Lying between Britain and Ireland in the middle of the Irish Sea, The Isle of Man boasts the world's oldest continuous Parliamentary government: The Court of Tynwald. Today the Tynwald site, complete with the original earthworks and large Celtic Crosses is a shrine to both a political system and a culture which defines itself as being different to that of England. In July, colourful annual celebrations are held at the Tynwald to start the coming parliamentary year. The Isle of Man is a so called British Crown Dependency. It is responsible for its own domestic legislation including taxes. In matters of foreign policy and defence, the United Kingdom government acts on behalf of the Isle of Man. The main Manx Parliament: The House of Keys, is made up of thirty-three members. Twenty-four of them are regionally elected, and nine form the executive cabinet known as the Legislative Council. There are no political parties.

EU
The Isle of Man has a complex relationship with the EU. As the United Kingdom became a full member of the EU in 1972, a special arrangement was worked out for the Isle of Man, by which the island enjoys the free movement of goods and suspension of customs tariffs, but is allowed to operate its own off-shore fiscal policies (This applies mainly to low tax rates and banking regulations). For most English people, The Isle of Man looks like England as it was fifty years ago. The Manx people appear relaxed and polite and are in some ways very conservative. This has also meant that on issues like homosexuality and physical punishment, the Isle of Man was seen until recently as being a very reactionary society.

Economic revival
Traditionally a small poor island, from which thousands have migrated looking for work, is now reviving its economy and reconstructing its own traditions. There have been thriving industries such as small scale mining and fishing, but as in The Channel Islands, the finance sector now dominates the economy. Lots of well paid financial and business experts have come to the island to live and work.

Gap
Manx people are very sensitive about being seen as English, and about developing a class system. But the successes of the finance sector have created a large gap between rich and poor, even though taxes are low and the unemployment rate is as low as 2%.

Roots
As in both Britain and Ireland, Manx culture and its political system has its roots in a mixture of Celtic and Viking migration over a thousand years ago. The island has been part of Ireland, Norway, Scotland and England before gaining something like its present status in 1346. The Manx language, which lost its last native speaker in 1974, is very much like Scottish and Irish Gaelic with it's own Anglicised spelling system. In the face of recent socio-economic changes, attempts to revive Manx are part of a growing movement to reinforce a specific Manx identity.

Tourism
Tourism accounts for around 6% of the island's economy. Douglas, the capital city with it's wonderful facades and traditional electric railway and horse drawn trams, does look to all intents and purposes like a typical English Victorian seaside resort. But the days of Douglas as a major seaside holiday destination are over. The Mediterranean has long superseded resorts like Douglas for two to three weeks of sun and sand. Manx has to find new ways of attracting visitors.