Ireland Political Map

Political Map: Defined
Political Maps are designed to show governmental boundaries of countries, states, and counties. This type of map is generally vivid in color to help identify boundaries more easily. When viewing a Physical Map, the locations of major cities as well as many minor cities are found. Also included on Physical Maps are significant bodies of water such as lakes, reservoirs and rivers.

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Introduction    Ireland Top of Page 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 to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.    Geography    Ireland 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 Map references: Area: total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km Coastline: 1,448 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm 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: natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite Land use: arable land: 16.82% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 83.15% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Total renewable water resources: 46.8 cu km (2003) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Total: 1.18 cu km/yr (23%/77%/0%) Per capita: 284 cu m/yr (1994) Natural hazards: NA 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 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    People    Ireland 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.) Median age: total: 34.3 years male: 33.5 years female: 35.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.143% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 14.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.79 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 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.) 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.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.9 years male: 75.27 years female: 80.7 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,800 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish Ethnic groups: Celtic, English Religions: Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census) Languages: English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) This page was last updated on 24 January, 2008 - The Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook -