Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 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. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century saw the population of the island drop by one third through starvation and emigration. For more than a century after that the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU. The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. Unresolved issues in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the "Troubles" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker what is known as The Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals.
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
53 00 N, 8 00 W
Europe
total: 70,273 sq km
land: 68,883 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
slightly larger than West Virginia
total: 443 km
border countries (1): UK 443 km
1,448 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
mean elevation: 118 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
agricultural land: 66.1%
arable land 15.4%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 50.7%
forest: 10.9%
other: 23% (2011 est.)
0 sq km (2012)
NA
water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
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
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
4,952,473 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish
Irish 84.5%, other white 9.8%, Asian 1.9%, black 1.4%, mixed and other 0.9%, unspecified 1.6% (2011 est.)
English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 38.7% of the population as a first or second language in 2011; mainly spoken in areas along the western coast)
Roman Catholic 84.7%, Church of Ireland 2.7%, other Christian 2.7%, Muslim 1.1%, other 1.7%, unspecified 1.5%, none 5.7% (2011 est.)
0-14 years: 21.51% (male 544,506/female 520,934)
15-24 years: 11.8% (male 297,025/female 287,512)
25-54 years: 43.52% (male 1,082,577/female 1,072,721)
55-64 years: 10.33% (male 256,353/female 255,155)
65 years and over: 12.84% (male 293,577/female 342,113) (2016 est.)
total dependency ratio: 53.7%
youth dependency ratio: 33.5%
elderly dependency ratio: 20.2%
potential support ratio: 5% (2015 est.)
total: 36.4 years
male: 36.1 years
female: 36.8 years (2016 est.)
1.2% (2016 est.)
14.5 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
7.8% of GDP (2014)
population distribution is weighted to the eastern side of the island, with the largest agglomeration being in and around Dublin; populations in the west are small due to mountainous land, poorer soil, lack of good transport routes, and fewer job opportunities
urban population: 63.2% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 1.58% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
DUBLIN (capital) 1.169 million (2015)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 80.8 years
male: 78.5 years
female: 83.2 years (2016 est.)
1.98 children born/woman (2016 est.)
64.8%
note: percent of women aged 18-49 (2004/05)
2.67 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)
improved:
urban: 97.9% of population
rural: 97.8% of population
total: 97.9% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.1% of population
rural: 2.2% of population
total: 2.1% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 89.1% of population
rural: 92.9% of population
total: 90.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 10.9% of population
rural: 7.1% of population
total: 9.5% of population (2015 est.)
0.28% (2014 est.)
8,000 (2014 est.)
100 (2014 est.)
27% (2014)
5.3% of GDP (2013)
total: 19 years
male: 19 years
female: 19 years (2012)
29.9 (2012 est.)
total: 23.9%
male: 26.6%
female: 20.9% (2014 est.)
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ireland
local long form: none
local short form: Eire
etymology: the modern Irish name "Eire" evolved from the Gaelic "Eriu," the name of the matron goddess of Ireland (goddess of the land); the names "Ireland" in English and "Eire" in Irish are direct translations of each other
parliamentary republic
name: Dublin
geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
28 counties and 3 cities*; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Cork*, Donegal, Dublin*, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Galway*, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo , Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
6 December 1921 (from the UK by treaty)
Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
history: previous 1922; latest drafted 14 June 1937, adopted by plebiscite 1 July 1937, effective 29 December 1937
amendments: proposed as bills in Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both the Senate and House of Representatives, majority vote in a referendum, and presidental signature; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
common law system based on the English model but substantially modified by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts by Supreme Court
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 4 of the previous 8 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Michael D. HIGGINS (since 11 November 2011)
head of government: Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda KENNY (since 9 March 2011); reelected prime minister on 6 May 2016
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president, approved by the Dali Eireann (lower house of Parliament)
elections/appointments: president directly elected by majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 October 2011 (next to be held in October 2018); taoiseach (prime minister) nominated by the House of Representatives (Dail Eireann), appointed by the president
election results: Michael D. HIGGINS elected president; percent of vote - Michael D. HIGGINS (Labor Party) 39.6%, Sean GALLAGHER (independent) 28.5%, Martin MCGUINNESS (Sinn Fein) 13.7%, Gay MITCHELL (Fine Gael) 6.4%, David NORRIS (independent) 6.2%, other 5.6%
description: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 43 members indirectly elected by panels of various vocational interests, 11 appointed by the prime minister, and 6 elected by graduates of the University of Dublin and the National University of Ireland; members serve 5-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (158 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held in April and May 2016 (next to be held no later than 2021); House of Representatives - last held on 26 February 2016 (next to be held no later than 2021)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fine Gael 19, Fianna Fail 14, Sinn Fein 7, Labor Party 5, Sinn Fein 3, Green Party 1, independent 14; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fine Gael 25.5%, Fianna Fail 24.4%, Sinn Fein 13.8%, Labor Party 6.6%, AAA-PBD 4.0%, Social Democrats 3.0%, Green Party 2.7%, Renua Ireland 2.2% independents 17.8%; seats by party - Fine Gael 50, Fianna Fail 44, Sinn Fein 23, Labor Party 7, AAA-PBP 6, Social Democrats 3, Green Party 2, independent 23
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Ireland (consists of the chief justice, 9 judges, 2 ex-officio members - the presidents of the High Court and Court of Appeal - and organized in 3-, 5-, or 7-judge panels, depending on the importance or complexity of an issue of law)
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the prime minister and Cabinet and appointed by the president; chief justice serves in the position for 7 years; judges can serve until age 70
subordinate courts: High Court, Court of Appeal; circuit and district courts; criminal courts
Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit or AAA-PBP [collective leadership]
Fianna Fail [Micheal MARTIN]
Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]
Green Party [Eamon RYAN]
Labor (Labour) Party [Brendan HOWLIN]
Renua Ireland [John LEAHY]
Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]
Social Democratic Party [Stephen DONNELLY, Catherine MURPHY, Roisin SHORTALL]
Socialist Party [collective leadership]
The Workers' Party [Michael DONNELLY]
Continuity IRA (terrorist group)
Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian MCCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence)
Iona Institute [David QUINN] (a conservative Catholic think tank)
Irish Anti-War Movement [Richard BOYD BARRETT] (campaigns against wars around the world)
Keep Ireland Open (environmental group)
Oglaigh na hEireann (terrorist group)
Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation promoters)
New Irish Republican Army (terrorist group combining elements of the former Real IRA and Republican Action Against Drugs)
Peace and Neutrality Alliance [Roger COLE] (campaigns to protect Irish neutrality)
Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 - transportation promoters)
32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM (supports unifying Northern Ireland with the rest of the island under Irish government sovereignty)
ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
chief of mission: Ambassador Anne Colette ANDERSON (since 28 August 2013)
chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin (TX), Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco
chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin F. O'MALLEY (since 8 October 2014)
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; officially the flag colors have no meaning, but a common interpretation is that the green represents the Irish nationalist (Gaelic) tradition of Ireland; orange represents the Orange tradition (minority supporters of William of Orange); white symbolizes peace (or a lasting truce) between the green and the orange
note: 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
harp, shamrock (trefoil); national colors: blue, green
name: "Amhran na bhFiann" (The Soldier's Song)
lyrics/music: Peadar KEARNEY [English], Liam O RINN [Irish]/Patrick HEENEY and Peadar KEARNEY
note: adopted 1926; instead of "Amhran na bhFiann," the song "Ireland's Call" is often used at athletic events where citizens of Ireland and Northern Ireland compete as a unified team
Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy. Ireland was among the initial group of 12 EU nations that began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002.
GDP growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply during the world financial crisis and the subsequent collapse of its domestic property market and construction industry. Faced with sharply reduced revenues and a burgeoning budget
In late 2013, Ireland formally exited its EU-IMF bailout program, benefiting from its strict adherence to deficit-reduction targets and success in refinancing a large amount of banking-related debt. In 2014, the economy rapidly picked up and GDP grew by 5
In the wake of the collapse of the construction sector and the downturn in consumer spending and business investment, the export sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, has become an even more important component of Ireland's economy. Ireland’s low c
$324.3 billion (2016 est.)
$309 billion (2015 est.)
$244.7 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
$307.9 billion (2015 est.)
4.9% (2016 est.)
26.3% (2015 est.)
8.5% (2014 est.)
$69,400 (2016 est.)
$66,700 (2015 est.)
$53,100 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
31.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
31.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
23.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
household consumption: 36.7%
government consumption: 10.8%
investment in fixed capital: 20.4%
investment in inventories: 0.6%
exports of goods and services: 124.1%
imports of goods and services: -92.6% (2016 est.)
agriculture: 1%
industry: 41.3%
services: 57.6% (2016 est.)
barley, potatoes, wheat; beef, dairy products
pharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer hardware and software, food products, beverages and brewing; medical devices
1.2% (2016 est.)
2.181 million (2016 est.)
agriculture: 5%
industry: 11%
services: 84% (2015 est.)
8% (2016 est.)
9.5% (2015 est.)
8.2% (2013 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 27.2% (2000)
31.3 (2013 est.)
35.9 (1987 est.)
revenues: $78.47 billion
expenditures: $80.86 billion (2016 est.)
25.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
-0.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
77.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
78.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as int
calendar year
0.2% (2016 est.)
0% (2015 est.)
0.05% (31 December 2015)
0.15% (31 August 2014)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
3.3% (31 December 2016 est.)
3.36% (31 December 2015 est.)
$144.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$146.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of
$255.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$267.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$285.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$305 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$128 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$143.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$170.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$29.11 billion (2016 est.)
$29.02 billion (2015 est.)
$160.1 billion (2016 est.)
$160.9 billion (2015 est.)
machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, medical devices, pharmaceuticals; foodstuffs, animal products
US 23.7%, UK 13.8%, Belgium 13.2%, Germany 6.6%, Switzerland 5.5%, Netherlands 4.4%, France 4.4% (2015)
$88.01 billion (2016 est.)
$87.79 billion (2015 est.)
data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
UK 32.5%, US 14%, France 10.2%, Germany 9.3%, Netherlands 4.9%, China 4.1% (2015)
$2.203 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.748 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$2.47 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
$2.35 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)
$1.057 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
$963.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.435 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.321 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.9214 (2016 est.)
0.885 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
0.78 (2012 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
25 billion kWh (2014 est.)
25 billion kWh (2014 est.)
700 million kWh (2014 est.)
2.9 billion kWh (2014 est.)
9.1 million kW (2014 est.)
72.3% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
2.7% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
25% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
74,690 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl (1 January 2016 es)
68,050 bbl/day (2015 est.)
147,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
34,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
115,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
152 million cu m (2014 est.)
4.387 billion cu m (2014 est.)
0 cu m (2014 est.)
4.246 billion cu m (2014 est.)
9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es)
34 million Mt (2013 est.)
total subscriptions: 1,932,059
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (July 2015 est.)
total: 4.902 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (July 2015 est.)
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: system privatized but dominated by former state monopoly operator; increasing levels of broadband access particularly in urban areas
international: country code - 353; landing point for the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, and UK; satellite earth stations - 81 (2014)
publicly owned broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) operates 2 TV stations; commercial TV stations are available; about 75% of households utilize multi-channel satellite and TV services that provide access to a wide range of stations; RTE operates 4 na (2014)
.ie
total: 3.92 million
percent of population: 80.1% (July 2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 6
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 431
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 113,144,501
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 138.58 million mt-km (2015)
EI (2016)
40 (2013)
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 5 (2013)
total: 24
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 21 (2013)
gas 2,147 km (2013)
total: 3,237 km
broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (49 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2014)
total: 96,036 km
paved: 96,036 km (includes 1,224 km of expressways) (2014)
956 km (pleasure craft only) (2010)
total: 31
by type: cargo 28, chemical tanker 2, container 1
foreign-owned: 5 (France 2, Spain 1, US 2)
registered in other countries: 33 (Bahamas 3, Bermuda 1, Cambodia 1, Cyprus 3, Isle of Man 1, Kazakhstan 1, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 6, Netherlands 8, Panama 1, Russia 1, Slovakia 1, Sweden 1, UK 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): Dublin, Shannon Foynes
river port(s): Cork (Lee), Waterford (Suir)
container port(s) (TEUs): Dublin (1,931,001)
Irish Defence Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireannn), Permanent Defence Forces (PDF): Army, Naval Service, Air Corps; Reserve Defence Forces (RDF): Army, Naval Service Reserves (2014)
18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service recruits to the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF; 18-27 years of age for the Naval Service); 18-28 for cadetship (officer) applicants; 18-35 years of age for the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF); maximum obligation 12 years (PDF officers), 5 years (PDF enlisted), 3 years RDF (4 years for Naval Service Reserves); EU citizenship, refugee status, or 5-year residence in Ireland required (2014)
0.49% of GDP (2014)
0.51% of GDP (2013)
0.55% of GDP (2012)
0.59% of GDP (2011)
0.55% of GDP (2010)
Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
stateless persons: 99 (2015)
transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern
