Ireland

republicIndependence 6 December 1921 (from UK)

Ireland as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 82 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
Area70,280 sq km
LocationWestern Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of
1995

Every edition of Ireland

Populationas each edition published it
3.55 million July 1995 est. · 3.5m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.33% 1995 est. · 0.26% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 33.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
75.99 years 1995 est. · 75.38 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.95 children per woman 1995 est. · 2.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
7.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 6 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$14,060 1994 est. · $12,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5.5% 1994 est. · 2% in 1993

Geography

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of | Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

14 fields

Land useshare of 70,280 sq km

arable land 14%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 71%forest and woodland 5%other 10%
Area
70,280sq km
land area: 68,890 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia
Coastline
1,448km
continental shelf: not specifiedexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
360km
total · UK 360 km

Location

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

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

Environment

current issues:
water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
  • party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling;
  • signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Note

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

People

15 fields
Population
3,550,448
(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 0.33% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth
14.04Death
8.48Net migration
-2.22

Religions(1981)

Roman Catholic 93%Anglican 3%none 1%unknown 2%other 1% (1981)
Labor force
1.37million
by occupation: services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 28%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 13.5%, energy and mining 1.5% (1992)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1981 est.)total population: 98%

Age structure

0-14 years:
24% (female 415,640; male 440,468)
15-64 years:
64% (female 1,125,638; male 1,155,823)
65 years and over:
12% (female 237,098; male 175,781) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
75.99 years
male:
73.15 years
female:
79 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.95 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

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

Government

Republic; President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990); Prime Minister John BRUTON (since 15 December 1994)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

52.8%
Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%Brian LENIHAN 47.2%

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 10 Democratic Left 4Greens 1independents 5

Names

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 plebescite

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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 John BRUTON (since 15 December 1994)
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 NA February 1992 (next to be held NA 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 November 1997);
  • 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, Bertie AHERN;
  • Labor Party, Richard SPRING;
  • Fine Gael, John BRUTON;
  • Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN;
  • Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS;
  • Progressive Democrats, Desmond O'MALLEY;
  • The Workers' Party, Marion DONNELLY;
  • Green Alliance, Bronwen MAHER

note: Prime Minister BRUTON heads a three-party coalition consisting of the Fine Gael, the Labor Party, and the Democratic Left

Member of

Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER
chancery:
2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 462-3939
consulate(s) general:
Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation

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.

19 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$14,060
(1994 est.)
Real growth rate
5.5%
(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 8.5% (1994 est.); accounts for 37% of GDP
Unemployment rate
16%
(1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$16 billionExpenditures
$16.6 billion (1994)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 3,930,000 kW

Electricity production
14.9 billionElectricity consumption per capita
3,938 (1993)

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. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment.

Ireland has substantially reduced its external debt since 1987, to 40% of GDP in 1994. 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 parity - $49.8 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$28 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:
chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products
partners:
EU 75% (UK 32%, Germany 13%, France 10%), US 9%

Imports

$26 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities:
food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing
partners:
EU 66% (UK 41%, Germany 8%, France 4%), US 15%

External debt

$20 billion (1994 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 10% of GDP;
  • 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

Economic aid

donor: ODA commitments (1980-89), $90 million

Currency

1 Irish pound (#Ir) = 100 pence

Exchange rates

Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6420 (January 1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864 (1992), 0.6190 (1991), 0.6030 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 44 in all

1
over 3,047 m
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
4
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
914 to 1,523 m
4
32
under 914 m
PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways
92,327Railroads
1,947
Highways: paved: 86,787 km (32 km of expressways) · unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 5,540 km (1992) · Railroads: broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (36 km electrified; 485 km double track)

Railroads

total:
1,947 km
broad gauge:
1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (36 km electrified; 485 km double track)

Highways

total:
92,327 km
paved:
86,787 km (32 km of expressways)
unpaved:
gravel, crushed stone 5,540 km (1992)

Inland waterways

limited for commercial traffic

Pipelines

natural gas 225 km

Ports

Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford

Merchant marine

total:
47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 129,996 GRT/160,419 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 4, cargo 33, chemical tanker 2, container 2, oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

900,000 telephones; modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay

local:
NA
intercity:
microwave radio relay
international:
1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio

broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0
radios:
NA

Television

broadcast stations:
86
televisions:
NA

Defense Forces

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

3 fields

Branches

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

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 926,831;
  • males fit for military service 749,646;
  • males reach military age (17) annually 34,215 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $500 million, 1.3% of GDP (1994) ISRAEL (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. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace.

Central Intelligence Agency. “Ireland.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ireland/1995.

How to cite ← 1994 edition 1996 edition →