2008 Edition

Background

Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. 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 UK. In 1949, 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 is being implemented with some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed and began to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.

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: Carrauntoohil 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-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 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.18 cu km/yr (23%/77%/0%) per capita: 284 cu m/yr (1994)

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 100 km of Dublin

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Land use

arable land: 16.82% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 83.15% (2005)

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

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

46.8 cu km (2003)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.9% (male 448,333/female 418,476) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,400,222/female 1,398,194) 65 years and over: 11.8% (male 218,459/female 272,435) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

14.33 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2005)

Ethnic groups

Irish 87.4%, other white 7.5%, Asian 1.3%, black 1.1%, mixed 1.1%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,800 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.07 years male: 75.44 years female: 80.88 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 34.6 years male: 33.9 years female: 35.4 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish

Net migration rate

4.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

4,156,119 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.133% (2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years male: 17 years female: 18 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.85 children born/woman (2008 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

name: Dublin geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution

adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael COLLINS chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

Executive branch

chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Brian COWEN (since 7 May 2008) 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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) 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% note: government coalition - Fianna Fail, the Green Party, the Progressive Democrats, and independent members of Parliament

FAX

[1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

[353] (1) 668-9946

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, parliamentary democracy

Independence

6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the 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 or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 49 members elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; to 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 in July 2007 (next to be held by July 2012); House of Representatives - last held 24 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 28, Fine Gael 14, Labor Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, Green Party 2, Sein Fein 1, independents 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.6%, Fine Gael 27.3%, Labor Party 10.1%, Sinn Fein 6.9%, Green Party 4.7%, Progressive Democrats 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 78, Fine Gael 51, Labor Party 20, Sinn Fein 4, Green Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, other 5

National holiday

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Political parties and leaders

Fianna Fail [Brian COWEN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [John GORMLEY]; Labor Party [Eamon GILMORE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY, acting leader]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian McCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence); Families Against Intimidation and Terror or FAIT (oppose terrorism); Gaeltacht Civil Rights Campaign (Coiste Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeilge) or CCSG (encourages the use of the Irish language and campaigns for greater civil rights in Irish speaking areas); Irish Republican Army or IRA (terrorist group); Keep Ireland Open (environmental group); Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation promoters); Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 - transportation promoters); 32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM (supports a fully sovereign Ireland); Ulster Defence Association or UDA (terrorist group)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $93.22 billion expenditures: $92.46 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate

6.52% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

euro (EUR)

Currency code

EUR

Current account balance

-$14.12 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.841 trillion (30 June 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32 (2005)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.022 billion (2006)

Economy - overview

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 6% in 1995-2007. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the exports sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of Ireland's economy, construction has most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending and business investment. Property prices have risen more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to 2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP is 40% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg, and in 2007 surpassed that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, invest in infrastructure, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. A slowdown in the property market, more intense global competition, and increased costs, however, have compelled government economists to lower Ireland's growth forecast slightly for 2008. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.

Electricity - consumption

25.67 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

82 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

1.412 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

25.77 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)

Exports

$115.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

UK 18.7%, US 17.9%, Belgium 14.5%, Germany 7.4%, France 5.8% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$46,600 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$258.6 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$191.6 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 27.2% (2000)

Imports

$84.76 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

UK 38.3%, US 11.3%, Germany 9.7%, Netherlands 5%, France 4.2% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2007 est.)

Industries

steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment; glass and crystal; software, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.9% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

26.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

2.217 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 6% industry: 27% services: 67% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$114.1 billion (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

4.984 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

4.552 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

457 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

200,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports

29,780 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

194,000 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

7% (2005 est.)

Public debt

24.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$926.2 million (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$139.6 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$191.4 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$768.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

NA note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders

Stock of quasi money

NA (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

4.6% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.ie

Internet hosts

1.242 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

22 (2000)

Internet users

1.708 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

2.55 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: country code - 353; landing point for the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, and UK; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

2.112 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.94 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

4 (many repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

1.82 million (2001)

Airports

34 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 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 under 914 m: 5 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 16 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 29 by type: cargo 25, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 2 (US 2) registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 3, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 10, Slovakia 1, UK 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 1,855 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Cork, Dublin, Shannon Foynes

Railways

total: 3,237 km broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 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) (2006)

Roadways

total: 96,602 km paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003)

Waterways

956 km (pleasure craft only) (2007)

Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann)

Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps (Aer-Chor na h-Eireann)) (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,024,635 females age 16-49: 1,024,276 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 854,982 females age 16-49: 852,592 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 28,610 female: 27,095 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17-25 years of age for male or female voluntary military service (17-27 years of age for the Naval Service); enlistees 16 years of age can be recruited for apprentice specialist positions; maximum obligation 12 years; 17-35 years of age for the Reserve Defense Forces; EU citizenship or 5-year residence in Ireland required (2008)

Disputes - international

Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008