Map of Ireland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 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 UK. In 1949 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 is gradually being implemented despite some difficulties. In 2006 the Irish and British governments developed and began to implement the St. Andrews Agreement building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.


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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 reference: Europe

Area
Total: 70,273 km²
Rank: 119
Land: 68,883 km²
Water: 1390 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

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

Coastline: 1448 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
Extremes highest point: Carrauntoohil 1041 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 16.82%
Permanent crops: 0.03%
Other: 83.15% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 46.8 km³ (2003)

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 100 km of Dublin


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Population: 4,203,200 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 125
Growth rate: 1.12% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 121
Below poverty line: 7% (2005 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Irishman Irishwoman(women) Irish (collective plural)
Adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups: Irish 87.4% other white 7.5% Asian 1.3% black 1.1% mixed 1.1% unspecified 1.6% (2006 census)

Languages: English (official) is the language generally used Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas along the western coast

Religions: Roman Catholic 87.4% Church of Ireland 2.9% other Christian 1.9% other 2.1% unspecified 1.5% none 4.2% (2006 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.9%
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,411,336/female 1,409,760)
65 years and over: 12% (male 224,850/female 278,661) (2009 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 35 years
Male: 34.2 years
Female: 35.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.12% (2009 est.)
Rank: 121

Birth rate: 14.23 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 148

Death rate: 7.75 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 114

Net migration rate: 4.71 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 22

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 61% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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-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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.05 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 188
Male: 5.53 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.54 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.24 years
Rank: 47
Male: 75.6 years
Female: 81.06 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 150

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 102
People living with hivaids: 5,500 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 121
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 130

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2005)
Rank: 81

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 18 years
Male: 17 years
Female: 18 years (2006)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Ireland
Local long form: none
Local short form: Eire

Government type: republic parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Dublin
Geographic coordinates: 53 19 N 6 14 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 29 counties and 5 cities*; Carlow Cavan Clare Cork Cork* Donegal Dublin* Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Fingal Galway Galway* Kerry Kildare Kilkenny Laois Leitrim Limerick Limerick* Longford Louth Mayo Meath Monaghan North Tipperary Offaly Roscommon Sligo South Dublin South Tipperary Waterford Waterford* Westmeath Wexford Wicklow

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 December 1921 (from the UK by treaty)

National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day 17 March

Constitution: adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

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
Head of government: Prime Minister Brian COWEN (since 7 May 2008)
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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) 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 the Green Party the Progressive Democrats (disbanding) and independent members of Parliament

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 49 members 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 in July 2007 (next to be held by July 2012); House of Representatives - last held 24 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 28 Fine Gael 14 Labor Party 6 Progressive Democrats 2 Green Party 2 Sein Fein 1 independents 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.6% Fine Gael 27.3% Labor Party 10.1% Sinn Fein 6.9% Green Party 4.7% Progressive Democrats 2.7% other 6.7%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 78 Fine Gael 51 Labor Party 20 Sinn Fein 4 Green Party 6 Progressive Democrats 2 independents 4 Speaker of the Dail 1
Note: on 8 November 2008 delegates voted to disband the party but as of January 2009 the party was still operating

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

Political parties and leaders: Fianna Fail [Brian COWEN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [John GORMLEY]; Labor Party [Eamon GILMORE]; Progressive Democrats [Ciaran CANNON] (disbanding); Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Mick FINNEGAN]

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member) Australia Group BIS CE EAPC EBRD EIB EMU ESA EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MINURSO MONUC NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA PFP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNMIL UNOCI UNTSO UPU WCO WEU (observer) WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Michael COLLINS
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 consulate general: Boston Chicago New York San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel ROONEY; note - has not yet presented his credentials to Ireland
From the us embassy: 42 Elgin Road Ballsbridge Dublin 4
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [353] (1) 668-8,777
From the us fax: [353] (1) 668-9,946

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Ireland is a small modern trade-dependent economy. GDP growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007 but economic activity dropped sharply in 2008 and Ireland entered into a recession for the first time in more than a decade with the onset of the world financial crisis and subsequent severe slowdown in the property and construction markets. Agriculture once the most important sector is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the export sector dominated by foreign multinationals remains a key component of Ireland's economy construction most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending and business investment. Property prices rose more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to 2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP also surged during Ireland's high-growth years and in 2007 surpassed that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation invest in infrastructure increase labor force skills and promote foreign investment. In 2008 the COWEN government moved to guarantee all bank deposits recapitalize the banking system and establish partly-public venture capital funds in response to the country's economic downturn. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 56
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 213

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 11
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5%
Industry: 46%
Services: 49% (2002 est.)

Agriculture products: turnips barley potatoes sugar beets wheat; beef dairy products

Industries: steel lead zinc silver aluminum barite and gypsum mining processing; food products brewing textiles clothing; chemicals pharmaceuticals; machinery rail transportation equipment; glass and crystal; software tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2007 est.)
Rank: 50

Labor force: 2.241 million (2008 est.)
Rank: 115
By occupation agriculture: 6%
By occupation industry: 27%
By occupation services: 67% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.6% (2007 est.)
Rank: 80

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 7% (2005 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.9%
Highest 10: 27.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income gini index: 35.9 (1987)
Rank: 101

Budget
Revenues: $92.57 billion
Expenditures: $109.9 billion (2008 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 31.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 47

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.9% (2007 est.)
Rank: 66

Central bank discount rate: 5% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 96
Note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.52% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 125

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $545.2 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 15

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 42

Current account balance: -$14.12 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 174

Exports: $115.5 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 34
Commodities: machinery and equipment computers chemicals pharmaceuticals; live animals animal products
Partners: UK 18.6% US 18.6% Belgium 14.7% Germany 7% France 5.9% Spain 4.2% (2008)

Imports: $84.76 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 40
Commodities: data processing equipment other machinery and equipment chemicals petroleum and petroleum products textiles clothing
Partners: UK 37.7% US 11.6% Germany 8.7% Netherlands 5.6% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $926.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 126

Debt external: $2.263 trillion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 6

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $179 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $139.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 21

Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.) 0.7345 (2007) 0.7964 (2006) 0.8041 (2005) 0.8054 (2004)


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Electricity
Production: 26.06 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 65
Consumption: 25.12 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 63
Exports: 303 million kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 753 million kWh (2008 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 438 million m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 69
Consumption: 5.217 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 58
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 186
Imports: 4.798 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 32
Proven reserves: 9.911 billion m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 79

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 2.202 million (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 56
Mobile cellular: 5.048 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 86

Telephone system
General assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
Domestic: system privatized but dominated by former state monopoly operator; increasing levels of broadband access
International: country code - 353; landing point for the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable with links to the US Canada and UK; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .ie
Hosts: 1.303 million (2009)
Hosts rank: 36
Users: 2.83 million (2008)
Users rank: 61

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 146

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 17-25 years of age for male or female voluntary military service (17-27 years of age for the Naval Service); enlistees 16 years of age can be recruited for apprentice specialist positions; maximum obligation 12 years; 17-35 years of age for the Reserve Defense Forces; EU citizenship or 5-year residence in Ireland required (2008)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 39 (2009)
Rank: 105
With paved runways total: 17
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: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 6 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 22
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 20 (2009)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 1550 km (2008)

Railways
Total: 3,237 km
Rank: 53
Broad gauge: 1872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 1365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2008)

Roadways
Total: 96,602 km
Rank: 46
Paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003)

Waterways: 956 km (pleasure craft only) (2008)
Rank: 68

Merchant marine
Total: 29
Rank: 85
By type: cargo 25 chemical tanker 2 container 1 roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 2 (US 2)
Registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2 Bermuda 1 Bulgaria 1 Cyprus 3 Isle of Man 1 Marshall Islands 1 Netherlands 10 Slovakia 1 UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Cork Dublin Shannon Foynes


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Disputes international: Ireland Iceland and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

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; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change trusts and shell companies involving the off