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Compare Ireland (2005) - Italy (2004)

Compare Ireland (2005) z Italy (2004)

 Ireland (2005)Italy (2004)
 IrelandItaly
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
16 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 4 autonomous regions* (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia*, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna*, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige*, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta*, Veneto
Age structure 0-14 years: 20.9% (male 434,225/female 406,730)


15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,358,086/female 1,354,148)


65 years and over: 11.5% (male 203,614/female 258,873) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 14% (male 4,181,946; female 3,935,565)


15-64 years: 66.9% (male 19,590,497; female 19,256,747)


65 years and over: 19.1% (male 4,608,479; female 6,484,243) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Airports 36 (2004 est.) 134 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 15


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
total: 96


over 3,047 m: 6


2,438 to 3,047 m: 32


1,524 to 2,437 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 30


under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 21


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)
total: 38


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 18


under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
Area total: 70,280 sq km


land: 68,890 sq km


water: 1,390 sq km
total: 301,230 sq km


land: 294,020 sq km


water: 7,210 sq km


note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly larger than Arizona
Background Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 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 being implemented with some difficulties. Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.
Birth rate 14.47 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 9.05 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $62.51 billion


expenditures: $63.52 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $668 billion


expenditures: $703.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
Capital Dublin Rome
Climate temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Coastline 1,448 km 7,600 km
Constitution adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937 passed 11 December 1947; effective 1 January 1948; amended many times
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Ireland


local long form: none


local short form: Eire
conventional long form: Italian Republic


conventional short form: Italy


local long form: Repubblica Italiana


local short form: Italia


former: Kingdom of Italy
Currency - euro (EUR)


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 7.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $11 billion (1998) $868.5 billion NA (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador James C. KENNY


embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777


FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946
chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER


embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome


mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624


telephone: [39] (06) 46741


FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356


consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
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 Sergio VENTO


chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400


FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151


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


consulate(s): Detroit
Disputes - international Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm none
Economic aid - donor ODA, $283 million (2001) ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)
Economy - overview Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 7% in 1995-2004. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations. Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed, welfare-dependent agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions.
Electricity - consumption 21.78 billion kWh (2002) 289.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 100 million kWh (2002) 556 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 600 million kWh (2002) 48.93 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 22.88 billion kWh (2002) 258.8 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a secondary peak of Mont Blanc)
Environment - current issues water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups Celtic, English Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) euros per US dollar - 0.886 (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 scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; 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 Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10 June 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president


elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by Parliament


election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 70%


note: a four-party government coalition includes Forza Italia, National Alliance, Northern League, and Union of Christian Democrats and Democrats of the Center
Exports 27,450 bbl/day (2001) 456,600 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners US 19.7%, UK 17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, Germany 7.7%, France 6%, Netherlands 4.6%, Italy 4.5% (2004) Germany 13.8%, France 12.3%, US 8.5%, Spain 7%, UK 6.9% (2003)
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 three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green


note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.55 trillion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5%


industry: 46%


services: 49% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 2.2%


industry: 28.9%


services: 68.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $26,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.1% (2004 est.) 0.4% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 53 00 N, 8 00 W 42 50 N, 12 50 E
Geography - note strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
Heliports - 4 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 95,736 km


paved: 95,736 km (including 125 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2002)
total: 479,688 km


paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)
lowest 10%: 2.1%


highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)
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; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community remains a concern important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling
Imports 178,600 bbl/day (2001) 2.158 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners UK 35.6%, US 13.8%, Germany 8.9%, Netherlands 4.3%, France 4.2% (2004) Germany 17.9%, France 11.2%, Netherlands 5.8%, Spain 4.8%, UK 4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, US 4% (2003)
Independence 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Industrial production growth rate 7% (2004 est.) -0.5% (2003)
Industries steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glass and crystal; software, tourism tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Infant mortality rate total: 5.39 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.91 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.2% (2004 est.) 2.7% (2003 est.)
International organization participation Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land NA sq km 26,980 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts)
Labor force 1.92 million (2004 est.) 24.15 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 63% (2002 est.) agriculture 5%, industry 32%, services 63% (2001)
Land boundaries total: 360 km


border countries: UK 360 km
total: 1,932.2 km


border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
Land use arable land: 15.2%


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 84.77% (2001)
arable land: 27.79%


permanent crops: 9.53%


other: 62.68% (2001)
Languages English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (official) (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
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 based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held by 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 or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional representation; in addition, there are a small number of senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held May 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 172 (Forza Italia 77, National Alliance 47, UDC 31, Lega Padana 17), Olive Tree 108 (Democrats of the Left 63, Daisy Alliance 35, Greens 10), Per le Autonomie 10, other 25; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - House of Liberties 337 (Forza Italia 176, National Alliance 97, UDC 36, Northern League 28), Olive Tree 214 (Democrats of the Left 135, Daisy Alliance 79), Rifondazione Communista 11, other 68
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.56 years


male: 74.95 years


female: 80.34 years (2005 est.)
total population: 79.54 years


male: 76.61 years


female: 82.66 years (2004 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 can read and write


total population: 98.6%


male: 99%


female: 98.3% (2003 est.)
Location Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine total: 39


by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 27, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2


foreign-owned: 11 (Germany 3, Italy 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 3)


registered in other countries: 18 (2005)
total: 475 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,970,017 GRT/10,354,685 DWT


by type: bulk 39, cargo 40, chemical tanker 106, combination ore/oil 2, container 23, liquefied gas 43, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 62, short-sea/passenger 31, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 23


foreign-owned: Denmark 4, France 3, Greece 5, Japan 1, Isle of Man 1, Monaco 22, Netherlands 4, Panama 2, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 10, United Kingdom 5, United States 13


registered in other countries: 144 (2004 est.)
Military branches Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps) Army, Navy, Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri
Military expenditures - dollar figure $700 million (FY00/01) $28,182.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.9% (FY00/01) 1.9% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 14,408,392 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 12,279,516 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 285,601 (2004 est.)
National holiday Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Nationality noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)


adjective: Irish
noun: Italian(s)


adjective: Italian
Natural hazards NA regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Natural resources natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land
Net migration rate 4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,795 km (2004) gas 17,335 km; oil 1,136 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND] Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Armando COSSUTTA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; merged with PPI and I Democratici to form La Margherita (or The Daisy Alliance); Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Lega Padana [Roberto BERNARDELLI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; South Tyrol People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats) [Francesco RUTELLI]; The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Union of Christian and Center Democrats or UDC [Marco FOLLINI]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)
Population 4,015,676 (July 2005 est.) 58,057,477 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 10% (1997 est.) NA
Population growth rate 1.16% (2005 est.) 0.09% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela (Sicily), Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo (Sicily), Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres (Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
Radio broadcast stations AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Railways total: 3,312 km


broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2004)
total: 19,507 km (11,651 km electrified)


standard gauge: 18,070 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,314 km 0.950-m gauge (188 km electrified) (2003)
Religions Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census) predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community
Sex ratio at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


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


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


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
Telephone system general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay


domestic: microwave radio relay


international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services


domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks


international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables
Telephones - main lines in use 1.955 million (2003) 26.596 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3.4 million (2003) 55.918 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001) 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Total fertility rate 1.87 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.3% (2004 est.) 8.6% (2003 est.)
Waterways 753 km (pleasure craft only) (2004) 2,400 km


note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared to road and rail (2004)
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