1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
Background
Growing Irish nationalism resulted in independence from the United Kingdom in 1921, with six largely Protestant northern counties remaining within the UK. After World War II bloody strife between Catholics and Protestants over the status of Northern Ireland cost thousands of lives. In 1998, substantial steps toward peace were agreed to by the British and Irish governments and the Roman Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland.
Geography
Area
total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly larger than West Virginia
Climate
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Coastline
1,448 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohill 1,041 m
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, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94
Geographic coordinates
53 00 N, 8 00 W
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
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km
Land use
arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 68% forests and woodland: 5% other: 14% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
NA
Natural resources
zinc, lead, natural gas, 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 21% (male 399,379; female 377,366) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,232,072; female 1,213,364) 65 years and over: 12% (male 174,519; female 236,244) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
13.58 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
8.43 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Celtic, English
Infant mortality rate
5.94 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.39 years male: 73.64 years female: 79.32 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish
Net migration rate
-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
3,632,944 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
0.38% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 92%, Anglican 3%, Islamic 0.11%, Jehovah's Witness 0.1%, Jewish 0.04%, other 4.75% (1991)
Sex ratio
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 population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.81 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland
Data code
EI
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 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 election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote--Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
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
Government type
republic
Independence
6 December 1921 (from UK)
International organization participation
Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sean O'HUIGINN chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael SULLIVAN embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin mailing address: use embassy street address
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president on the advice of the government (prime minister and cabinet) Political parties and leaders: Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Labor note: Prime Minister AHERN heads a two-party coalition consisting of Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats; Democratic Left merged into the Labor Party on 1 February 1999
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 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) elections: Senate--last held NA August 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); House of Representatives--last held 6 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA; House of Representatives--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--Fianna Fail 76, Fine Gael 53, Labor Party 19, Progressive Democrats 4, Democratic Left 4, Greens 2, Sinn Fein 1, independents 7
National holiday
Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Budget
revenues: $23.5 billion expenditures: $20.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)
Currency
1 Irish pound (LIr) = 100 pence
Debt--external
$11 billion (1998)
Economic aid--donor
ODA, $153 million (1995)
Economy--overview
Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 9.5% in 1995-98. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 39% 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. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, and promote foreign investment. Although the unemployment rate has been halved, it remains high, and job creation is a primary concern of government policy. Recent efforts have concentrated on improving workers qualifications and the education system. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations.
Electricity--consumption
17.743 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
200 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
100 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
17.843 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 95.83% hydro: 3.99% nuclear: 0% other: 0.18% (1996)
Exchange rates
Irish pounds (LIr) per US$1--0.6815 (January 1999), 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Union introduced a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in some member countries at the rate of 0.8597 euros per US$ and a fixed rate of 0.78764 Irish pounds per euro; the euro will replace the local currency in consenting countries for all transactions in 2002
Exports
$60.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products (1997)
Exports--partners
EU 67% (UK 24%, Germany 12%, France 8%), US 11% (1997)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$67.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 7% industry: 39% services: 54% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$18,600 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
9.5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 27.4% (1987)
Imports
$43.7 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports--commodities
food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing (1997)
Imports--partners
EU 55% (UK 34%, Germany 6%, France 6%), US 15% (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
15.8% (1998 est.)
Industries
food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.4% (1998)
Labor force
1.52 million (1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
services 62.1%, manufacturing and construction 27%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, utilities 0.9% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
7.7% (1998 est.)
Communications
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
10 (in addition, there are 36 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
1.025 million (1990 est.)
Transportation
Airports
44 (1998 est.) 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: 3 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 92,500 km paved: 87,042 km (including 80 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,458 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 79,284 GRT/117,652 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 28, container 2 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
natural gas 225 km Ports and harbors: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford
Railways
total: 1,947 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1996)
Waterways
limited for commercial traffic
Military and Security
Military branches
Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$771 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1% (1997)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 974,226 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 790,155 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
17 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 33,810 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
Northern Ireland issue with the UK (historic peace agreement signed 10 April 1998); Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe