Ireland

Internet country code

.ie

Internet hosts

429,487 (2007)

Internet users

1.437 million (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

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

2.097 million (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.69 million (2006)

Television broadcast stations

4 (many repeaters) (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $80.78 billion expenditures: $74.51 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

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

Current account balance

$-9.136 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$1.392 trillion (30 June 2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

34.3 (2000)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $607 million (2004)

Economy - overview

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 6% in 1995-2006. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% 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 40% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg. 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.

Electricity - consumption

24.09 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

1 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

2.045 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

24.13 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Exports

$104.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 18.6%, UK 17.7%, Belgium 14.9%, Germany 7.7%, France 5.8%, Italy 4.2% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$203.8 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$180.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$44,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.7% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$72.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

UK 37.5%, US 11.5%, Germany 9.6%, Netherlands 4.6% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2006 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

26.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force

2.132 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$114.1 billion (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

3.895 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports

3.348 billion cu m (2005)

Natural gas - production

546.7 million cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

9.505 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

182,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

23,360 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports

204,400 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

10% (1997 est.)

Public debt

24.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$831.9 million (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$125.2 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$179 billion (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.3% (2006 est.)

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

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

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

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 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

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 (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 and the Progressive Democrats

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

AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, 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), 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 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held by July 2007); 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 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive Democrats 4, independents and other 6; 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 [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT, acting leader]; Labor Party [Pat RABBITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Michael McDOWELL]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 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. Andrews Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.

Manpower available for military service

males age 17-49: 977,092 females age 17-49: 978,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 17-49: 814,768 females age 17-49: 813,981 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 29,327 females age 17-49: 28,139 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps) (2006)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.9% (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

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.)

Birth rate

14.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

7.79 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

Celtic, English

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,800 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 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: 77.9 years male: 75.27 years female: 80.7 years (2007 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 34.3 years male: 33.5 years female: 35.1 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

4,109,086 (July 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

1.143% (2007 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.002 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.797 male(s)/female total population: 0.989 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.86 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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

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: 27 ships (1000 GRT or over) 116,091 GRT/161,808 DWT by type: cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Spain 1, US 2) registered in other countries: 18 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Isle of Man 1, Netherlands 9, Panama 1, UK 1, unknown 1) (2007)

Pipelines

gas 1,728 km (2006)

Ports and terminals

Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford

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)