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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

2.2 million (1991 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

900,000 (1987 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

86 (1987 est.)

Televisions [time series]

1.025 million (1990 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues : $22.6 billion expenditures: $23.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.3 billion (1995)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Irish pound (£Ir) = 100 pence

Debt - external [time series]

$17.5 billion (1995)

Economic aid [time series]

donor: ODA, $81 million (1993)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 26% 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. Since the 1980s, 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.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

3.62 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

4,343 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

17.9 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Irish pounds (£Ir) per US$1 - 0.6123 (January 1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864 (1992)

Exports [time series]

total value: $43.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products partners: EU 70% (UK 26%, Germany 14%, France 9%), US 6%

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $59.9 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 8.9% industry: 38.6% services: 52.5% (1994)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $16,800 (1996 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

7% (1996 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $32.7 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities : food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing partners: EU 58% (UK 37%, Germany 7%, France 4%), US 17%

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

8.9% (1995 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

1.8% (1996 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 1.474 million (1996 est.) by occupation: services 62.3%, manufacturing and construction 26.0%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10.6%, utilities 1.1% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

11.9% (April 1996)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water : 1,390 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly larger than West Virginia

Climate [time series]

temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time

Coastline [time series]

1,448 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic coordinates [time series]

53 00 N, 8 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 68% forests and woodland : 5% other: 14% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf : not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

zinc, lead, natural gas, petroleum, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver

Terrain [time series]

mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 6688777

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER (will return to Dublin in July) chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

Executive branch [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[353] (1) 6689946

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

6 December 1921 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president on the advice of the government (prime minister and cabinet)

Legal system [time series]

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 [time series]

bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats, 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote and proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held NA February 1992 (next to be held NA February 1997); House of Representatives - last held 25 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1997) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats 2, Democratic Left 1, independents 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - 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 by party - Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats 10, Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Dublin

National holiday [time series]

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Current issues [time series]

The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below, unless otherwise noted. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives, and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement between them. 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.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$618 million (1994)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.3% (1994)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 959,807 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males : 778,234 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

17 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males : 36,560 (1997 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 23% (male 415,747; female 393,181) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,203,792; female 1,185,935) 65 years and over: 11% (male 173,566; female 234,731) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

13.43 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Celtic, English

Infant mortality rate [time series]

6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.98 years male: 73.24 years female: 78.89 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

3,606,952 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.33% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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 total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.83 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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)

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; transshipment point for heroin and cocaine ISRAEL (also see separate Gaza Strip and West Bank entries)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

40 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 37 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 29 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 92,430 km paved : 86,884 km (including 70 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,546 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total : 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 130,029 GRT/148,516 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 27, chemical tanker 2, container 5, oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3 (1996 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

natural gas 225 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

total: 1,947 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1996)

Waterways [time series]

limited for commercial traffic