Ireland Location : Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Capital City : Dublin
Curreny : euro (EUR); Irish pound (IEP) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Languages Spoken : English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Climate : temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
National Holiday : Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Background Information
A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for the 26 southern counties; the six northern counties (Ulster) remained part of Great Britain. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is currently being implemented.
Geographical Note
strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin
Economy
Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 9% in 1995-2001. 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. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations. The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001, particularly in the high-tech export sector; the growth rate was cut by nearly half. Growth in 2002 is expected to fall in the 3%-5% range.
Religions
Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)
Ports : Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford
International Disputes - Risks to travellers
: disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM
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