Ireland (2002) | Mayotte (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | 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 |
none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years: 46.4% (male 43,301; female 42,934)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 52,534; female 44,100) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,579; female 1,578) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra |
Airports | 41 (2001) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | 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) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 17 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 70,280 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km |
total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than West Virginia | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. |
Birth rate | 14.62 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 42.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $34 billion
expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1991 est.) |
Capital | Dublin | Mamoutzou |
Climate | temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) |
Coastline | 1,448 km | 185.2 km |
Constitution | 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ireland |
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
Currency | 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 |
euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 8.11 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $11 billion (1998) (1998) | NA |
Dependency status | - | territorial collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM | claimed by Comoros |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $283 million (2001) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995) |
Economy - overview | 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. | Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism. |
Electricity - consumption | 20.823 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 71 million kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 169 million kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 22.285 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 95%
hydro: 4% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff | NA |
Environment - international 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 | Celtic, English | NA |
Exchange rates | 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) | euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa BAMANA (since NA 1977) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term |
Exports | $85.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon |
Exports - partners | EU 62.8% (UK 19.8%, Germany 11.3%, France 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Belgium 4.8%), US 17.1% (2000) | France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 | the flag of France is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $111.3 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $466.8 million (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4%
industry: 36% services: 60% (2001) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.9% (2002 est.) | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 53 00 N, 8 00 W | 12 50 S, 45 10 E |
Geography - 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 | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands |
Highways | total: 92,500 km
paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.) |
total: 93 km
paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 27% (1997) |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | 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 | $48.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997) |
Imports - commodities | data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals |
Imports - partners | EU 61.4% (UK 33.4%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 3.5%), US 16.2%, Japan 4% (2000) | France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.) |
Independence | 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6% (2002 est.) | NA |
Industries | food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction |
Infant mortality rate | 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 70.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 57.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.6% (2002 est.) | NA |
International organization participation | 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 | UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 22 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | 1.8 million (2001) | 48,800 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 19.49%
permanent crops: 0.04% other: 80.47% (1998 est.) |
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA other: NA (2001) |
Languages | English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard | Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population |
Legal system | based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | French law |
Legislative branch | 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 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June 2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.17 years
male: 74.41 years female: 80.12 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 60.99 years
male: 58.85 years female: 63.2 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
Location | Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | 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.) |
none |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island |
Military branches | Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $700 million (FY00/01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.9% (FY00/01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,013,739 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 816,744 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 32,287 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish |
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
Natural hazards | NA | cyclones during rainy season |
Natural resources | zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000) | - |
Political parties and leaders | 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] | Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 3,883,159 (July 2002 est.) | 186,026 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 10% (1997 est.) | NA |
Population growth rate | 1.07% (2002 est.) | 4.09% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford | Dzaoudzi |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) |
Radios | 2.55 million (1997) | - |
Railways | 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 | Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998) | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.6 million (2002) | 10,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 3 million (2002) | 21,700 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001) | 3 (2001) |
Terrain | mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks |
Total fertility rate | 1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 5.98 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.7% (2002 est.) | 38% (1999) |
Waterways | 700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998) | - |