Statistical information Ireland 1999Ireland

Map of Ireland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year:  | More stats

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Ireland in the World

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Ireland - Introduction 1999
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Background: Growing Irish nationalism resulted in independence from the United Kingdom in 1921, with six largely Protestant northern counties remaining within the UK. After World War II bloody strife between Catholics and Protestants over the status of Northern Ireland cost thousands of lives. In 1998, substantial steps toward peace were agreed to by the British and Irish governments and the Roman Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland.


Ireland - Geography 1999
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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 referenceEurope

Area
Total: 70,280 km²
Land: 68,890 km²
Water: 1,390 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries
Total: 360 km
Border countries: (1) UK 360 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: not specified
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 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
Extremes highest point: Carrauntoohill 1,041 m

Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
Land use

Land use
Arable land: 13%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 68%
Forests and woodland: 5%
Other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

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


Ireland - People 1999
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Population: 3,632,944 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.38% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural)
Adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups: Celtic, English

Languages: English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard

Religions: Roman Catholic 92%, Anglican 3%, Islamic 0.11%, Jehovah's Witness 0.1%, Jewish 0.04%, other 4.75% (1991)

Demographic profile
Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 21% (male 399,379; female 377,366)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,232,072; female 1,213,364)
65 years and over: 12% (male 174,519; female 236,244) (1999 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.38% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 13.58 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 8.43 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.31 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 5.94 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.39 years
Male: 73.64 years
Female: 79.32 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98% (1981 est.)
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


Ireland - Government 1999
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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

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK)

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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 to be held NA November 2004); 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%

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 NA August 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); House of Representatives_last held 6 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
Election results: Senate_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_NA; House of Representatives_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_Fianna Fail 76, Fine Gael 53, Labor Party 19, Progressive Democrats 4, Democratic Left 4, Greens 2, Sinn Fein 1, independents 7

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president on the advice of the government (prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Sean O'HUIGINN
In the us chancery: 2,234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 462-3,939
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 232-5,993
In the us consulates general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Michael SULLIVAN
From the us embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [353] (1) 6,688,777
From the us FAX: [353] (1) 6,689,946

Flag descriptionflag of Ireland: 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


Ireland - Economy 1999
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Economy overview: Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 9.5% in 1995-98. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 39% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, and promote foreign investment. Although the unemployment rate has been halved, it remains high, and job creation is a primary concern of government policy. Recent efforts have concentrated on improving workers qualifications and the education system. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 9.5% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $18,600 (1998 est.)

Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 7%
Industry: 39%
Services: 54% (1997)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 15.8% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 1.52 million (1997 est.)
By occupation services: 62.1%
By occupation manufacturing and construction: 27%
By occupation agriculture forestry and fishing: 10%
By occupation utilities: 0.9% (1996 est.)
Labor force

Unemployment rate: 7.7% (1998 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $23.5 billion
Expenditures: $20.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1998)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $60.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products (1997)
Partners: EU 67% (UK 24%, Germany 12%, France 8%), US 11% (1997)

Imports: $43.7 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Commodities: food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing (1997)
Partners: EU 55% (UK 34%, Germany 6%, France 6%), US 15% (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $11 billion (1998)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Irish pounds (£Ir) per US$1_0.6815 (January 1999), 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994)
Note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 0.78764 Irish pounds per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002


Ireland - Energy 1999
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Electricity
Production: 17.843 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 95.83%
Production by source hydro: 3.99%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0.18% (1996)
Consumption: 17.743 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 200 million kWh (1996)
Imports: 100 million kWh (1996)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


Ireland - Communication 1999
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Telephones: 900,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
Domestic: microwave radio relay
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


Ireland - Military 1999
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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $771 million (1997)
Percent of gdp: 1% (1997)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


Ireland - Transportation 1999
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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 44 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 16
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 28
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: natural gas 225 km

Railways
Total: 1,947 km
Broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1996)

Roadways

Waterways: limited for commercial traffic

Merchant marine
Total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 79,284 GRT/117,652 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 28, container 2 (1998 est.)

Ports and terminals


Ireland - Transnational issues 1999
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Disputes international: Northern Ireland issue with the UK (historic peace agreement signed 10 April 1998; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe


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