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Compare Ireland (2002) - United Kingdom (2001)

Compare Ireland (2002) z United Kingdom (2001)

 Ireland (2002)United Kingdom (2001)
 IrelandUnited Kingdom
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
England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties*, 29 London boroughs**, 12 cities and boroughs***, 10 districts****, 12 cities*****, 3 royal boroughs******; Barking and Dagenham**, Barnet**, Barnsley, Bath and North East Somerset****, Bedfordshire*, Bexley**, Birmingham***, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Bradford***, Brent**, Brighton and Hove, City of Bristol*****, Bromley**, Buckinghamshire*, Bury, Calderdale, Cambridgeshire*, Camden**, Cheshire*, Cornwall*, Coventry***, Croydon**, Cumbria*, Darlington, Derby*****, Derbyshire*, Devon*, Doncaster, Dorset*, Dudley, Durham*, Ealing**, East Riding of Yorkshire****, East Sussex*, Enfield**, Essex*, Gateshead, Gloucestershire*, Greenwich**, Hackney**, Halton, Hammersmith and Fulham**, Hampshire*, Haringey**, Harrow**, Hartlepool, Havering**, Herefordshire*, Hertfordshire*, Hillingdon**, Hounslow**, Isle of Wight*, Islington**, Kensington and Chelsea******, Kent*, City of Kingston upon Hull*****, Kingston upon Thames******, Kirklees, Knowsley, Lambeth**, Lancashire*, Leeds***, Leicester*****, Leicestershire*, Lewisham**, Lincolnshire*, Liverpool***, City of London*****, Luton, Manchester***, Medway, Merton**, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newcastle upon Tyne***, Newham**, Norfolk*, Northamptonshire*, North East Lincolnshire****, North Lincolnshire****, North Somerset****, North Tyneside, Northumberland*, North Yorkshire*, Nottingham*****, Nottinghamshire*, Oldham, Oxfordshire*, Peterborough*****, Plymouth*****, Poole, Portsmouth*****, Reading, Redbridge**, Redcar and Cleveland, Richmond upon Thames**, Rochdale, Rotherham, Rutland****, Salford***, Shropshire*, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield***, Slough, Solihull, Somerset*, Southampton*****, Southend-on-Sea, South Gloucestershire****, South Tyneside, Southwark**, Staffordshire*, St. Helens, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent*****, Suffolk*, Sunderland***, Surrey*, Sutton**, Swindon, Tameside, Telford and Wrekin****, Thurrock, Torbay, Tower Hamlets**, Trafford, Wakefield***, Walsall, Waltham Forest**, Wandsworth**, Warrington, Warwickshire*, West Berkshire****, Westminster***, West Sussex*, Wigan, Wiltshire*, Windsor and Maidenhead******, Wirral, Wokingham****, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire*, York*****; Northern Ireland - 24 districts, 2 cities*; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast*, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Derry*, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane; Scotland - 32 council areas; Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West Lothian; Wales - 11 county boroughs, 9 counties*, 2 cities and counties**; Isle of Anglesey*, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff**, Ceredigion*, Carmarthenshire*, Conwy, Denbighshire*, Flintshire*, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire*, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire*, Powys*, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea**, Torfaen, The Vale of Glamorgan*, Wrexham
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:
18.89% (male 5,778,415; female 5,486,114)

15-64 years:
65.41% (male 19,712,932; female 19,304,771)

65 years and over:
15.7% (male 3,895,921; female 5,469,637) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish
Airports 41 (2001) 489 (2000 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:
349

over 3,047 m:
10

2,438 to 3,047 m:
33

1,524 to 2,437 m:
162

914 to 1,523 m:
89

under 914 m:
55 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 20


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 17 (2002)
total:
140

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
23

under 914 m:
116 (2000 est.)
Area total: 70,280 sq km


land: 68,890 sq km


water: 1,390 sq km
total:
244,820 sq km

land:
241,590 sq km

water:
3,230 sq km

note:
includes Rockall and Shetland Islands
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly smaller than Oregon
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. Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside of the European Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. Regional assemblies with varying degrees of power opened in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 1999.
Birth rate 14.62 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 11.54 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $34 billion


expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues:
$555.2 billion

expenditures:
$510.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $37.7 billion (FY00)
Capital Dublin London
Climate temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
Coastline 1,448 km 12,429 km
Constitution 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Ireland
conventional long form:
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

conventional short form:
United Kingdom

abbreviation:
UK
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
British pound (GBP)
Death rate 8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 10.35 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $11 billion (1998) (1998) $NA
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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Philip LADER

embassy:
24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A1AE

mailing address:
PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040

telephone:
[44] (0) 207499-9000 (switchboard)

FAX:
[44] (171) 409-1637

consulate(s) general:
Belfast, Edinburgh
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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Sir Christopher J. R. MEYER

chancery:
3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 588-6500

FAX:
[1] (202) 588-7870

consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

consulate(s):
Dallas, Denver, Miami, Orlando (reports to Atlanta), San Juan, and Seattle
Disputes - international disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM Northern Ireland issue with Ireland (historic peace agreement signed 10 April 1998); Gibraltar issue with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Mauritius and the Seychelles claim Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory); Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark and Iceland; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM
Economic aid - donor ODA, $283 million (2001) ODA, $3.4 billion (1997)
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. The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, deploys an essentially capitalistic economy, one of the quartet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. The economy has grown steadily, at just above or below 3%, for the last several years. The BLAIR government has put off the question of participation in the euro system until after the next election, in June of 2001; Chancellor of the Exchequer BROWN has identified some key economic tests to determine whether the UK should join the common currency system, but it will largely be a political decision. A serious short-term problem is foot-and-mouth disease, which by early 2001 had broken out in nearly 600 farms and slaughterhouses and had resulted in the killing of 400,000 animals.
Electricity - consumption 20.823 billion kWh (2000) 333.012 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 71 million kWh (2000) 265 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 169 million kWh (2000) 14.5 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 22.285 billion kWh (2000) 342.771 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 95%


hydro: 4%


nuclear: 0%


other: 1% (2000)
fossil fuel:
69.38%

hydro:
1.55%

nuclear:
26.68%

other:
2.39% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
lowest point:
Fenland -4 m

highest point:
Ben Nevis 1,343 m
Environment - current issues water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has meet Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and hopes to reduce even more); small particulate emissions, largely from vehicular traffic, remain a problem; solid waste continues to rise and recycling is very limited
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
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Celtic, English English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%
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) British pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996)
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:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)

head of government:
Prime Minister Anthony C. L. (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May 1997)

cabinet:
Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; the prime minister is the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons (assuming there is no majority party, a prime minister would have a majority coalition or at least a coalition that was not rejected by the majority)
Exports $85.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) $282 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners EU 62.8% (UK 19.8%, Germany 11.3%, France 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Belgium 4.8%), US 17.1% (2000) EU 58% (Germany 12%, France 10%, Netherlands 8%), US 15% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) and which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as British overseas territories
GDP purchasing power parity - $111.3 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.36 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 4%


industry: 36%


services: 60% (2001)
agriculture:
1.7%

industry:
24.9%

services:
73.4% (1999)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $22,800 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.9% (2002 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 53 00 N, 8 00 W 54 00 N, 2 00 W
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 lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters
Heliports - 11 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 92,500 km


paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)


unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.)
total:
371,603 km

paved:
371,603 km (including 3,303 km of expressways)

unpaved:
0 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 27% (1997)
lowest 10%:
2.6%

highest 10%:
27.3% (1991)
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 gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; major consumer of synthetic drugs, producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center
Imports $48.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) $324 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs
Imports - partners EU 61.4% (UK 33.4%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 3.5%), US 16.2%, Japan 4% (2000) EU 53% (Germany 14%, France 9%, Netherlands 7%), US 13%, Japan 5% (1999)
Independence 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the union between England and Wales was enacted under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284; in the Act of Union of 1707, England and Scotland agreed to permanent union as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927
Industrial production growth rate 6% (2002 est.) 2% (2000)
Industries food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods
Infant mortality rate 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.6% (2002 est.) 2.4% (2000 est.)
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 AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 22 (2000) 245 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 1,080 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts); Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary
Labor force 1.8 million (2001) 29.2 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.) agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries total: 360 km


border countries: UK 360 km
total:
360 km

border countries:
Ireland 360 km
Land use arable land: 19.49%


permanent crops: 0.04%


other: 80.47% (1998 est.)
arable land:
25%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
46%

forests and woodland:
10%

other:
19% (1993 est.)
Languages English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
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 common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; British courts and legislation are increasingly subject to review by European Union courts
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
bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (consists of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy) and House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)

elections:
House of Lords - no elections (some proposals for further reform include elections); House of Commons - last held 7 June 2001 (next to be held by NA May 2006)

election results:
House of Commons - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Labor 412, Conservative and Unionist 166, Liberal Democrat 52, other 29

note:
in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Parliament (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of 1999 and was rescinded in February 2000); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.17 years


male: 74.41 years


female: 80.12 years (2002 est.)
total population:
77.82 years

male:
75.13 years

female:
80.66 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98% (1981 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition:
age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling

total population:
99% (1978 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf:
as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries

exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 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.)
total:
200 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,934,776 GRT/3,760,240 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 4, cargo 31, chemical tanker 11, combination ore/oil 1, container 47, liquefied gas 3, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 52, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 19, short-sea passenger 10, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 2

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana) Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $700 million (FY00/01) $36.884 billion (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.9% (FY00/01) 2.7% (FY97)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,013,739 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
14,599,199 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 816,744 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
12,139,930 (2001 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 Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, celebrated on the second Saturday in June (1926)
Nationality noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)


adjective: Irish
noun:
Briton(s), British (collective plural)

adjective:
British
Natural hazards NA NA
Natural resources zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable land
Net migration rate 4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 1.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000) crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km
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] Conservative and Unionist Party [William HAGUE]; Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) Blair]; Liberal Democrats [Charles KENNEDY]; Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn JONES]; Scottish National Party or SNP [John SWINNEY]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [John HUME]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [David TRIMBLE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress
Population 3,883,159 (July 2002 est.) 59,647,790 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 10% (1997 est.) 17%
Population growth rate 1.07% (2002 est.) 0.23% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scapa Flow, Southampton, Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne
Radio broadcast stations AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios 2.55 million (1997) 84.5 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)
total:
16,878 km

broad gauge:
342 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track); note - all 1.600-m gauge track, of which 342 km is in common carrier use, and is in Northern Ireland

standard gauge:
16,536 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified; 12,591 km double or multiple track) (1996)
Religions Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998) Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim 1 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000, Hindu 350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.)
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.71 male(s)/female

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 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:
technologically advanced domestic and international system

domestic:
equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems

international:
40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers
Telephones - main lines in use 1.6 million (2002) 34.878 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3 million (2002) 13 million (yearend 1998)
Television broadcast stations 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001) 228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
Total fertility rate 1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.73 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.7% (2002 est.) 5.5% (2000 est.)
Waterways 700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998) 3,200 km
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