Ireland

INTRODUCTION Official name: Ireland Capital: Dublin Territorial surface: 70.273 km²
Ireland republic that embraces 85% of the island of Ireland approximately, located in the ocean Atlantic about 18 kms to the west of the island of Great Britain, of which is separated by the sea of Ireland. The country is formed by the counties of Leinster (An Laighin), Munster (Muma), Connaught (Connacht) and it leaves of the Ulster (Ulaid) that understand 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland in total. The remaining six counties of the Ulster form Ireland of the North, constituent region of the Kingdom Together of Great Britain and Ireland of the North. This has a total surface of 70.273 km². The capital of Ireland is Dublin. The Republic of Ireland got its independence formally in 1922 of new england

Climate Ireland has a temperate, stable and humid climate, very influenced by the warm current of the Gulf. The temperatures are relatively uniform during the whole year. The level of precipitations descends in the coast this and it increases in the coast west, where it reaches the 2.500 mm in the most humid areas. Ireland (republic) Ireland is a mainly rural country and its main environmental challenges are related with the agricultural practices. The agriculture has been intensified in the last two decades, increasing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, what has increased the chemical contamination in those poured, currents and estuaries. The erosion and the exhaustion of the floor are frequent. There are parts of the sea of Ireland contaminated with nuclear waste coming from the United Kingdom. POPULATION In Ireland the population of Celtic origin prevails The population's 3.1 characteristics The Republic of Ireland has a population of 3.969.558 inhabitants (2004), The Republic of Ireland is divided in 26 counties and 5 municipal counties that coincide with the cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Esperanza of life Total 77,4 years (2004 dear) Feminine 80,2 years (2004 dear) Masculine 74,7 years (2004 dear) Rate of infantile mortality 6 died by each 1.000 born alive (2004 dear Religion Catholic 93% Anglican 3% Any or other 4% The Celtic population's composition, Englishmen Irish languages (gaélico) and English, both official ones Religion and languages Near 95% of the inhabitants from Ireland they are Catholic, and less than 4% Protestants, among those that the members of the Church of Ireland are (Anglican), the Presbyterians and the Methodists. Almost all the inhabitants speak English and near the Irish population's third, the language traditional gaélica of the country. ECONOMY Traditionally the Irish economy has been agricultural. Nevertheless, from half-filled of the decade of 1950 the industrial base of the country has been enlarged a lot. In the last years the dominant sector is that of services: in 2001 it used to the active population's 63% and in 2001 it supposed 54% of the GDP. The gross interior product (GDP) of 2002 this rose to 121.449 million dollars. GDP for economic sector GDP: agriculture 3,5% (2001) GDP: industry 42,2% (2001) GDP: services 54,4% (2001) Presupposed national Revenues public 25.528 million dollars (1997) Expenses public 26.426 million dollars (1997) Monetary unit * 1 euro = 100 cents Exports Chemical products, computer teams, industrial machinery, cattle raising and derived products Imports Foods, piensos, computer teams, petroleum and derived, machinery, textile, clothes work In 2002 the active population came closer to the 1,7 million workers and the unemployment rate was of 4%, being outstanding the juvenile unemployment. According to data of 2001 the active population's 7%, this was devoted to the agriculture, the forestry and the fishing, 29% to the industry and 63 remaining% to the sector services.