 Definition  Field Listing  Rank
Order
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Background: |
Celtic tribes settled on the island from 600-150
B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were
finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.
English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than
seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions
and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched
off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
(Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948
Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the
peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,
known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is being
implemented with some difficulties. Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Location: |
Western
Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North
Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
53 00 N, 8
00 W |
|
Map references: |
Europe
|
|
Area: |
total:
70,280 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km
water: 1,390
sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly
larger than West Virginia |
|
Land boundaries: |
total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km
|
|
Coastline: |
1,448 km
|
|
Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm |
|
Climate: |
temperate
maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool
summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time |
|
Terrain: |
mostly level
to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low
mountains; sea cliffs on west coast |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest
point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Carrauntoohil 1,041 m |
|
Natural resources: |
natural gas,
peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone,
dolomite |
|
Land use: |
arable
land: 15.2%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other:
84.77% (2001) |
|
Irrigated land: |
NA sq km
|
|
Natural hazards: |
NA |
|
Environment - current issues: |
water
pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff |
|
Environment - international agreements: |
party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not
ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine
Life Conservation |
|
Geography - note: |
strategic
location on major air and sea routes between North America and
northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of
Dublin Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Population: |
3,969,558
(July 2004 est.) |
|
Age structure: |
0-14
years: 21% (male 430,905; female 404,218)
15-64
years: 67.5% (male 1,342,233; female 1,337,580)
65 years
and over: 11.5% (male 199,379; female 255,243) (2004 est.)
|
|
Median age: |
total: 33.4 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.2 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate: |
1.16% (2004
est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
14.47
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
7.91
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
4.99
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Sex ratio: |
at
birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65
years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total:
5.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live
births
female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
|
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 77.36 years
male: 74.74 years
female: 80.15 years (2004 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
1.87 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.1% (2001
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
2,400 (2001
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 100
(2001 est.) |
|
Nationality: |
noun:
Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Celtic,
English |
|
Religions: |
Roman
Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998) |
|
Languages: |
English is
the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas
located along the western seaboard |
|
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.)
male: NA
female: NA Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Country name: |
conventional long form: none
conventional short
form: Ireland |
|
Government type: |
republic
|
|
Capital: |
Dublin
|
|
Administrative divisions: |
26 counties;
Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare,
Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath,
Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath,
Wexford, Wicklow
note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are
part of Ulster Province |
|
Independence: |
6 December
1921 (from UK by treaty) |
|
National holiday: |
Saint
Patrick's Day, 17 March |
|
Constitution: |
29 December
1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite |
|
Legal system: |
based on
English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts;
judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal |
|
Executive branch: |
chief of
state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26
June 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the
House of Representatives
elections: president elected by
popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 31 October
1997 (next scheduled for 22 October 2004); note - Mary MCALEESE
appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the
2004 presidential election; prime minister nominated by the House of
Representatives and appointed by the president
election
results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary
MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
note: government
coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats |
|
Legislative branch: |
bicameral
Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann
(60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put
forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime
minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of
Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17
July 2002 (next to be held by July 2007); House of Representatives -
last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
election
results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
- Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive Democrats
4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor Party
10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party 3.8%,
others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31, Labor
Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5,
others 14 |
|
Judicial branch: |
Supreme
Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime
minister and cabinet) |
|
Political parties and leaders: |
Fianna Fail
[Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor
SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary
HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The
Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
|
International organization participation: |
Australia
Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISET,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY
chancery: 2234
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 462-3939
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San
Francisco |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador James C. KENNY
embassy: 42 Elgin
Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
mailing address: use embassy
street address
telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946 |
|
Flag description: |
three equal
vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to
the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors
reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to
the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist
side), white, and red Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Economy - overview: |
Ireland is a
small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a
robust 8% in 1995-2002. The global slowdown, especially in the
information technology sector, pressed growth down to 2.1% in 2003.
Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by
industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP and about
80% of exports and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports
remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the economy has also
benefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and
business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above that of the four
big European economies. Over the past decade, the Irish Government
has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to
curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force
skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching
the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU
nations. |
|
GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $116.2 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
1.4% (2003
est.) |
|
GDP - per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $29,600 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 5%
industry: 46%
services: 49% (2002 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed): |
22.9% of GDP
(2003) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
10% (1997
est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest
10%: 2%
highest 10%: 27.3% (1997) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini
index: |
35.9 (1987)
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
3.5% (2003
est.) |
|
Labor force: |
1.871 million
(2003) |
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture
8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
4.7% (2003
est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $53.22 billion
expenditures: $53.5
billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5 billion (2003)
|
|
Public debt: |
31.2% of GDP
(2003) |
|
Agriculture - products: |
turnips,
barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products |
|
Industries: |
food
products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software
|
|
Industrial production growth rate: |
6.7% (2003
est.) |
|
Electricity - production: |
23.53 billion
kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption: |
21.63 billion
kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - exports: |
285 million
kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - imports: |
38 million
kWh (2001) |
|
Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption: |
174,400
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports: |
27,450
bbl/day (2001) |
|
Oil - imports: |
178,600
bbl/day (2001) |
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1
January 2002) |
|
Natural gas - production: |
815 million
cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
4.199 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
3.384 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
9.911 billion
cu m (1 January 2002) |
|
Current account balance: |
$-2.994
billion (2003) |
|
Exports: |
$98.31
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
machinery
and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals,
animal products (1999) |
|
Exports - partners: |
US 20.5%, UK
18.1%, Belgium 12.6%, Germany 8.3%, France 6.1%, Netherlands 5.1%,
Italy 4.6% (2003 est.) |
|
Imports: |
$57.54
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
data
processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals;
petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing |
|
Imports - partners: |
UK 34.9%, US
15.8%, Germany 7.9%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003 est.) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: |
$4.152
billion (2003) |
|
Debt - external: |
$11 billion
(1998) |
|
Economic aid - donor: |
ODA, $283
million (2001) |
|
Currency: |
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union
introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial
institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became
the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member
countries |
|
Currency code: |
EUR |
|
Exchange rates: |
euros per US
dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000),
0.9386 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year: |
calendar
year Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
|
Railways: |
total:
3,312 km
broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge
(operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power
stations and briquetting plants) (2003) |
|
Highways: |
total:
92,500 km
paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 5,457 km (2000 est.) |
|
Waterways: |
753 km
(pleasure craft only) (2004) |
|
Pipelines: |
gas 1,795 km
(2003) |
|
Ports and harbors: |
Arklow,
Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross,
Waterford |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 288,401 GRT/383,628
DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 22, chemical tanker 1,
container 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Germany 3, Italy 7, Norway 2
registered in other countries: 18 (2003 est.) |
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Airports: |
36 (2003
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to
3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523
m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914
m: 17 (2003 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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