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[edit] Geography

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
water: 1,390 sq km
land: 68,890 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 

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
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Natural resources 

zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver

Land use 

arable land: 19.49%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 80.47% (1998 est.)

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-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Endangered Species, 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

[edit] People

Population 

3,883,159 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 21.3% (male 425,366; female 403,268)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,307,469; female 1,305,038)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 191,927; female 250,091) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

1.07% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

14.62 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

5.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 77.17 years
female: 80.12 years (2002 est.)
male: 74.41 years

Total fertility rate 

1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

0.1% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

2,200 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

less than 100 (1999 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%

[edit] Government

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
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
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

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)
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
elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)

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 RABBITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Tom FRENCH]

Political pressure groups and leaders 

NA

International organization participation 

Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, 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
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard J. EGAN
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [353] (1) 668-7122/668-8777
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

[edit] Economy

Economy - overview 

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 45% 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, 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, 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. The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001-02, particularly in the high-tech export sector; the growth rate was cut by half.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $111.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

3.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 4%
industry: 36%
services: 60% (2001)

Population below poverty line 

10% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 27% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index 

36 (1987)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

4.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force 

1.8 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation 

services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate 

4.7% (2002 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $34 billion
expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)

Industries 

food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software

Industrial production growth rate 

6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production 

22.285 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 95%
hydro: 4%
other: 1% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

20.823 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

71 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

169 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products

Exports 

$85.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities 

machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products

Exports - partners 

EU 62.8% (UK 19.8%, Germany 11.3%, France 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Belgium 4.8%), US 17.1% (2000)

Imports 

$48.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities 

data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners 

EU 61.4% (UK 33.4%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 3.5%), US 16.2%, Japan 4% (2000)

Debt - external 

$11 billion (1998) (1998)

Economic aid - donor 

ODA, $283 million (2001)

Currency 

euro (EUR); Irish pound (IEP)
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; IEP

Exchange rates 

euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Irish pounds per US dollar - 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997)

Fiscal year 

calendar year

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

1.6 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

3 million (2002)

Telephone system 

general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios 

2.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions 

1.82 million (2001)

Internet country code 

.ie

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

22 (2000)

Internet users 

1.31 million (2002)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

total: 3,314 km
broad gauge: 1,949 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double-tracked)
narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briqueting plants) (2001)

Highways 

total: 92,500 km
paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.)

Waterways 

700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)

Pipelines 

natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000)

Ports and harbors 

Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford

Merchant marine 

total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 110,741 GRT/127,342 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1

Airports 

41 (2001)

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 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 17 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)

Military manpower - military age 

17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 1,013,739 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 816,744 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually 

males: 32,287 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$700 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

0.9% (FY00/01)

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

Illicit drugs 

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