous terrain as viewed from Snaefell, the island's highest peak.

Enlargeable, detailed map of the Isle of Man

The island's terrain is varied. There are two mountainous areas divided by a central valley which runs between Douglas and Peel. The highest point in the Isle of Man, Snaefell, is in the northern area and reaches 620 metres (2,034 ft) above sea level. The northern end of the island is a flat plain, consisting of glacial tills and marine sediments. To the south, the island is more hilly, with distinct valleys. There is no land below sea level.

Land use

• Arable land: 43.86%
• Permanent crops: 0%
• Other: 56.14% (includes permanent pastures, forests, mountain and heathland) (2011)

Natural hazards and environmental issues

There are few severe natural hazards, the most common being high winds, rough seas and dense fog. In recent years there has been a marked increase in the frequency of high winds, heavy rains, summer droughts and flooding both from heavy rain and from high seas. Snow fall has decreased significantly over the past century while temperatures are increasing year-round with rainfall decreasing.

Air pollution, marine pollution and waste disposal are issues in the Isle of Man.

Protected or recognised sites for nature conservation

In order of importance, international first, non-statutory last. Note that ASSIs and MNRs have equal levels of statutory protection under the Wildlife Act 1990.

Ramsar sites

A view up a glen with Snaefell at the head

Designated:

• Ballaugh Curraghs (2006, 193.4 ha). Has the same boundaries as the Ballaugh Curraghs ASSI.

Candidate:

• The Ayres (Proposed in 2004 & 2005, 600 ha)^[1][2]
• Southern Coasts & Calf of Man (Proposed in 2004 & 2005, 2326 ha)^[1][2]
• Central Valley Curragh (Proposed in 2004 & 2005, 164 ha)^[1][2]
• Gob ny Rona, Maughold Head & Port Cornaa (Proposed in 2004 & 2005, 209 ha)^[1][2]
• Dalby Peatlands (Proposed in 2004 & 2005, 58 ha)^[1][2]

Geology

The majority of the island is formed from highly faulted and folded sedimentary rocks of the Ordovician period. There is a belt of younger Silurian rocks along the west coast between Niarbyl and Peel, and a small area of Devonian sandstones around Peel. A band of Carboniferous period rocks underlies part of the northern plain, but is nowhere seen at the surface; however similar age rocks do outcrop in the south between Castletown, Silverdale and Port St Mary. Permo- Triassic age rocks are known to lie beneath the Point of Ayre but, as with the rest of the northern plain, these rocks are concealed by substantial thicknesses of superficial deposits.^[19]

The island has significant deposits of copper, lead and silver, zinc, iron, and plumbago (a mix of graphite and clay).^[20] There are also quarries of black marble, limestone flags, clay schist, and granite.^[21] These are all modern, and there was no noticeable exploitation of metals or minerals before the modern era.

Demographics

Aerial view of Douglas and the southern half of the Isle of Man

The island has a census-estimated population of 84,497 according to the most recent 2011 census: up from 79,805 in 2006 and 76,315 in 2001.

The island's largest town and administrative centre is Douglas, whose population is 23,000 – over a quarter of the population of the island. Neighbouring Onchan, Ramsey in the north, Peel in the west and the three southern ports of Castletown, Port Erin and Port St Mary are the island's other main settlements. Almost all its population lives on or very near the coast.

See also

• Towns in the Isle of Man
• List of rivers of the Isle of Man

Citations

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Geography of the Isle of Man.

•  This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.