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The Isle of Man is one of the islands which make up the British Isles. It is situated in the Irish Sea and is almost equidistant from the coasts of England and Ireland. It covers an area of 227 square miles. It is just over 33 miles long and twelve miles wide. To the south-west, separated from the Isle of Man by a narrow stretch of water called the Sound, lies the Calf of Man. This is a small Island owned by the Manx National Heritage and is maintained as a Bird Sanctuary. The Calf, with the nearby sheer cliffs at Spanish Head and the Chasms, provides excellent breeding grounds for many species of sea birds. During the Spring, Summer and Autumn, the resident Warden rings and records many migratory birds.
The highest point is the summit of Snaefell which rises 2,037 feet above sea level. On a fine day it is said that you can see six kingdoms from the summit - England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Mann and the Kingdom of Heaven.
The scenery of the Island varies widely from the
mountains of Snaefell and North Barrule to the more gentle landscape of
the south. 
There
are many hill and coastal walks as well as through the beautiful glens
around the Island. Prehistoric and historic monuments are to
be found all round the Island together with two superb castles, one is
situated on St. Parick's Isle at Peel and dates back to the Vikings; the
other is Castle Rushen at Castletown and dates back to the twelfth century.
Castle Rushen is still used for Court hearings and also houses the offices
of the local Registrar.
The original inhabitants were the Neolithic and Mesolithic peoples who were followed by Bronze Age dwellers. After these people came the Celts whose civilisation is the basis of the Manx culture. During the fifth and sixth centuries, Christianity was introduced and the Celtic culture survived unmolested until the invasion of the Vikings in the Tenth Century. The Vikings set up the Tynwald Parliament and ruled the Island for almost three hundred years. Many settled and intermarried on the Island thus the strong Norse influence in culture and language which is still evident today.
The Island has been the centre of many disputes over the years but during centuries of varied rule, the Island Government has never been incorporated with any of the surrounding countries. It remained independent and now holds the status of a self-governing British Crown Dependency with its own Parliament, which has survived unbroken for over a thousand years.
Once
best known for the motorcycle
racing and other forms of motor sport, Manx
cats and kippers, the Isle of Man is now also well known as one of the
leading offshore financial and e-commerce centres, and the film industry
has recently taken an interest in the Island as a location for filming.
Does the picture on the right look familiar? It was the
location for Waking Ned.
To find out more about our Island try visiting:
Isle of Man Government
Tynwald
Isle of Man
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