Background:
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| 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 gradually being implemented despite 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. |
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Location:
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| Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
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Geographic coordinates:
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53 00 N, 8 00 W
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Map references:
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Area:
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total: 70,273 sq km
country comparison to the world: 126
land:
68,883 sq km
water:
1,390 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than West Virginia
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Land boundaries:
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total: 360 km
border countries:
UK 360 km
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Coastline:
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1,448 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
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Climate:
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temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
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Terrain:
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mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
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Natural resources:
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natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
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Land use:
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arable land: 16.82%
permanent crops:
0.03%
other:
83.15% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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NA
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Total renewable water resources:
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46.8 cu km (2003)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 1.18 cu km/yr (23%/77%/0%)
per capita:
284 cu m/yr (1994)
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Natural hazards:
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NA
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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| 4,203,200 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20.9% (male 454,571/female 424,022)
15-64 years:
67.1% (male 1,411,336/female 1,409,760)
65 years and over:
12% (male 224,850/female 278,661) (2009 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 35 years
male:
34.2 years
female:
35.7 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.12% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
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Birth rate:
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14.23 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
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Death rate:
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7.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
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Net migration rate:
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4.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 61% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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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:
0.81 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 188
male:
5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
4.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 78.24 years
country comparison to the world: 47
male:
75.6 years
female:
81.06 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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5,500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
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Nationality:
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noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective:
Irish
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Ethnic groups:
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Irish 87.4%, other white 7.5%, Asian 1.3%, black 1.1%, mixed 1.1%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 census)
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)
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Languages:
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English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas along the western coast
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
99%
male:
99%
female:
99% (2003 est.)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 18 years
male:
17 years
female:
18 years (2006)
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Education expenditures:
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4.7% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 81
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