+353 is the dialing code for Ireland.
After hundreds of years of British supremacy, Ireland became an independent state only in 1949. Mass violence during the 1840s, when potato harvests failed, drove large crowds of Irish to emigrate and poverty characterized Ireland well into modern times. Following the accession of the EC (EU) in 1973, dependence on Britain declined. Extensive EC support and economic liberalization have steadily transformed Ireland from a poor farmer to a welfare state based on high-tech industry. However, Ireland was one of the countries most affected by the 2008 financial crisis. After several hard savings packages, the worst crisis had blown in the middle of the 2010s, but Britain’s decision to leave the EU is expected to have major consequences for Ireland.
- Abbreviationfinder: Brief profiles of Ireland, including geography, history, politics, economics as well as common acronyms about this country.
Geography and climate
The island of Ireland, in Irish Éire, is divided into two political units: the Republic of Ireland, which became an independent state in 1949, and Northern Ireland, a British national part sometimes called something incorrectly Ulster (Ulster also includes part of the Republic).
The Irish Sea separates the island from the UK. The entire island covers 84421 square miles, of which almost 85 percent belongs to Ireland.
- BarbleJewelry: General information about Ireland, covering geography, climate, travel tips and popular sights.
The middle parts of the island consist of a limestone plain framed by mountainous areas. There are plenty of lakes and rivers. The west coast is mountainous and the cracks of fjords and coves, where the Donegal Bay and the Galway Bay are the largest.
New planting has increased the forest land to about a tenth of the area. About 15 percent of the surface area is made up of peat bogs (see Natural Resources and Energy). The proportion has shrunk in recent years, largely due to drought. This is a problem as the peat bogs play an important role in binding carbon dioxide.
The climate is affected by the warm Gulf Stream in the Atlantic. Winters are mild and summers relatively cool. The rainfall is abundant and fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.
Country Facts
Geography
| Cultivated land | 66.1 % |
| Land area | 70273 km 2 |
Population and health
| Population development | 1.25 ‰ |
| Urban population (Urbanization) | 63.2 % |
| Death rate | 6.48 per 1000 residents |
| Life expectancy: Women | 83.11 years |
| Life expectancy: Men | 78.39 years |
| Birth rate | 14.84 births per 1000 residents |
| HDI index | 0.916 |
| Population | 4892305 |
| Infant mortality | 3.7 deaths / 1000 births |
Population Graph Source: Countryaah.com
Energy
| Electricity, production | 25850 million kWh |
| Energy consumption per resident | 2912.2 kg. oil per resident |
| Natural gas, production | 152 million cubic meters |
| Crude oil, production | million tons |
Infrastructure
| Internet users | 81.6 per 100 residents |
| Mobile subscriptions | 101 per 100 residents |
| Passenger cars | 513 per 1000 residents |
Business and economics
| Unemployment | 9.4% of the workforce |
| GDP | 55500 per resident |
| Primary occupations | 5 % |
| Secondary profession | 19 % |
| Tertiary professions | 76 % |
Completely cloudless days belong to the unusual. On the other hand, the rainy weather often passes quickly.
The mild and humid climate is one of the causes of the intense greenery. A plant like rhododendron thrives so well that it grows wild in tall shrubbery in the southern part of the island.
FACTS – GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Surface
70 283 km2 (2018)
Time
Swedish – 1 hour
Adjacent country (s)
UK
Capital with number of residents
Dublin 1,400,000
Other major cities
Cork 126,000, Galway 80,000, Limerick 58,000, Waterford 48,000 (Census 2016)
Highest mountain
Carrantuohill (1040 m asl)
Important rivers
Shannon
Average Precipitation / month
Dublin 79 mm (dec), 47 mm (april)
Average / day
Dublin 4.5 °C (Jan), 15 °C (July)
2015
October
Free medical care for children under twelve
The budget for the coming year includes both some tax cuts and some investments in, among other things, healthcare (everyone under the age of twelve should receive free medical care), the child allowance is increased from EUR 104.5 to EUR 140, the pensions by EUR 3 a week and 3 EUR million will be spent on recreational activities after school.
September
Ireland will receive 4,000 refugees
In connection with the refugee disaster around the Mediterranean, Ireland agrees to accept 4,000 asylum seekers. Ireland should concentrate primarily on helping women and children.
July
Former bank executives are sentenced to prison
Three previously high-ranking executives for Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent are sentenced to between 2 and 3.5 years in prison for fraud in connection with the banking crisis of 2008. The two who worked for Anglo Irish Bank are convicted of having executed transactions for the equivalent of over 7 billion in order to hide the major problems the bank had.
May
Ireland votes yes for same-sex marriage
62 percent of voters in a referendum vote yes to make same-sex marriage a constitutionally protected right. The previously so influential Catholic church maintains a relatively low profile during the election campaign, while smaller, conservative Catholic groups run an intensive no-campaign. Many young Irish people are actively participating in the Yes campaign. The newspapers write that many Irish working abroad go home to vote. Labor that has made same-sex marriage a profile issue plays an active role on the yes side. It is supported by all the major political parties, although Fianna Fáil seems less enthusiastic than the others. The Yes side wins in all 26 counties except Roscommon-South Leitrim where just over 52 percent vote no for same-sex marriage. The turnout is 60.5 percent. The percentage of young voters is also higher than usual. Almost all of the 100,000 new voters who registered have voted. Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, calls the result a “defeat for humanity”. Ireland decriminalized homosexuality in 1993. In 2010, it became possible for same-sex couples to register partnerships.
January
Minister comes out as gay
Health Minister Leo Varadkar tells TV that he is gay and that he supports the yes-side in the upcoming referendum on same-sex marriage.