Isle of Man (2006) | Holy See (Vatican City) (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections | none |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 6,669/female 6,350)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 24,884/female 24,678) 65 years and over: 17% (male 5,197/female 7,663) (2006 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry | - |
Airports | 1 (2006) | none (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
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Area | total: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. | Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. |
Birth rate | 11.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $485 million
expenditures: $463 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002) |
Capital | name: Douglas
geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 28 W time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Vatican City |
Climate | temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) |
Coastline | 160 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution | new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man |
conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) |
Currency | - | euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 11.19 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | British crown dependency | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (British crown dependency) | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (British crown dependency) | chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | none |
Economy - overview | Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets. | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world, as well as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence); the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; fees for admission to museums; and the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Electricity - production | - | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m |
lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
Environment - current issues | waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
Ethnic groups | Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton | Italians, Swiss, other |
Exchange rates | Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001) | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the chief minister is elected by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held December 2006) election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004 |
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 1 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope |
Exports | $NA | 0 kWh |
Exports - commodities | tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb | - |
Exports - partners | UK (2004) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate | 6.3% NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 54 15 N, 4 30 W | 41 54 N, 12 27 E |
Geography - note | one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary | urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights |
Highways | - | none; all city streets |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $NA | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy |
Imports - commodities | timber, fertilizers, fish | - |
Imports - partners | UK (2004) | - |
Independence | none (British crown dependency) | 11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.2% (FY96/97) | - |
Industries | financial services, light manufacturing, tourism | printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.7% (2003 est.) | - |
International organization participation | UPU | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor) | there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946 |
Labor force | 39,690 (2001) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% | essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
Land use | arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001) |
Languages | English, Manx Gaelic | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages |
Legal system | English common law and Manx statute | based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it |
Legislative branch | bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and eight others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2006) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3, independents 19 |
unicameral Pontifical Commission |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.49 years
male: 75.14 years female: 82.02 years (2006 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: NA
total population: 100% male: NA female: NA |
Location | Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) |
Map references | Europe | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 305 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,266,229 GRT/13,792,927 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 65, chemical tanker 53, container 16, liquefied gas 38, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 213 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 53, Estonia 2, France 2, Germany 56, Greece 45, Italy 5, Japan 4, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 27, Singapore 7, Sweden 1, Turkey 3, US 3) registered in other countries: 9 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Liberia 5, Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1) (2006) |
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Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope |
Military branches | - | Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera) |
National holiday | Tynwald Day, 5 July | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) |
Nationality | noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | none | none |
Net migration rate | 5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance for Progressive Government; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (branch of the British National Party)
note: most members sit as independents |
none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) |
Population | 75,441 (July 2006 est.) | 921 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 0.52% (2006 est.) | 0.01% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Railways | total: 65 km
standard guage: 7 km 1.067-m guage (7 km electrified) narrow guage: 58 km 0.914-m guage (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006) |
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Religions | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends | Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
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Suffrage | 16 years of age; universal | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable |
general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system international: country code - 39; uses Italian system |
Telephones - main lines in use | 51,000 (1999) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999) | 1 (1996) |
Terrain | hills in north and south bisected by central valley | low hill |
Total fertility rate | 1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 0.6% (2004 est.) | - |