Western Sahara (2005) | Ireland (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 21% (male 430,905; female 404,218)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,342,233; female 1,337,580) 65 years and over: 11.5% (male 199,379; female 255,243) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products |
Airports | 11 (2004 est.) | 36 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
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.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 70,280 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km |
Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | slightly larger than West Virginia |
Background | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. | Celtic tribes settled on the island from 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. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 14.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $53.22 billion
expenditures: $53.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5 billion (2003) |
Capital | none | Dublin |
Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time |
Coastline | 1,110 km | 1,448 km |
Constitution | - | 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ireland |
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 | NA deaths/1,000 population | 7.91 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $11 billion (1998) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none | chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY
chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco |
Disputes - international | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals | disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 nm |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $283 million (2001) |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | - |
Economy - overview | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. | Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. The global slowdown, especially in the information technology sector, pressed growth down to 2.1% in 2003. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP and about 80% of exports and employs 28% 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 sEU, 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 launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations. |
Electricity - consumption | 83.7 million kWh (2002) | 21.63 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 285 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 38 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (2002) | 23.53 billion kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m |
Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff |
Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 | Arab, Berber | Celtic, English |
Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000) | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) |
Executive branch | none | 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 22 October 2004); 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 |
Exports | NA | 27,450 bbl/day (2001) |
Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products (1999) |
Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | US 20.5%, UK 18.1%, Belgium 12.6%, Germany 8.3%, France 6.1%, Netherlands 5.1%, Italy 4.6% (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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $116.2 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 5%
industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $29,600 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | 1.4% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 53 00 N, 8 00 W |
Geography - note | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas | strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin |
Highways | total: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est) |
total: 92,500 km
paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,457 km (2000 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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, shell companies involving the offshore financial community remains a concern |
Imports | NA | 178,600 bbl/day (2001) |
Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing |
Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | UK 34.9%, US 15.8%, Germany 7.9%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003) |
Independence | - | 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | 6.7% (2003 est.) |
Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 3.5% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | none | 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 |
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) |
Labor force | 12,000 | 1.871 million (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% | agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2001) |
arable land: 15.2%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 84.77% (2001) |
Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | English is the language generally used, Irish (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 others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party 3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31, Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5, others 14 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 77.36 years
male: 74.74 years female: 80.15 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA female: NA |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 288,401 GRT/383,628 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 22, chemical tanker 1, container 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Germany 3, Italy 7, Norway 2 registered in other countries: 18 (2004 est.) |
Military branches | - | Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $700 million (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 0.9% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 1,029,525 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 827,811 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 30,083 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | - | Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March |
Nationality | noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility | NA |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore | natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite |
Net migration rate | - | 4.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 1,795 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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 273,008 (July 2005 est.) | 3,969,558 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 10% (1997 est.) |
Population growth rate | NA | 1.16% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) | Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | 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) (2003) |
Religions | Muslim | Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998) |
Sex ratio | NA | 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: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
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 | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 1.955 million (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 3.4 million (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 1.87 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA | 4.7% (2003 est.) |
Waterways | - | 753 km (pleasure craft only) (2004) |