Isle of Man, Crown dependency in Irish Sea, United Kingdom
The Isle of Man is a crown dependency in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. The terrain shifts between hills, coastal cliffs and sandy beaches along the shore.
Norse seafarers founded settlements on the territory in the ninth century and shaped its early political structure. The British Crown took over lordship in 1765 and left the parliament functioning since 979 in place.
The three-legged emblem decorates flags and public buildings across the territory and recalls an ancient Celtic tradition. Manx Gaelic is now taught in some primary schools and appears again on road signs and place names.
Douglas is the main arrival point with ferry connections to Liverpool, Heysham, Dublin and Belfast as well as an airport linking to several British cities. Crossings take between two and four hours depending on the route.
The territory issues its own coins and banknotes pegged to the British pound and valid only within its borders. Visitors must exchange the currency when leaving since it is not accepted elsewhere.
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