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| Geography |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| Area: | total: 70,280 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km
water: 1,390 sq kmSize comparison: 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: 16.82%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 83.15% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | NA |
| Natural hazards: | NA |
| Current Environment Issues: | water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People |
| Population: | 4,156,119 (July 2008 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 20.9% (male 448,333/female 418,476)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,400,222/female 1,398,194)
65 years and over: 11.8% (male 218,459/female 272,435) (2008 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 34.6 years
male: 33.9 years
female: 35.4 years (2008 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.133% (2008 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 14.33 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 4.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 78.07 years
male: 75.44 years
female: 80.88 years (2008 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.85 children born/woman (2008 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 2,800 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 100 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Irishman(men), 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) |
| 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) |
| Languages: | English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.) |
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| Government |
| 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: | 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 |
| Independence: | 6 December 1921 (from 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 |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
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, 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; to 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, other 5 |
| 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 [Mary HARNEY, acting leader]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian McCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence); Families Against Intimidation and Terror or FAIT (oppose terrorism); Gaeltacht Civil Rights Campaign (Coiste Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeilge) or CCSG (encourages the use of the Irish language and campaigns for greater civil rights in Irish speaking areas); Irish Republican Army or IRA (terrorist group); Keep Ireland Open (environmental group); Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation promoters); Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 - transportation promoters); 32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM (supports a fully sovereign Ireland); Ulster Defence Association or UDA (terrorist group) |
| International organization participation: | ADB (nonregional members), 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
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, San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946 |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
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, and independent members of Parliament |
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| Economy |
| Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 6% in 1995-2007. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the exports sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of Ireland's economy, construction has most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending and business investment. Property prices have risen more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to 2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP is 40% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg, 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. A slowdown in the property market, more intense global competition, and increased costs, however, have compelled government economists to lower Ireland's growth forecast slightly for 2008. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $191.6 billion (2007 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $258.6 billion (2007 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 6% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $46,600 (2007 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5%
industry: 46%
services: 49% (2002 est.) |
| Labor force: | 2.217 million (2007 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 6%
industry: 27%
services: 67% (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 4.6% (2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 7% (2005 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 27.2% (2000) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 32 (2005) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4.9% (2007 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | 26.3% of GDP (2007 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $93.22 billion
expenditures: $92.46 billion (2007 est.) |
| Public debt: | 24.9% of GDP (2007 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.) |
| Electricity - production: | 25.77 billion kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 25.67 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 82 million kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 1.412 billion kWh (2007 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 200,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 29,780 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - imports: | 194,000 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 457 million cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 4.984 billion cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 4.552 billion cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$14.12 billion (2007 est.) |
| Exports: | $115.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products |
| Exports - partners: | UK 18.7%, US 17.9%, Belgium 14.5%, Germany 7.4%, France 5.8% (2007) |
| Imports: | $84.76 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing |
| Imports - partners: | UK 38.3%, US 11.3%, Germany 9.7%, Netherlands 5%, France 4.2% (2007) |
| Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $1.022 billion (2006) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $926.2 million (2006 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $1.841 trillion (30 June 2007) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $191.4 billion (2007 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $139.6 billion (2007 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $114.1 billion (2005) |
| Currency (code): | euro (EUR) |
| Exchange rates: | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: | 2.112 million (2007) |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 4.94 million (2007) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay
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) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 4 (many repeaters) (2001) |
| Internet country code: | .ie |
| Internet hosts: | 1.242 million (2008) |
| Internet users: | 1.708 million (2007) |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: | 34 (2007) |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 15
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: 5 (2007) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 16 (2007) |
| Pipelines: | gas 1,855 km (2007) |
| Railways: | total: 3,237 km
broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 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) (2006) |
| Roadways: | total: 96,602 km
paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003) |
| Waterways: | 956 km (pleasure craft only) (2007) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 29
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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| Military |
|
| Military branches: | Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps (Aer-Chor na h-Eireann)) (2008) |
| 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) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,024,635
females age 16-49: 1,024,276 (2008 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 854,982
females age 16-49: 852,592 (2008 est.) |
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