Ireland
republicIndependence 6 December 1921 (from UK)
Ireland as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
12 fieldsDisputes
Northern Ireland question with the UK; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
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
Natural resources
zinc, lead, natural gas, crude oil, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
Land use
- arable land 14%;
- permanent crops NEGL%;
- meadows and pastures 71%;
- forest and woodland 5%;
- other 10%
People
14 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1992)
Religions(1981)
Languages
Irish (Gaelic) and English; English is the language generally used, with Gaelic spoken in a few areas, mostly along the western seaboard
Labor force
1,333,000; services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 26.1%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 15.0%, energy and mining 1.9% (1991)
Government
Republic
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
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
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 (Oireachtas) consists of an upper house or Senate (Seanad Eireann) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Dail Eireann)
Leaders
- Chief of State:
- President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990)
- Head of Government:
- Prime Minister Albert REYNOLDS (since 11 February 1992)
Political parties and leaders
- Fianna Fail, Albert REYNOLDS;
- Labor Party, Richard SPRING;
- Fine Gael, John BRUTON;
- Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN;
- Workers' Party (vacant);
- Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS;
- Progressive Democrats, Desmond O'MALLEY;
- note - Prime Minister REYNOLDS heads a coalition consisting of the Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats
Elections
- President:
- last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held November 1997); results - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%
- Senate:
- last held on 17 February 1987 (next to be held February 1992);
- results - percent of vote by party NA;
- seats - (60 total, 49 elected) Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 16, Labor 3, independents 11
- House of Representatives:
- last held on 12 July 1989 (next to be held June 1994);
- results - Fianna Fail 44.0%, Fine Gael 29.4%, Labor Party 9.3%, Progressive Democrats 5.4%, Workers' Party 4.9%, Sinn Fein 1.1%, independents 5.9%;
- seats - (166 total) Fianna Fail 77, Fine Gael 55, Labor Party 15, Workers' Party 7, Progressive Democrats 6, independents 6
Member of
AG, BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NEA, NSG, OECD, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UNTSO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC
Diplomatic representation
- Ambassador Dermot GALLAGHER;
- Chancery at 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008;
- telephone (202) 462-3939;
- there are Irish Consulates General in Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
- US:
- Ambassador Richard A. MOORE;
- Embassy at 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin;
- telephone [353] (1) 688777;
- FAX [353] (1) 689-946
Flag
- three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange;
- similar to the flag of the Ivory Coast, 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
The economy is small, open, and trade dependent.
16 fieldsOverview
The economy is small, open, and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 37% of GDP and about 80% of exports and employs 26% of the labor force. The government has successfully reduced the rate of inflation from double-digit figures in the late 1970s to 3.8% in 1991.
In 1987, after years of deficits, the balance of payments was brought into the black. Unemployment, however, remains a serious problem. A 1991 unemployment rate of 20.4% placed Ireland along with Spain as the countries with the worst jobless records in Western Europe.
GDP
purchasing power equivalent - $39.2 billion, per capita $11,200; real growth rate 1.3% (1991 est.)
Exports
$27.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
- commodities:
- chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products
- partners:
- EC 74% (UK 34%, Germany 11%, France 10%), US 8%
Imports
$24.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
- commodities:
- food, animal feed, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing
- partners:
- EC 66% (UK 41%, Germany 9%, France 4%), US 14%
Industries
food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal
Agriculture
- accounts for 11% of GDP and 15% of the labor force;
- principal crops - turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat;
- livestock - meat and dairy products;
- 85% self-sufficient in food;
- food shortages include bread grain, fruits, vegetables
Exchange rates
Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6227 (March 1992), 0.6190 (1991), 0.6030 (1990), 0.7472 (1989), 0.6553 (1988), 0.6720 (1987)
Communications
9 fieldsMerchant marine, 55 ships by typeone square, one ship
Railroads
- Irish National Railways (CIE) operates 1,947 km 1.602-meter gauge, government owned;
- 485 km double track;
- 38 km electrified
Telecommunications
- small, modern system using cable and digital microwave circuits;
- 900,000 telephones;
- broadcast stations - 9 AM, 45 FM, 86 TV;
- 2 coaxial submarine cables;
- 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (GARDA)
4 fieldsManpower availability
- males 15-49, 894,421;
- 724,262 fit for military service;
- 34,182 reach military age (17) annually
Note
The Arab territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below. As stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by President Bush's post-Gulf crisis peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties.
The Camp David Accords further specify that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined (see West Bank and Gaza Strip entries). On 25 April 1982 Israel relinquished control of the Sinai to Egypt. Statistics for the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights are included in the Syria entry.
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Ireland.” The World Factbook 1992. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ireland/1992.