Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 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. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century saw the population of the island drop by one third through starvation and emigration. For more than a century after that the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU. The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. Unresolved issues in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the "Troubles" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker what is known as The Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals.

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

53 00 N, 8 00 W

Europe

slightly larger than West Virginia

1,448 km

temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time

mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite

arable land 15.4%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 50.7%

0 sq km (2012)

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

rare extreme weather events

water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

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

5,011,102 (July 2017 est.)

Irish 82.2%, Irish travelers 0.7%, other white 9.5%, Asian 2.1%, black 1.4%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2016 est.)

English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 39.8% of the population in 2016; mainly spoken in areas along Ireland's western coast known as gaeltachtai, which are officially recognized regions where Irish is the predominant language)

Roman Catholic 78.3%, Church of Ireland 2.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Orthodox 1.3%, Muslim 1.3%, other 2.4%, none 9.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2016 est.)

1.15% (2017 est.)

14.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

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

DUBLIN (capital) 1.169 million (2015)

30.7 years (2015 est.)

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

1.97 children born/woman (2017 est.)

7.8% of GDP (2014)

2.79 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

urban: 97.9% of population

rural: 97.8% of population

total: 97.9% of population

urban: 2.1% of population

rural: 2.2% of population

total: 2.1% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 89.1% of population

rural: 92.9% of population

total: 90.5% of population

urban: 10.9% of population

rural: 7.1% of population

total: 9.5% of population (2015 est.)

0.2% (2016 est.)

6,200 (2016 est.)

NA

25.3% (2016)

5.3% of GDP (2013)

parliamentary republic

28 counties and 3 cities*; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Cork*, Donegal, Dublin*, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Galway*, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

6 December 1921 (from the UK by treaty)

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March; note - marks the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, during the latter half of the fifth century A.D. (most commonly cited years are c. 461 and c. 493); although Saint Patrick's feast day was celebrated in Ireland as early as the ninth century, it only became an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903

common law system based on the English model but substantially modified by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts by Supreme Court

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fine Gael 25.5%, Fianna Fail 24.4%, Sinn Fein 13.8%, Labor Party 6.6%, AAA-PBD 4.0%, Social Democrats 3.0%, Green Party 2.7%, Renua Ireland 2.2% independent 17.8%; seats by party - Fine Gael 50, Fianna Fail 44, Sinn Fein 23, Labor Party 7, AAA-PBP 6, Social Democrats 3, Green Party 2, independent 23

Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit or AAA-PBP [collective leadership]

Fianna Fail [Micheal MARTIN]

Fine Gael [Leo VARADKAR]

Green Party [Eamon RYAN]

Labor (Labour) Party [Brendan HOWLIN]

Renua Ireland [John LEAHY]

Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]

Social Democratic Party [Stephen DONNELLY, Catherine MURPHY, Roisin SHORTALL]

Socialist Party [collective leadership]

The Workers' Party [Michael DONNELLY]

Continuity IRA (terrorist group)

Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian MCCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence)

Iona Institute [David QUINN] (a conservative Catholic think tank)

Irish Anti-War Movement [Richard BOYD BARRETT] (campaigns against wars around the world)

Keep Ireland Open (environmental group)

Oglaigh na hEireann (terrorist group)

Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation promoters)

New Irish Republican Army (terrorist group combining elements of the former Real IRA and Republican Action Against Drugs)

Peace and Neutrality Alliance or PANA [Roger COLE] (campaigns to protect Irish neutrality)

Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 - transportation promoters)

32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM (supports unifying Northern Ireland with the rest of the island under Irish government sovereignty)

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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

harp, shamrock (trefoil); national colors: blue, green

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy. Ireland was among the initial group of 12 EU nations that began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002. GDP growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply during the world financial crisis and the subsequent collapse of its domestic property market and construction industry. Faced with sharply reduced revenues and a burgeoning budget deficit from efforts to stabilize its fragile banking sector, the Irish Government introduced the first in a series of draconian budgets in 2009. These measures were not sufficient to stabilize Ireland’s public finances. In 2010, the budget deficit reached 32.4% of GDP - the world's largest deficit, as a percentage of GDP. In late 2010, the former COWEN government agreed to a $92 billion loan package from the EU and IMF to help Dublin recapitalize Ireland’s banking sector and avoid defaulting on its sovereign debt. In March 2011, the KENNY government intensified austerity measures to meet the deficit targets under Ireland's EU-IMF bailout program.

In late 2013, Ireland formally exited its EU-IMF bailout program, benefiting from its strict adherence to deficit-reduction targets and success in refinancing a large amount of banking-related debt. In 2014, the economy rapidly picked up and GDP grew by 5.2%. The recovering economy assisted lowering the deficit to 2.5% of GDP. In late 2014, the government introduced a fiscally neutral budget, marking the end of the austerity program. Continued growth of tax receipts has allowed the government to lower some taxes and increase public spending while keeping to its deficit-reduction targets. In 2015, GDP growth exceeded 26%, the highest growth in the EU for two consecutive years. This dramatic increase reflected one-off statistical revisions, multinational corporate restructurings, and the aircraft leasing sector, rather than gains in the on the ground economy. Growth moderated to around 4.2% in 2016.

In the wake of the collapse of the construction sector and the downturn in consumer spending and business investment, the export sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, has become an even more important component of Ireland's economy. Ireland’s low corporation tax of 12.5% and a talented pool of high-tech laborers have been key factors in encouraging business investment. Loose tax residency requirements made Ireland a common destination for international firms seeking to avoid taxation. In 2014, amid growing international pressure, the government announced it would phase in more stringent tax laws, effectively closing a commonly used loophole.

$325.5 billion (2016 est.)

$305.8 billion (2015 est.)

$241 billion (2014 est.)

$304.4 billion (2016 est.)

5.1% (2016 est.)

25.5% (2015 est.)

8.3% (2014 est.)

$69,300 (2016 est.)

$66,500 (2015 est.)

$53,400 (2014 est.)

35.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

32.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

24% of GDP (2014 est.)

barley, potatoes, wheat; beef, dairy products

pharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer hardware and software, food products, beverages and brewing; medical devices

3% (2016 est.)

2.193 million (2016 est.)

7.9% (2016 est.)

9.5% (2015 est.)

8.2% (2013 est.)

31.3 (2013 est.)

35.9 (1987 est.)

27.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

-0.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

72.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

77.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

calendar year

-0.2% (2016 est.)

0% (2015 est.)

0.05% (31 December 2015)

0.15% (31 August 2014)

3.48% (31 December 2016 est.)

3.36% (31 December 2015 est.)

$156.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$146.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$204.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$206 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$287.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$305.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$128 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$143.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$170.1 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$10.17 billion (2016 est.)

$28.97 billion (2015 est.)

$206 billion (2016 est.)

$216.9 billion (2015 est.)

machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, medical devices, pharmaceuticals; foodstuffs, animal products

US 26%, UK 12.7%, Belgium 12.6%, Germany 6.7%, Switzerland 5.4%, Netherlands 5.1%, France 4.2% (2016)

$92.09 billion (2016 est.)

$94.26 billion (2015 est.)

data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

UK 28.8%, US 15.9%, France 12.6%, Germany 10.1%, Netherlands 4.7% (2016)

$3.591 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$2.203 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$2.47 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)

$2.35 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

$1.411 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.381 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.404 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.403 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.9214 (2016 est.)

0.885 (2015 est.)

0.885 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

0.7752 (2012 est.)

25.2 billion kWh (2015 est.)

23.79 billion kWh (2015 est.)

1.583 billion kWh (2016 est.)

871 million kWh (2016 est.)

9.557 million kW (2015 est.)

68.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

2.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

29.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

65,390 bbl/day (2016 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)

64,310 bbl/day (2016 est.)

151,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)

31,540 bbl/day (2016 est.)

119,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)

132 million cu m (2015 est.)

5.06 billion cu m (2015 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

4.234 billion cu m (2015 est.)

9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

34 million Mt (2013 est.)

publicly owned broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) operates 2 TV stations; commercial TV stations are available; about 75% of households utilize multi-channel satellite and TV services that provide access to a wide range of stations; RTE operates 4 national radio stations and has launched digital audio broadcasts on several stations; a number of commercial broadcast stations operate at the national, regional, and local levels (2014)

.ie

EI (2016)

40 (2013)

gas 2,147 km (2013)

956 km (pleasure craft only) (2010)

0.34% of GDP (2016)

0.35% of GDP (2015)

0.47% of GDP (2014)

0.5% of GDP (2013)

0.51% of GDP (2012)

Irish Defence Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireannn), Permanent Defence Forces (PDF): Army, Naval Service, Air Corps; Reserve Defence Forces (RDF): Army, Naval Service Reserves (2014)

18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service recruits to the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF; 18-27 years of age for the Naval Service); 18-28 for cadetship (officer) applicants; 18-35 years of age for the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF); maximum obligation 12 years (PDF officers), 5 years (PDF enlisted), 3 years RDF (4 years for Naval Service Reserves); EU citizenship, refugee status, or 5-year residence in Ireland required (2014)

Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; 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