Ireland

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Ireland's Information


Capital	Dublin
Languages	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)
Ethnic Groups	Irish 84.5%, other white 9.8%, Asian 1.9%, black 1.4%, mixed and other 0.9%, unspecified 1.6% (2011 est.)
Religion	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.)
Government	Parliamentary republic
Independance	6 December 1921 (from the UK by treaty)
Area	70,273.00 km²
Water Area	1,390.00 km²
Land Area	68,883.00 km²
Population	4,952,473.00 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
Location	Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
No. Bordering Countries	1
Bordering Countries	UK 443 km
GDP(PPP)	$322,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$69,400.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are the United States, the United Kingdom, and Belgium.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are machinery and equipment, computers, and chemicals.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are the United Kingdom, the United States, and France.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, and chemicals.
Climate	Temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain	Mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Where is Ireland?

Located in Western Europe, Ireland has a 443.00 km border with UK. It has a 1,448.00 km coastline. Ireland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom dispute Denmark's claik that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm.

Dublin is the capital city of the Republic of Ireland while Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. The word Dublin is derived from an Irish term, which translates to “black pools." It officially became a city in 988 A.D. Throughout the ages, several cities have been considered the capital of Ireland including Ferns, Kilkinney and Cork, but Dublin has been the capital for the longest time. Dublin is Ireland’s cultural hub. In 2010, it was made a UNESCO city of literature.

Geography

Ireland has a mean elevation of 118 m above sea level.

It has a temperate maritime climate that is moderated by the North Atlantic Current. Its terrain is mostly flat with a rolling interior plain surrounding by rugged hills.

Population

Ireland has a population of 4,952,473 making it the 121st largest in the world. The majority of the population resides on the eastern side of the island.

English and Irish are official languages. The majority ethnic group reported is Irish. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic.

Ireland has two official languages: English and Irish. Thought Irish was once widely spoken, today it mostly serves as a second language. Around 99% of the population of Ireland speaks English. Some minority languages include Mandarin, Japanese, French, German, and Scots.

Government

Ireland is an independent country. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1921. Its constitution was last ratified in 1937.

The Government of Ireland is a Parliamentary Republic. Any citizen above the age of 18 years is eligible to vote in a National Election and Referendum. The Election system is based on the Single Transferable Vote. Ireland has four main political parties: Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Greens and Sinn Fein. Fianna Fail has reigned in Government over the last 13 years. These parties are demarcated along the lines of what side they took in a civil war in the early 1920s. The President serves for a maximum of two terms, each term being seven years whereas the Prime Minister has no term limit.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Ireland's GDP is $322,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $69,400.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 52nd largest economy and its citizens the 11th richest in the world. The currency of Ireland is the Euro (EUR).

Its major export partners are the United States, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. Its main exports are machinery and equipment, computers, and chemicals. Its major import partners are the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. Its major imports include data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, and chemicals.

Flag

The Flag of Ireland, also known as the Irish Tricolor, has been used since 1916 when it was first raised on Easter Monday from the top of the GPO in Dublin. It, however, was adopted in 1921. The flag was a gift presented by a small group of women from France to Thomas Francis Meagher. It was to unite the Roman Catholics and Protestants who were in deep conflict. Thomas had the desire that the two parties would join forces for the independence of Ireland. The flag is a symbol of unity with the green representing the Roman Catholics while the orange represented the Protestants. The orange was included in the flag for inclusivity of the Irish Protestants in the Irish Independence movement who were a minority. The white at the center represents a hope for peace between the two cultures. Even though the Irish Tricolor was much celebrated in 1848, it was rarely used until 1916.