2003 Edition

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

note

Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.2% (male 427,017; female 404,191) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 1,322,982; female 1,322,429) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 194,724; female 252,797) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products

Airports

36 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

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

total

16

under 914 m

6 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

20 914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m

17 (2002) Military Ireland

Area

land

68,890 sq km

total

70,280 sq km

water

1,390 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than West Virginia

Background

Celtic tribes settled on the island in the 4th century B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is currently being implemented. Geography Ireland

Birth rate

14.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$30.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5 billion (2002)

revenues

$30.7 billion

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 plebiscite

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Ireland

Currency

euro (EUR)

note

on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code

EUR

Death rate

7.94 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$11 billion (1998)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Richard J. EGAN

embassy

42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[353] (1) 668-8777

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Noel FAHEY; note - FAHEY has announced that he will leave

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

Disputes - international

disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35.9 (1987)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $283 million (2001)

Economy - overview

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. The global slowdown, especially in the information technology sector, pressed growth down to 2.7% in 2003. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP and about 80% of exports and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above that of the four big European economies. Over the past decade, the Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations.

Electricity - consumption

21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

285 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

38 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

23.53 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

95.9%

hydro

2.3%

nuclear

0%

other

1.7% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation

Ethnic groups

Celtic, English

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999), 0.7 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)

election results

Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)

note

government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats

Exports

$86.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products (1999)

Exports - partners

UK 23.3%, US 16.7%, Belgium 14.6%, Germany 7.3%, France 5% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 232-5993

[353] (1) 668-9946

telephone

[1] (202) 462-3939

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Ireland

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 Economy Ireland

GDP

purchasing power parity - $113.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5%

industry

46%

services

49% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $29,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.9% (2002 est.)

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 People Ireland

Government type

republic

Highways

paved

87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)

total

92,500 km

unpaved

5,457 km (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,400 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27.3% (1997)

lowest 10%

2%

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$48.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners

UK 41.1%, US 15.3%, Germany 6.8% (2002)

Independence

6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

Industrial production growth rate

6% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

5.95 deaths/1,000 live births

total

5.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.6% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.ie

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

22 (2000)

Internet users

1.31 million (2002) Transportation Ireland

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

1.8 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

UK 360 km

total

360 km

Land use

arable land

19.49%

other

80.47% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.04%

Languages

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

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)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party 3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31, Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5, others 14

elections

Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.31 years (2003 est.)

male

74.58 years

total population

77.35 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

NA Government Ireland

male

NA

total population

98% (1981 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

exclusive fishing zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

34 years (2002)

male

32.2 years

total

33.1 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Germany 2 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1

total

26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 110,913 GRT/128,017 DWT

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$700 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.9% (FY00/01) Transnational Issues Ireland

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,020,182 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

821,378 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

31,437 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Nationality

adjective

Irish

noun

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

Natural gas - consumption

4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

815 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

9.911 billion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 1,795 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

3,924,140 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

10% (1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.03% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

2.55 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 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) (2002)

total

3,312 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

microwave radio relay

general assessment

modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.6 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

3 million (2002)

Television broadcast stations

4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

1.82 million (2001)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.3% (2002 est.)

Waterways

700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)