Douglas

Douglas, capital of the Isle of Man, Great Britain. The Isle of Man lies in the Irish Sea, about 30 miles from England and Ireland respectively and approximately 16 miles from Scotland. Douglas has been the capital and principal port and ferry terminal of the island since 1869, the island itself having become a Crown possession in 1828. It lies at the mouths of the Dhoo and Glass Rivers, hence its name. About a third of the islanders live in Douglas, which originally developed around smuggling, but today has light industry, tourism, and its administrative function as the seat of the island's parliament, the Tynwald and House of Keys (the oldest parliament in the world). Many tourists visit the Isle of Man for its interesting features, such as its own unique currency and the famous tailless Manx cats. Douglas boasts Castle Mona (1804), and the Tower of Refuge (1832), as well as the impressive Manx Electric Railway (1893) and Douglas horse-drawn trams (1876), both of which are still in service. Population (1991) 22,214.