Ireland

republicIndependence 6 December 1921 (from UK)

Ireland as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 88 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

Position53 00 N, 8 00 W

Area70,280 sq km

LocationWestern Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of

Populationas each edition published it

3.57 million July 1996 est. · 3.5m in 1990

Population growth% a year

-0.22% 1996 est. · 0.26% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 33.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

75.58 years 1996 est. · 75.38 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.83 children per woman 1996 est. · 2.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

6.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 6 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$15,400 1995 est. · $12,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

7% 1995 est. · 2% in 1993

Geography

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

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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

border country: 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

lowest point:: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:: Carrauntoohill 1,041 m

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

Geographic 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

3,566,833

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: -0.22% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

13.22Death

8.93Net migration

-6.46

Religions(1981)

Roman Catholic 93%Anglican 3%none 1%unknown 2%other 1% (1981)

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1981 est.)total population: 98%male: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 23% (male 424,558; female 402,062)
15-64 years:: 65% (male 1,175,383; female 1,157,960)
65 years and over:: 12% (male 173,150; female 233,720) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.74 male(s)/female
all ages:: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 75.58 years
male:: 72.88 years
female:: 78.46 years (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural)
adjective:: Irish

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) was elected for a seven-year term by popular vote; Prime Minister John BRUTON (since 15 December 1994) was nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president

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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 10Democratic Left 4Greens 1independents 5

Name of country

conventional long form:: none
conventional short form:: Ireland

Data code

Type of government

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 plebiscite

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990) was elected for a seven-year term by popular vote;
election last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1997);
results - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%
head of government:: Prime Minister John BRUTON (since 15 December 1994) was nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president
cabinet:: Cabinet was 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 25 November 1992 (next to be held by NA 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, judges appointed by the president on the advice of the government (prime minister and cabinet)

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, Mary HARNEY;
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

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIH, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, 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) 6688777

FAX

[353] (1) 6689946

Flag

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange;
similar to the flag of 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. | Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by | industry, which accounts for 38% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and | employs 28% of the labor force.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$15,400

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 8.9% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.8%

(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

13.5%

(1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector(1994)

agriculture 6.8%industry 35.3%services 57.9% (1994)

Budget

Revenues

$19.3 billionExpenditures

$20.3 billion (1994)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $3.6 billion

Installed generating capacity, 3,930,000 kW

Electricity production

14.9 billionElectricity consumption per capita

3,938 (1993)

Economic overview

The economy is small and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 38% 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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $54.6 billion (1995 est.)

Labor force

1.37 million; by occupation: services 57.0%, manufacturing and construction 28%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 13.5%, energy and mining 1.5% (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; meat and dairy products

Illicit drugs

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

Exports

$29.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products
partners:: EU 73% (UK 27%, Germany 14%, France 9%), US 9%

Imports

$25.3 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities:: food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing
partners:: EU 58% (UK 36%, Germany 7%, France 4%), US 18%

External debt

$19.5 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $81 million (1993)

Currency

1 Irish pound (LIr) = 100 pence

Exchange rates

Irish pounds (LIr) per US$1 - 0.6315 (January 1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864 (1992), 0.6190 (1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 40 in all

over 3 047 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

92,327Railways

1,944

Highways: paved: 86,787 km (including 32 km of expressways) · unpaved: 5,540 km (1992 est.) · Railways: broad gauge: 1,944 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1995)

Railways

total:: 1,944 km
broad gauge:: 1,944 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1995)

Highways

total:: 92,327 km
paved:: 86,787 km (including 32 km of expressways)
unpaved:: 5,540 km (1992 est.)

total:: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 129,027 GRT/155,371 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 4, cargo 27, chemical tanker 1, container 3, oil tanker 2, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2 (1995 est.)