1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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
Agriculture
accounts for 8% of GDP and 13% of the labor force; principal crops - turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; livestock - meat and dairy products; 85% self-sufficient in food; food shortages include bread grain, fruits, vegetables
Airports
total: 44 usable: 42 with permanent-surface runways: 14 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 7
Area
total area: 70,280 sq km land area: 68,890 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia
Birth rate
14.21 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)
Budget
revenues: $16 billion expenditures: $16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (1992 est.)
Capital
Dublin
Climate
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Coastline
1,448 km
Constitution
29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebecite
Currency
1 Irish pound (#Ir) = 100 pence
Death rate
8.59 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $500 million, 1.3% of GDP (1993)
Digraph
EI
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 462-3939 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
Economic aid
donor: ODA commitments (1980-89), $90 million
Electricity
capacity: 5,000,000 kW production: 14.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,120 kWh (1992)
Environment
current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic divisions
Celtic, English
Exchange rates
Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6978 (January 1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864 (1992), 0.6190 (1991), 0.6030 (1990), 0.7472 (1989)
Executive branch
chief of state: President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990); election last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held November 1997); results - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2% head of government: Prime Minister Albert REYNOLDS (since 11 February 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by president with previous nomination of the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
Exports
$28.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products partners: EC 75% (UK 32%, Germany 13%, France 10%), US 9%
External debt
$17.6 billion (1992)
FAX
[353] (1) 6689946
Fiscal year
calendar year
Flag
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of the 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
Highways
total: 92,294 km paved: 87,422 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 4,872 km
House of Representatives (Dail Eireann)
elections last held on 25 November 1992 (next to be held by June 1995); results - Fianna Fail 39.1%, Fine Gael 24.5%, Labor Party 19.3%, Progressive Democrats 4.7%, Democratic Left 2.8%, Sinn Fein 1.6%, Workers' Party 0.7%, independents 5.9%; seats - (166 total) Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats 10, Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands
Imports
$23.3 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing partners: EC 66% (UK 41%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 4%), US 15%
Independence
6 December 1921 (from UK)
Industrial production
growth rate 11.5% (1992); accounts for 37% of GDP
Industries
food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal
Infant mortality rate
7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.7% (1994 est.)
Inland waterways
limited for commercial traffic
International disputes
Northern Ireland question with the UK; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Labor force
1.37 million by occupation: services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 28%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 13.5%, energy and mining 1.5% (1992)
Land boundaries
total 360 km, UK 360 km
Land use
arable land: 14% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 71% forest and woodland: 5% other: 10%
Languages
Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard, English is the language generally used
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
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament (Oireachtas)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.68 years male: 72.85 years female: 78.68 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.) total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA%
Location
Western Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean, across the Irish Sea from Great Britain
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 914,052; fit for military service 739,288; reach military age (17) annually 33,809 (1994 est.)
Map references
Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Member of
Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNPROFRO, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Merchant marine
53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 139,278 GRT/173,325 DWT, bulk 4, cargo 32, chemical tanker 2, container 4, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 3
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland
National holiday
Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $46.3 billion (1993)
National product per capita
$13,100 (1993)
National product real growth rate
2.7% (1993)
Nationality
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish
Natural resources
zinc, lead, natural gas, petroleum, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
Net migration rate
-2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Note
strategic location on major air and sea routes between North American and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 60 miles of Dublin
Overview
The economy is small and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 37% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Since 1987, real GDP growth, led by exports, has averaged 4% annually. Over the same period, inflation has fallen sharply and chronic trade deficits have been transformed into annual surpluses. Unemployment remains a serious problem, however, and job creation is the main focus of government policy. To ease unemployment, Dublin aggressively courts foreign investors and recently created a new industrial development agency to aid small indigenous firms. Government assistance is constrained by Dublin's continuing deficit reduction measures.
Pipelines
natural gas 225 km
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Left, Proinsias DE ROSSA; Fianna Fail, Albert REYNOLDS; Labor Party, Richard SPRING; Fine Gael, John BRUTON; Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN; Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS; Progressive Democrats, Desmond O'MALLEY note: Prime Minister REYNOLDS heads a coalition consisting of the Fianna Fail and the Labor Party
Population
3,539,296 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
0.3% (1994 est.)
Ports
Cork, Dublin, Waterford
Railroads
Irish National Railways (CIE) operates 1,947 km 1.602-meter gauge, government owned; 485 km double track; 37 km electrified
Religions
Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other 1% (1981)
Senate (Seanad Eireann)
elections last held on NA February 1992 (next to be held February 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total, 49 elected) Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats 2, Democratic Left 1, independents 6
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telecommunications
modern system using cable and digital microwave circuits; 900,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 45 FM, 86 TV; 2 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Terrain
mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Total fertility rate
1.99 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
republic
Unemployment rate
16% (1994 est.)
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 6687122