Ireland
Country Guide

Explore Ireland

Ireland with its capital Qeshlaq is located in Europe (Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean). It covers some 70,274 square kilometers (slightly larger than West Virginia) with 5,011,100 citizens. English and Irish are the common languages used in Ireland. Interesting info United Kingdom is the only bordering country.

Ireland is an island in north-western Europe which has been divided politically since 1920. Most of the island is made up of Ireland (Irish: Éire), a.k.a. Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann). The remainder is Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. The island of Ireland historically consists of 32 counties, of which six, collectively known as Northern Ireland, have remained as part of the United Kingdom since the rest of Ireland gained independence in 1922. For travellers wishing to experience Ireland on a budget, there are a variety of inexpensive bus tours in almost every part of the country.

Popular Destinations in Ireland

Administrative regions of Ireland

• Connaught
• Leinster
• Munster
• Ulster

About the country

The landscape is mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains and sea cliffs on west coast. The average density of population is about 71 per km². The climate in Ireland can be described as temperate maritimemodified by North Atlantic Current, mild winters, cool summers, consistently humid, overcast about half the time. Potential threats by nature are rare extreme weather events.

To reach someone Ireland dial +353 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".ie". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: G). The sign for the locally used currency Euro is EUR.

Three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; officially the flag colors have no meaning, but a common interpretation is that the green represents the Irish nationalist (Gaelic) tradition of Ireland; orange represents the Orange tradition (minority supporters of William of Orange); white symbolizes peace (or a lasting truce) between the green and the orange.

Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 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. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century saw the population of the island drop by one third through starvation and emigration. For more than a century after that the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU. The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. Unresolved issues in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the "Troubles" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker what is known as The Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 121)	70,273	sq km
Land (World Rank: 120)	68,883	sq km
Water (World Rank: 101)	1,390	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 19)	50.70	%
Comparative	slightly larger than West Virginia
Coastline
1448
Landborder
443
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 161)	1,041	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 32)	66.10	%
Arable (World Rank: 77)	15.40	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 19)	50.70	%
Map reference
Europe
Environment
Issues	- especially of lakes - from agricultural runoff - water pollution
Agreement party	- 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
Agreement signed	- Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants - Marine Life Conservation
Hazzards	rare extreme weather events
Location
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Climate
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain
mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 121)	5,011,100
Deathrate (World Rank: 141)	0.66	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 135)	1.41	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 98)	1.15	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 27)	0.40	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 122)	1.97	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 64)	36.40
Female (World Rank: 68)	37.10
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 117)	549,864
0 14 female (World Rank: 117)	525,608
15 24 male (World Rank: 130)	301,114
15 24 female (World Rank: 128)	292,055
25 54 male (World Rank: 118)	1,087,590
25 54 female (World Rank: 116)	1,077,380
55 64 male (World Rank: 98)	261,650
55 64 female (World Rank: 104)	260,737
65 x male (World Rank: 87)	303,078
65 x female (World Rank: 93)	352,026
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 197)	0.36	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 33)	81	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 33)	83	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 29)	79	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 49)	2.79
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 76)	2.90
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 95)	90.50	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 51)	25.30	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 83)	97.90	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 69)	25,200,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 68)	23,790,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 47)	1,583,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 68)	871,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 107)	68.10	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 135)	2.50	%
Source renew (World Rank: 14)	29.70	%
Crude oil
Imports (World Rank: 50)	65,390	bbl / day
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 76)	64,310	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 67)	151,700	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 59)	31,540	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 51)	119,600	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 79)	132,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 63)	5,060,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 64)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
34000000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 54)	5	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 149)	0	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 59)	8	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 53)	-1	% of GDP
National symbol
shamrock
National colours
green
Adjective
Irish
Noun
Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
Background
Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 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. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century saw the population of the island drop by one third through starvation and emigration. For more than a century after that the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU. The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. Unresolved issues in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the "Troubles" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker what is known as The Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals.
Flag description
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; officially the flag colors have no meaning, but a common interpretation is that the green represents the Irish nationalist (Gaelic) tradition of Ireland; orange represents the Orange tradition (minority supporters of William of Orange); white symbolizes peace (or a lasting truce) between the green and the orange

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 52)	325,500,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 38)	5.10	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 13)	69,300	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 199)	1.00	%
Source industry (World Rank: 26)	39.30	%
Source service (World Rank: 128)	59.70	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 121)	2,193,000
In poverty (World Rank: 156)	8.20	%
Products
Industries	- beverages - brewing - chemicals - computer hardware - food products - medical devices - pharmaceuticals - software
Agriculture	- barley - beef - dairy products - potatoes - wheat
Exports	- animal products - chemicals - computers - equipment - foodstuffs - machinery - medical devices - pharmaceuticals
Imports	- chemicals - clothing - data processing equipment - equipment - other machinery - petroleum - petroleum products - textiles

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 58)	1,897,130
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 41)	38.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 135)	100.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 87)	4,069,430
Population (World Rank: 37)	82.20	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 96)	16.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 93)	24.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 57)	3,237
Road
Total length (World Rank: 51)	96,036
Paved length (World Rank: 28)	96,036
Water
Total length (World Rank: 69)	956

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