Compare Spratly Islands (2002) - Ireland (2006)

Compare Spratly Islands (2002) z Ireland (2006)

	Spratly Islands (2002)	Ireland (2006)

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
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 20.9% (male 437,903/female 409,774) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 1,373,771/female 1,370,452) 65 years and over: 11.6% (male 207,859/female 262,476) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Airports	4 (2001)	36 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)	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 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)	total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (2006)
Area	total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea	total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km
Area - comparative	NA	slightly larger than West Virginia
Background	This archipelago - surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits - is claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties occupy certain islands or reefs.	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 UK. 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.
Birth rate	-	14.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $70.46 billion expenditures: $69.4 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.5 billion (2005 est.)
Capital	-	name: Dublin geographic coordinates: 53 20 N, 6 15 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate	tropical	temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Coastline	926 km	1,448 km
Constitution	-	adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire
Death rate	-	7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external	-	$1.049 trillion (30 June 2005)
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946
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, San Francisco
Disputes - international	all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but has not publicly claimed the island; in 2000, China joined ASEAN discussions towards creating a South China Sea "code of conduct" - a non-legally binding confidence building measure	Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
Economic aid - donor	-	ODA, $607 million (2004)
Economy - overview	Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.	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.
Electricity - consumption	-	22.97 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports	-	1.2 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production	-	23.41 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
Environment - current issues	NA	water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
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
Ethnic groups	-	Celtic, English
Exchange rates	-	euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
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 (eligible for a second 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 (taoiseach) 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	-	27,450 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	-	machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products
Exports - partners	-	US 18.7%, UK 17.4%, Belgium 15.2%, Germany 7.4%, France 6.4%, Netherlands 4.8% (2005)
Fiscal 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
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	5.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	8 38 N, 111 55 E	53 00 N, 8 00 W
Geography - note	strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs	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
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)
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
Imports	-	178,600 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners	-	UK 37%, US 13.8%, Germany 9.2%, Netherlands 4.5% (2005)
Independence	-	6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)
Industrial production growth rate	-	3% (2005 est.)
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
Infant mortality rate	-	total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	2.4% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	-	AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	NA
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet)
Labor force	-	2.03 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture: 8% industry: 29% services: 64% (2002 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)	arable land: 16.82% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 83.15% (2005)
Languages	-	English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (official) (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
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
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 other 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%, other 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31, Labor Party 21, Sinn Fein 5, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, other 14
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 77.73 years male: 75.11 years female: 80.52 years (2006 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines	Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Map references	Southeast Asia	Europe
Maritime claims	NA	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	-	total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 103,589 GRT/145,044 DWT by type: cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Germany 2, US 2) registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Cyprus 3, Gibraltar 1, Netherlands 10, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, UK 1) (2006)
Military - note	Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam	-
Military branches	-	Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps) (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$700 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	0.9% (FY00/01)
National holiday	-	Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Nationality	-	noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish
Natural hazards	typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals	NA
Natural resources	fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential	natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
Net migration rate	-	4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 1,728 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders	-	Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Michael McDOWELL]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2002 est.)	4,062,235 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	10% (1997 est.)
Population growth rate	-	1.15% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors	none; offshore anchorage only	-
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (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) (2005)
Religions	-	Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)
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 (2006 est.)
Suffrage	-	18 years of age; universal
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)
Telephones - main lines in use	-	2.033 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	4.21 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations	-	4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)
Terrain	flat	mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Total fertility rate	-	1.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	4.3% (2005 est.)
Waterways	none	753 km (pleasure craft only) (2005)

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