Quality of Life
It is difficult to encapsulate and quantify the relaxed and peaceful way of life in the Isle of Man with its untroubled atmosphere and friendly residents. Whilst offering all the services and facilities of a modern European centre, the island also boasts a fine selection of restaurants, shopping and leisure facilities. Yet away from the busy commercial centres, the island has retained a pace of life, which is the envy of most urban dwellers.
Visiting tourists, business people and new residents find the more desirable features of modern life without many of its unpleasant aspects, such as a high crime rate and social unrest. Old values are respected but new ideas are always welcomed.
With the tourist industry complementing other sectors of the island's varied economy, residents enjoy amenities such as the theatre, cinemas, modern hotels, health clubs, a casino and night clubs in addition to the many public houses and top-class restaurants which belie the island's modest population.
Newcomers to the island are surprised by the variety of scenery, which exists on such a relatively small landmass. From rolling hills to picturesque farmlands, spectacular coastal scenery to secluded glens, the island provides a wealth of diverse leisure activities, with an emphasis on sport and outdoor pursuits.
The choice of outdoor sport is considerable, including activities such as golf, sea and river fishing, sailing, windsurfing, hang gliding, diving or just rambling. International car rallying, cycling and motor bike races, including the famous TT Races, are also annual events.
Although already well served with shops and supermarkets, an unprecedented upsurge in the growth of the retail sector, with new shopping precincts, superstores and shopping malls, has led to a transformation of the island's shopping facilities in recent years. Within the island's capital, much of this development is now being managed and integrated along with other commercial development into the imaginative Douglas 2000 project.
Heritage forms an important part of island life, in the form of museums, castles, and a rich spectrum of other ancient monuments spanning 10,000 years of Manx history. Sights such as the world famous Laxey Wheel and associated working mechanisms, driving the pumps which once cleared the village mines of water, are spectacular examples of the island's preserved industrial archaeology. People who live on the Isle of Man enjoy an enviable quality of life, the roots of which are based on traditional values and standards. The island aims to maintain a prosperous and caring society in which both enterprise and family life can flourish.
The island has no heavy industry and it has a relatively small population. It is therefore not only unspoilt but it can boast a high quality environment free of much of the pollution which has disfigured many modern industrial and urban areas. It can also boast a determination to preserve the quality of its environment and has the ability to do so; environmental impact is a key consideration when any new development is proposed.