1996 Edition

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

Location

53 00 N, 8 00 W -- Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than West Virginia

land area

68,890 sq km

total area

70,280 sq km

Climate

temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time

Coastline

1,448 km

Environment

current issues

water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

international agreements

party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

53 00 N, 8 00 W

Geographic note

strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 60 miles of Dublin

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

Land boundaries

border country

UK 360 km

total

360 km

Land use

arable land

14%

forest and woodland

5%

meadows and pastures

71%

other

10%

permanent crops

0%

Location

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

not specified

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

highest point

Carrauntoohill 1,041 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 23% (male 424,558; female 402,062) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,175,383; female 1,157,960) 65 years and over: 12% (male 173,150; female 233,720) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

13.22 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.93 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Celtic, English

Infant mortality rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard, English is the language generally used

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.46 years (1996 est.)

male

72.88 years

total population

75.58 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.)

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

98%

Nationality

adjective

Irish

noun

Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural)

Net migration rate

-6.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

3,566,833 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.22% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other 1% (1981)

Sex ratio

all ages

0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.83 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Capital

Dublin

Constitution

29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Data code

EI

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

telephone

[1] (202) 462-3939

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by president with previous nomination of the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives

chief of state

President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990) was elected for a seven-year term by popular vote; election last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1997); results - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%

head of government

Prime Minister John BRUTON (since 15 December 1994) was nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president

FAX

[353] (1) 6689946

Flag

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

House of Representatives (Dail Eireann)

elections last held 25 November 1992 (next to be held by NA November 1997); 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

Independence

6 December 1921 (from UK)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president on the advice of the government (prime minister and cabinet)

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)

Name of country

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Ireland

National holiday

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Left, Proinsias DE ROSSA; Fianna Fail, Bertie AHERN; Labor Party, Richard SPRING; Fine Gael, John BRUTON; Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN; Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS; Progressive Democrats, Mary HARNEY; The Workers' Party, Marion DONNELLY; Green Alliance, Bronwen MAHER

note

Prime Minister BRUTON heads a three-party coalition consisting of the Fine Gael, the Labor Party, and the Democratic Left

Senate (Seanad Eireann)

elections last held NA February 1992 (next to be held NA 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

Type of government

republic

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) 6688777

Agriculture

turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; meat and dairy products

Budget

expenditures

$20.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6 billion (1994)

revenues

$19.3 billion

Currency

1 Irish pound (LIr) = 100 pence

Economic aid

donor

ODA, $81 million (1993)

Economic overview

The economy is small and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 38% 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 and recovery in both construction and business investment. Ireland has substantially reduced its external debt since 1987, to 40% of GDP in 1994. 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.

Electricity

capacity

3,930,000 kW

consumption per capita

3,938 kWh (1993)

production

14.9 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Irish pounds (LIr) per US$1 - 0.6315 (January 1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864 (1992), 0.6190 (1991)

Exports

$29.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products

partners

EU 73% (UK 27%, Germany 14%, France 9%), US 9%

External debt

$19.5 billion (1994 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $54.6 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

6.8%

industry

35.3%

services

57.9% (1994)

GDP per capita

$15,400 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

7% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands

Imports

$25.3 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing

partners

EU 58% (UK 36%, Germany 7%, France 4%), US 18%

Industrial production growth rate

8.9% (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.8% (1995 est.)

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)

Unemployment rate

13.5% (1995 est.)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $618 million, 1.3% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

939,237

males fit for military service

761,048

males reach military age (17) annually

35,904 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0

Radios

2.2 million (1991 est.)

Telephone system

modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay

domestic

microwave radio relay

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

900,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

86 (1987 est.)

Televisions

1.025 million (1990 est.) Defense

Airports

total

40

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

3

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

29

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

86,787 km (including 32 km of expressways)

total

92,327 km

unpaved

5,540 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 4, cargo 27, chemical tanker 1, container 3, oil tanker 2, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2 (1995 est.)

total

42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 129,027 GRT/155,371 DWT

Pipelines

natural gas 225 km

Ports

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

Railways

broad gauge

1,944 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1995)

total

1,944 km

Waterways

limited for commercial traffic