Despite being geographically part of the
British Isles the Isle of Man
has always retained an identity distinct from those of its neighbours
England,
Scotland,
Wales and
Ireland, although throughout the
first half of the
second millennium sovereignty passed repeatedly
between England and Scotland. The
method of government of the island
is somewhat unique, being derived from a mixture of
Celtic and
Viking
Law, and is called the
Tynwald and is the world's oldest
parliamentary body with over 1,000 years of unbroken rule.
The capital is Douglas and the Isle of Man is not part of the
United Kingdom and has its own laws, although as a Crown Dependency
it relies on the UK Government for defence and diplomatic matters.
Things that the Isle of Man is particularly well-known for include:
- It is a tax haven and many wealthy British individuals and companies
have offshore accounts located there.
- The TT Races -- the world's most famous (and most dangerous)
motorcycle races, held annually.
- A peculiar species of cat, the Manx cat, which is notable for the
fact that it has no tail.
- The symbol of the island is "The Three Legs of Mann",
which is made up of three legs of armour, bent at the knee and joined at
the hip, arranged in a circular pattern. It's easier to see it
(http://www.isle-of-man.com/interests/three-legs/index.htm) than
to explain it!