NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Ireland
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain |
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Geographic coordinates:
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53 00 N, 8 00 W |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 70,280 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km land: 68,890 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than West Virginia |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km |
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Coastline:
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1,448 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time |
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Terrain:
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mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m |
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Natural resources:
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zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver |
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Land use:
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arable land: 19.49%
permanent crops: 0.04% other: 80.47% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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3,883,159 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.07% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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14.62 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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5.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 77.17 years
female: 80.12 years (2002 est.) male: 74.41 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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2,200 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish |
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Ethnic groups:
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Celtic, English |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998) |
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Languages:
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English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |