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Compare Benin (2003) - Ireland (2002)
Compare Benin (2003) z Ireland (2002)
| Benin (2003) | Ireland (2002) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou | 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
note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 47% (male 1,668,817; female 1,638,291)
15-64 years: 50.7% (male 1,739,517; female 1,834,231) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 67,504; female 93,130) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 21.3% (male 425,366; female 403,268)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,307,469; female 1,305,038) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 191,927; female 250,091) (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) | turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products |
| Airports | 5 (2002) | 41 (2001) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
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: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 17 (2002) |
| Area | total: 112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km |
total: 70,280 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania | slightly larger than West Virginia |
| Background | Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. | Celtic tribes settled on the island in the 4th century B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. 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. |
| Birth rate | 43.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 14.62 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $377.4 million
expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) |
revenues: $34 billion
expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) |
| Capital | Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government | Dublin |
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north | temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time |
| Coastline | 121 km | 1,448 km |
| Constitution | December 1990 | 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite |
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ireland |
| Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States | 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 |
| Death rate | 13.65 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Debt - external | $1.6 billion (2000) | $11 billion (1998) (1998) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50 FAX: [229] 30-06-70 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard J. EGAN
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-7122/668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN
chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY
chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco |
| Disputes - international | two villages are in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated, but states accept 2001 arbitration over disputed Niger River islands; several villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Nigeria; in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved the boundary stones - joint commission presently resurveying the boundary | disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM |
| Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $283 million (2001) |
| Economic aid - recipient | $342.6 million (2000) | - |
| Economy - overview | The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged a stable 5% in the past six years, but rapid population rise has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for speeded-up structural reforms. | Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 45% 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, 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 2001-02, particularly in the high-tech export sector; the growth rate was cut by half. |
| Electricity - consumption | 631.1 million kWh (2001) | 20.823 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 71 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - imports | 376 million kWh (2001) | 169 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production | 274.3 million kWh (2001) | 22.285 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 14.2%
hydro: 85.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 95%
hydro: 4% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (2000) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m |
| Environment - current issues | inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification | water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation |
| Ethnic groups | African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 | Celtic, English |
| Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998) | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Irish pounds per US dollar - 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006) election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9% note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed a "friendly match" |
chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997) 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 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November 2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6% note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats |
| Exports | NA (2001) | $85.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa | machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products |
| Exports - partners | India 25%, Italy 11.1%, Indonesia 7.4%, China 7.2%, Thailand 6.7%, Brazil 6.1%, UK 4.4%, Niger 4% (2002) | EU 62.8% (UK 19.8%, Germany 11.3%, France 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Belgium 4.8%), US 17.1% (2000) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side | 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 |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $7.38 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $111.3 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 38%
industry: 15% services: 47% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 4%
industry: 36% services: 60% (2001) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2002 est.) | 3.9% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 9 30 N, 2 15 E | 53 00 N, 8 00 W |
| Geography - note | sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands | 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 |
| Highways | total: 6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.) |
total: 92,500 km
paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 27% (1997) |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly regulated financial infrastructure | transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe |
| Imports | NA (2001) | $48.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products | data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing |
| Imports - partners | China 30.7%, France 15.7%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.2% (2002) | EU 61.4% (UK 33.4%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 3.5%), US 16.2%, Japan 4% (2000) |
| Independence | 1 August 1960 (from France) | 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 8.3% (2001 est.) | 6% (2002 est.) |
| Industries | textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001) | food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 86.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 91.79 deaths/1,000 live births female: 81.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
5.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2002 est.) | 4.6% (2002 est.) |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 4 (2002) | 22 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 120 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
| Judicial branch | Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) |
| Labor force | NA | 1.8 million (2001) |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km |
total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km |
| Land use | arable land: 15.28%
permanent crops: 1.36% other: 83.36% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 19.49%
permanent crops: 0.04% other: 80.47% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) | English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard |
| Legal system | based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | 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 | unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small parties) 31 |
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 popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party 3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31, Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5, others 14 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 51.08 years
male: 50.35 years female: 51.84 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 77.17 years
male: 74.41 years female: 80.12 years (2002 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.9% male: 56.2% female: 26.5% (2000) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo | Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain |
| Map references | Africa | Europe |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 200 NM | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 110,741 GRT/127,342 DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.) |
| Military branches | Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie | Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $80.8 million (FY02) | $700 million (FY00/01) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.7% (FY02) | 0.9% (FY00/01) |
| Military manpower - availability | note: both sexes are liable for military service
males age 15-49: 1,597,562 females age 15-49: 1,536,036 (2003 est.) |
males age 15-49: 1,013,739 (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 805,603
females age 15-49: 809,961 (2003 est.) |
males age 15-49: 816,744 (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | 17 years of age (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 75,021
females: 78,998 (2003 est.) |
males: 32,287 (2002 est.) |
| National holiday | National Day, 1 August (1960) | Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March |
| Nationality | noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese |
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish |
| Natural hazards | hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March | NA |
| Natural resources | small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber | zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000) |
| Political parties and leaders | African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA]; Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and 4 other small parties); Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]
note: approximately 20 additional minor parties |
Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABBITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Tom FRENCH] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
| Population | 7,041,490
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.) |
3,883,159 (July 2002 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 37% (2001 est.) | 10% (1997 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.95% (2003 est.) | 1.07% (2002 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Cotonou, Porto-Novo | Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) | AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 2.55 million (1997) |
| Railways | total: 578 km
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2002) |
total: 3,314 km
broad gauge: 1,949 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double-tracked) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briqueting plants) (2001) |
| Religions | indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% | Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable |
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 51,000 (2000) | 1.6 million (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 55,500 (2000) | 3 million (2002) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1;; (2001) | 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001) |
| Terrain | mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains | mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast |
| Total fertility rate | 6.04 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | NA% | 4.7% (2002 est.) |
| Waterways | streams navigable along small sections, important only locally | 700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998) |
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