Ireland Travel - Facts on Ireland

History		Top of Page
	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 is being implemented with some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed and began working to implement the St. Andrew's Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.
Geography		Top of Page
Location	Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Geographic Coordinates	53 00 N, 8 00 W
Area	Total: 70,280 sq km Water: 1,390 sq km Land: 68,890 sq km
Area - Comparative	Slightly larger than West Virginia
Land Boundaries	Total: 360 km Border countries: UK 360 km
Coastline	1,448 km
Climate	Temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain	Mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Elevation Extremes	Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m Highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
Natural Resources	Zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
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
Natural hazards	Winter storms and winds
People		Top of Page
Population	4,109,086 (July 2007 est.)
Age Structure	0-14 years: 20.8% (male 442,664/female 413,556) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,387,803/female 1,385,355) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 212,782/female 266,926) (2007 est.)
Nationality	Noun: Irishman (men), Irishwoman (women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish
Ethnic Groups	Celtic, English
Religions	Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)
Language	English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99%

Government		Top of Page
Country Name	Conventional long form: none Conventional short form: Ireland
Government Type	Republic
Capital	Dublin
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
Independence	6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)
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		Top of Page
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 price and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.
Currency	Euro
Currency Code	EUR
Communications		Top of Page
Telephone System	General assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
Internet Country Code	.ie
Transportation		Top of Page
Railways	Total: 3,312 km 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) (2005)
Highways	total: 96,602 km paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003)
Waterways	753 km (pleasure craft only)(2005)
Ports and Terminals	Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford
Ireland:	Tourism Information Best Places to Visit Other Countries Top of Page

		Ireland
		Tourism Information Best Places to Visit Other Countries
	Ireland Travel Guide: Facts on Ireland
History Geography People Economy Communications Transportation
Map of Ireland and its major cities

Ireland Travel Guide:

Facts on Ireland