Ireland

republicIndependence 6 December 1921 (from UK)

Ireland as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 122 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDublin
LocationWestern Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean, across the Irish Sea from
1994

Every edition of Ireland

Populationas each edition published it
3.54 million July 1994 est. · 3.5m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.3% 1994 est. · 0.26% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 33.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 75.38 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.99 children per woman 1994 est. · 2.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
7.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$13,100 1993 · $12,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.7% 1993 · 2% in 1993

Geography

Western Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean, across the Irish Sea from | Great Britain

24 fields
Coastline
1,448km
Land boundaries
360km
total · UK 360 km

Location

Western Europe, in the North Atlantic Ocean, across the Irish Sea from Great Britain

Map references

Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

70,280 sq km

land area

68,890 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than West Virginia

continental shelf

not specified

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

International disputes

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, petroleum, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver

arable land

14%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

71%

forest and woodland

5%

other

10%

current issues

water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

  • party to - Air Pollution, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling;
  • signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Note

strategic location on major air and sea routes between North American and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 60 miles of Dublin

People

21 fields
Population
3,539,296
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 0.3% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
14.21Death
8.59Net migration
-2.67

Religions(1981)

Roman Catholic 93%Anglican 3%none 1%unknown 2%other 1% (1981)
Labor force
1.37million
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1981 est.)

Infant mortality rate

7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

75.68 years

male

72.85 years

female

78.68 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.99 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural)

adjective

Irish

Ethnic divisions

Celtic, English

Languages

Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard, English is the language generally used

total population

98%

male

NA%

female

NA%

by occupation

services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 28%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 13.5%, energy and mining 1.5% (1992)

Government

Republic

31 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

39.1%
Fianna Fail 39.1%Fine Gael 24.5%Labor Party 19.3%Progressive Democrats 4.7%Democratic Left 2.8%Sinn Fein 1.6%Workers' Party 0.7%independents 5.9%

Legislature, 60 seatsone dot, one seat

(60 total, 49 elected) Fianna Fail 26Fine Gael 16Labor 9Progressive Democrats 2Democratic Left 1independents 6

Legislature, 166 seatsone dot, one seat

Fianna Fail 68Fine Gael 45Labor Party 33Progressive Democrats 10Democratic Left 4Greens 1independents 5

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Ireland

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

Independence

6 December 1921 (from UK)

National holiday

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution

29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebecite

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

  • President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990);
  • election last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held November 1997);
  • results - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%

head of government

Prime Minister Albert REYNOLDS (since 11 February 1992)

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by president with previous nomination of the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Oireachtas)

Senate (Seanad Eireann)

  • elections last held on NA February 1992 (next to be held February 1997);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (60 total, 49 elected) Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats 2, Democratic Left 1, independents 6

House of Representatives (Dail Eireann)

  • elections last held on 25 November 1992 (next to be held by June 1995);
  • results - Fianna Fail 39.1%, Fine Gael 24.5%, Labor Party 19.3%, Progressive Democrats 4.7%, Democratic Left 2.8%, Sinn Fein 1.6%, Workers' Party 0.7%, independents 5.9%;
  • seats - (166 total) Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats 10, Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

  • Democratic Left, Proinsias DE ROSSA;
  • Fianna Fail, Albert REYNOLDS;
  • Labor Party, Richard SPRING;
  • Fine Gael, John BRUTON;
  • Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN;
  • Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS;
  • Progressive Democrats, Desmond O'MALLEY

note

Prime Minister REYNOLDS heads a coalition consisting of the Fianna Fail and the Labor Party

Member of

Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, COCOM (cooperating), 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, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNPROFRO, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC

chief of mission

Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER

chancery

2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 462-3939

consulate(s) general

Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

chief of mission

Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH

embassy

42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[353] (1) 6687122

FAX

[353] (1) 6689946

Flag

  • three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange;
  • similar to the flag of the 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

The economy is small and trade dependent.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$13,100
(1993)
Real growth rate
2.7%
(1993)industrial production growth: growth rate 11.5% (1992); accounts for 37% of GDP
Unemployment rate
16%
(1994 est.)

Overview

The economy is small and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 37% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Since 1987, real GDP growth, led by exports, has averaged 4% annually. Over the same period, inflation has fallen sharply and chronic trade deficits have been transformed into annual surpluses.

Unemployment remains a serious problem, however, and job creation is the main focus of government policy. To ease unemployment, Dublin aggressively courts foreign investors and recently created a new industrial development agency to aid small indigenous firms. Government assistance is constrained by Dublin's continuing deficit reduction measures.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $46.3 billion (1993)

revenues

$16 billion

expenditures

$16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$28.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities

chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products

partners

EC 75% (UK 32%, Germany 13%, France 10%), US 9%

Imports

$23.3 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

commodities

food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing

partners

EC 66% (UK 41%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 4%), US 15%

External debt

$17.6 billion (1992)

capacity

5,000,000 kW

production

14.5 billion kWh

consumption per capita

4,120 kWh (1992)

Industries

food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal

Agriculture

  • accounts for 8% of GDP and 13% 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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands

donor

ODA commitments (1980-89), $90 million

Currency

1 Irish pound (#Ir) = 100 pence

Exchange rates

Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6978 (January 1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864 (1992), 0.6190 (1991), 0.6030 (1990), 0.7472 (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

15 fields

Railroads

  • Irish National Railways (CIE) operates 1,947 km 1.602-meter gauge, government owned;
  • 485 km double track;
  • 37 km electrified

total

92,294 km

paved

87,422 km

unpaved

gravel, crushed stone 4,872 km

Inland waterways

limited for commercial traffic

Pipelines

natural gas 225 km

Ports

Cork, Dublin, Waterford

Merchant marine

53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 139,278 GRT/173,325 DWT, bulk 4, cargo 32, chemical tanker 2, container 4, oil tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 3

total

44

usable

42

with permanent-surface runways

14

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

2

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

7

Telecommunications

  • 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 | Siochana)

5 fields

Branches

Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 914,052;
  • fit for military service 739,288;
  • reach military age (17) annually 33,809 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $500 million, 1.3% of GDP (1993)

Affiliation

(also see separate Gaza Strip and West Bank entries)

Note

The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives, Syria, and Jordan to determine the final status of the occupied territories. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace treaty.

Central Intelligence Agency. “Ireland.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ireland/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →