August 6, 2017
Located in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland, the Isle of Man is an independent island under the rule of Queen Elizabeth II. The Isle of Man covers a geographical area of 221 square miles (572 sq. km) with approximately 84,497 residents inhabiting the island. Historians believe the first inhabitants, many of whom were hunter-gatherers, settled on the island around 6500 BC. Initially, the Isle of Man was a part of Norway, belonging to the Kingdom of the Hebrides. During the 13th century, the island was ceded to Scotland. The kings of England and Scotland alternated in ruling the island until 1399. At this time, the Isle of Man underwent the feudal lordship of the English Crown. In 1765, the Isle became part of the British monarch, after the Duke of Atholl sold the islands’ sovereignty. However, the island never became a part of the United Kingdom and instead chose to retain their self-governing Crown Dependency.