Europe :: Ireland
  • Introduction :: Ireland
  • Background:



  • Geography :: Ireland
  • Location:
    Geographic coordinates:
    53 00 N, 8 00 W
    Map references:
    total: 70,273 sq km
    land: 68,883 sq km
    water: 1,390 sq km
    country comparison to the world: 121
    Area - comparative:
    slightly larger than West Virginia
    Area comparison map: Area comparison map
    Land boundaries:
    total: 490 km
    border countries (1): UK 490 km
    1,448 km
    Maritime claims:
    territorial sea: 12 nm
    exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
    mean elevation: 118 m
    lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
    highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
    Natural resources:
    Land use:
    agricultural land: 66.1% (2011 est.)
    arable land: 15.4% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 50.7% (2011 est.)
    forest: 10.9% (2011 est.)
    other: 23% (2011 est.)
    Irrigated land:
    0 sq km (2012)
    Population distribution:
    population distribution is weighted to the eastern side of the island, with the largest concentration being in and around Dublin; populations in the west are small due to mountainous land, poorer soil, lack of good transport routes, and fewer job opportunities
    Natural hazards:
    rare extreme weather events
    Environment - current issues:
    Environment - international agreements:
    Geography - note:
  • People and Society :: Ireland
  • Population:
    5,176,569 (July 2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 122
    adjective: Irish
    Ethnic groups:
    Age structure:
    0-14 years: 21.15% (male 560,338/female 534,570)
    15-24 years: 12.08% (male 316,239/female 308,872)
    25-54 years: 42.19% (male 1,098,058/female 1,085,794)
    55-64 years: 10.77% (male 278,836/female 278,498)
    65 years and over: 13.82% (male 331,772/female 383,592) (2020 est.)
    population pyramid: population pyramid
    Dependency ratios:
    total dependency ratio: 54.8
    youth dependency ratio: 32.3
    elderly dependency ratio: 22.6
    potential support ratio: 4.4 (2020 est.)
    Median age:
    total: 37.8 years
    male: 37.4 years
    female: 38.2 years (2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 66
    Population growth rate:
    1.04% (2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 101
    Birth rate:
    13 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 144
    Death rate:
    6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 134
    Net migration rate:
    3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 31
    Population distribution:
    urban population: 63.7% of total population (2020)
    Major urban areas - population:
    1.228 million DUBLIN (capital) (2020)
    Sex ratio:
    at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
    0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
    15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
    25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
    55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
    65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
    total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
    Mother's mean age at first birth:
    30.7 years (2015 est.)
    Maternal mortality rate:
    5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 165
    Infant mortality rate:
    total: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births
    male: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
    female: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 195
    Life expectancy at birth:
    total population: 81.2 years
    male: 78.9 years
    female: 83.7 years (2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 36
    Total fertility rate:
    1.94 children born/woman (2020 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 125
    Contraceptive prevalence rate:
    73.3% (2010)
    note: percent of women aged 18-45
    Drinking water source:
    improved: urban: 97.9% of population
    rural: 97.8% of population
    total: 97.9% of population
    unimproved: urban: 2.1% of population
    rural: 2.2% of population
    total: 2.1% of population (2015 est.)
    Current Health Expenditure:
    7.2% (2017)
    Physicians density:
    3.09 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
    Hospital bed density:
    2.8 beds/1,000 population (2013)
    Sanitation facility access:
    improved: urban: 89.1% of population (2015 est.)
    rural: 92.9% of population (2015 est.)
    total: 90.5% of population (2015 est.)
    unimproved: urban: 10.9% of population (2015 est.)
    rural: 7.1% of population (2015 est.)
    total: 9.5% of population (2015 est.)
    HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
    0.2% (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 100
    HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
    7,200 (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 114
    HIV/AIDS - deaths:
    <100 (2018 est.)
    Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
    25.3% (2016)
    country comparison to the world: 51
    Education expenditures:
    3.7% of GDP (2016)
    country comparison to the world: 117
    School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
    total: 19 years
    male: 19 years
    female: 19 years (2016)
    Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
    total: 13.8%
    male: 14.8%
    female: 12.6% (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 99
  • Government :: Ireland
  • Country name:
    conventional long form: none
    conventional short form: Ireland
    local long form: none
    local short form: Eire
    Government type:
    parliamentary republic
    name: Dublin
    geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W
    Administrative divisions:
    National holiday:
    International law organization participation:
    accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
    citizenship by birth: no, unless a parent of a child born in Ireland has been legally resident in Ireland for at least three of the four years prior to the birth of the child
    citizenship by descent only: yes
    dual citizenship recognized: yes
    residency requirement for naturalization: 4 of the previous 8 years
    18 years of age; universal
    Executive branch:
    head of government: Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál MARTIN (since 27 June 2020); note - MARTIN will serve through December 2022 and will then be succeeded by Leo VARADKAR
    Legislative branch:
    description: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of:
    House of Representatives - last held on 8 February 2020 (next to be held no later than 2025)
    election results:  
    House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Sinn Fein 23%, Fianna Fail 23%, Fine Gael 22%, Green Party 8%, Labor Party 4%, Social Democrats 4%, AAA-PBD 3%, Aontu 0.6%, Independents for Change 0.6%, Ceann Comhairle 0.6%, Independents 12%; seats by party - Sinn Fein 37, Fianna Fail 37, Fine Gael 35, Green Party 12, Labor Party 6, Social Democrats 6, AAA-PBD 5, Aontu l, Independents for Change 1, Ceann Comhairle 1, Independents 19; composition - men 123, women 35, percent of women 22.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 24.3%
    Judicial branch:
    Political parties and leaders:
    Fianna Fail [Micheal MARTIN]
    Fine Gael [Leo VARADKAR]
    Green Party [Eamon RYAN]
    Labor (Labour) Party (vacant)
    Renua Ireland (vacant)
    Sinn Fein [Mary Lou MCDONALD]
    Social Democrats [Catherine MURPHY, Roisin SHORTALL]
    Socialist Party [collective leadership]
    The Workers' Party [Michael DONNELLY]
    International organization participation:
    Diplomatic representation in the US:
    Ambassador Daniel Gerard MULHALL (since 8 September 2017)
    chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
    telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
    FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
    Diplomatic representation from the US:
    telephone: [353] (1) 630-6200
    embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
    mailing address: use embassy street address
    FAX: [353] (1) 688-9946
    Flag description:
    three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; officially the flag colors have no meaning, but a common interpretation is that the green represents the Irish nationalist (Gaelic) tradition of Ireland; orange represents the Orange tradition (minority supporters of William of Orange); white symbolizes peace (or a lasting truce) between the green and the orange

    note: 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

    National symbol(s):
    National anthem:
    name: "Amhran na bhFiann" (The Soldier's Song)


  • Economy :: Ireland
  • Economy - overview:




    GDP (purchasing power parity):
    $353.3 billion (2017 est.)
    $329.5 billion (2016 est.)
    $314.1 billion (2015 est.)

    note: data are in 2017 dollars

    country comparison to the world: 51
    GDP (official exchange rate):
    $331.5 billion (2017 est.)
    GDP - real growth rate:
    7.2% (2017 est.)
    4.9% (2016 est.)
    25% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 17
    GDP - per capita (PPP):
    $73,200 (2017 est.)
    $69,100 (2016 est.)
    $66,600 (2015 est.)

    note: data are in 2017 dollars

    country comparison to the world: 10
    Gross national saving:
    33.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
    33.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
    29% of GDP (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 23
    GDP - composition, by end use:
    household consumption: 34% (2017 est.)
    government consumption: 10.1% (2017 est.)
    investment in fixed capital: 23.4% (2017 est.)
    investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.)
    GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
    agriculture: 1.2% (2017 est.)
    industry: 38.6% (2017 est.)
    services: 60.2% (2017 est.)
    Agriculture - products:
    barley, potatoes, wheat; beef, dairy products
    Industrial production growth rate:
    7.8% (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 25
    Labor force:
    2.226 million (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 122
    Labor force - by occupation:
    agriculture: 5%
    industry: 11%
    services: 84% (2015 est.)
    Unemployment rate:
    6.7% (2017 est.)
    8.4% (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 100
    Population below poverty line:
    8.2% (2013 est.)
    Household income or consumption by percentage share:
    lowest 10%: 2.9%
    highest 10%: 27.2% (2000)
    revenues: 86.04 billion (2017 est.)
    expenditures: 87.19 billion (2017 est.)
    Taxes and other revenues:
    26% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 115
    Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
    -0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 53
    Public debt:
    68.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
    73.6% of GDP (2016 est.)


    country comparison to the world: 53
    Fiscal year:
    calendar year
    Inflation rate (consumer prices):
    0.3% (2017 est.)
    -0.2% (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 20
    Current account balance:
    $28.14 billion (2017 est.)
    -$12.59 billion (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 12
    $219.7 billion (2017 est.)
    $206 billion (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 25
    Exports - partners:
    Exports - commodities:
    $98.13 billion (2017 est.)
    $92.09 billion (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 34
    Imports - commodities:
    Imports - partners:
    Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
    $4.412 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
    $2.203 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 99
    Debt - external:
    $2.47 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
    $2.35 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 8
    Exchange rates:
    euros (EUR) per US dollar -
    0.885 (2017 est.)
    0.903 (2016 est.)
    0.9214 (2015 est.)
    0.885 (2014 est.)
    0.7634 (2013 est.)
  • Energy :: Ireland
  • Electricity access:
    electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
    Electricity - production:
    28.53 billion kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 69
    Electricity - consumption:
    25.68 billion kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 68
    Electricity - exports:
    1.583 billion kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 48
    Electricity - imports:
    871 million kWh (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 71
    Electricity - installed generating capacity:
    9.945 million kW (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 61
    Electricity - from fossil fuels:
    65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 117
    Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
    0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 112
    Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
    2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 138
    Electricity - from other renewable sources:
    33% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 12
    Crude oil - production:
    0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 152
    Crude oil - exports:
    5,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 64
    Crude oil - imports:
    66,210 bbl/day (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 50
    Crude oil - proved reserves:
    0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 148
    Refined petroleum products - production:
    64,970 bbl/day (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 76
    Refined petroleum products - consumption:
    153,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 66
    Refined petroleum products - exports:
    37,040 bbl/day (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 59
    Refined petroleum products - imports:
    126,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 47
    Natural gas - production:
    3.511 billion cu m (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 54
    Natural gas - consumption:
    5.238 billion cu m (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 55
    Natural gas - exports:
    0 cu m (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 125
    Natural gas - imports:
    1.642 billion cu m (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 55
    Natural gas - proved reserves:
    9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 79
    Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
    36.91 million Mt (2017 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 71
  • Communications :: Ireland
  • Telephones - fixed lines:
    total subscriptions: 1,829,166
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36 (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 60
    Telephones - mobile cellular:
    total subscriptions: 4,971,493
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 122
    Telecommunication systems:
    general assessment: a previous depressed economic climate has changed to one with Ireland having one of the highest GDP growth rates in Europe, which translates to mean spending among telecom consumers; introduction of flat-rate plans; upgraded LTE technologies in rural areas; govt. intends to spend millions on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) initiative to change the broadband landscape; plans to auction spectrum suitable for 5G services; broadband market seen steady development; 20 towns see commercial 5G services (2020)
    domestic: increasing levels of broadband access particularly in urban areas; fixed-line 36 per 100 and mobile-cellular 98 per 100 subscriptions; digital system using cable and microwave radio relay (2018)
    international: country code - 353; landing point for the AEConnect -1, Celtic-Norse, Havfrue/AEC-2, GTT Express, Celtic, ESAT-1, IFC-1, Solas, Pan European Crossing, ESAT-2, CeltixConnect -1 & 2, GTT Atlantic, Sirius South, Emerald Bridge Fibres and Geo Eirgrid submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, Norway, Isle of Man and UK; satellite earth stations - 81 (2019)
    Broadcast media:
    Internet country code:
    Internet users:
    total: 4,069,432
    percent of population: 82.2% (July 2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 87
    Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
    total: 1,430,160
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2018 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 65
  • Military and Security :: Ireland
  • Military expenditures:
    0.3% of GDP (2019)
    0.3% of GDP (2018)
    0.3% of GDP (2017)
    0.3% of GDP (2016)
    0.3% of GDP (2015)
    country comparison to the world: 155
    Military and security forces:
    Irish Defence Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireannn): Army (includes Army Reserve), Naval Service (includes Naval Service Reserves), Air Corps (2019)
    Military service age and obligation:
    18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service recruits to the Defence Forces (18-27 years of age for the Naval Service); 18-26 for cadetship (officer) applicants; 12-year service (5 active, 7 reserves); Irish citizen, European Economic Area citizenship, or refugee status (2019)
    Military and security service personnel strengths:
    the Irish Defence Forces have approximately 9,500 active duty personnel (7,500 Army; 1,100 Navy; 900 Air Force) (2019 est.)
    Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:
    the Irish Defense Forces have a small inventory of imported weapons systems from a variety of European countries, as well as South Africa and the US; the UK is the leading supplier of military hardware to Ireland since 2010 (2019 est.)
    Military deployments:
    120 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 460 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2019 est.)
  • Transportation :: Ireland
  • National air transport system:
    number of registered air carriers: 6 (2015)
    inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 431 (2015)
    annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 113,144,501 (2015)
    annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 138.58 million mt-km (2015)
    Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
    EI (2016)
    40 (2013)
    country comparison to the world: 105
    Airports - with paved runways:
    total: 16 (2019)
    over 3,047 m: 1
    2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
    1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
    914 to 1,523 m: 5
    under 914 m: 5
    Airports - with unpaved runways:
    total: 24 (2013)
    2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
    914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
    under 914 m: 21 (2013)
    2,427 km gas (2017)
    total: 4,301 km (2018)
    country comparison to the world: 44
    total: 99,830 km (2018)
    country comparison to the world: 48
    956 km (pleasure craft only) (2010)
    country comparison to the world: 67
    Merchant marine:
    total: 93
    by type: bulk carrier 9general cargo 37, oil tanker 1, other 46 (2019)
    country comparison to the world: 95
    Ports and terminals:
    major seaport(s): Dublin, Shannon Foynes
    cruise port(s): Cork, Dublin
  • Terrorism :: Ireland
  • Terrorist groups - foreign based:
    Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA): aim(s): to bring about a united Ireland
    area(s) of operation: maintains an operational presence (2018)
    New Irish Republican Army (NIRA): aim(s): to bring about a united Ireland
    area(s) of operation:
    maintains an operational presence
    note: formerly known as the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) (2018)
  • Transnational Issues :: Ireland
  • Disputes - international:


    Refugees and internally displaced persons:
    stateless persons: 99 (2018)
    Illicit drugs: