Ireland is a European country located northwest of the continent. Its territory is not physically connected to Europe, as it occupies a large island located west of the United Kingdom. Irish territory covers an area of 70,284 km², home to around 4.5 million inhabitants.
The country currently occupies a prominent place in the socioeconomic aspect, as it has the fifth best per capita income in the world and the fifth best HDI (Human Development Index) on the planet, with a high quality of life.
Dublin, capital of Ireland.
The island of Ireland is divided by the Republic of Ireland (it occupies a large part of the territory) and Northern Ireland. On the west coast of Ireland there are hills and low mountains, while in the center of the country the surface is relatively flat, cut by rivers like the Shannon; in addition to the presence of large lakes, such as the Loughs. The prevailing climate is oceanic temperate, with summers being almost not hot and winters are harsh.
The Irish economy is not large, yet it is modern and strongly linked and dependent on the trade sector. The country's economy was extremely involved with agriculture, however, currently this importance was transferred to the industrial sector, which represents 38% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) national. The industry accounts for 80% of exports and about 28% of the PEA (Economically Active Population) is operating in this sector.
The population is ethnically made up of Europeans (96%, being 88.8% Irish and 7.2% from other countries), Asians (1.1%), Africans (0.8%), Americans (0.5%), Australians and New Zealanders (0.1%) and others (1,5%).
In the Republic of Ireland, the official languages are: Irish, native Celtic and English (secondary official). As for religion, 86.8% consider themselves Catholics, the rest are from the Church of Ireland, in addition to adherents of Judaism and Protestantism.
General data
Name: Republic of Ireland.
Coat of Arms:
Gentile: Irish.
Capital: Dublin.
Government: Parliamentary Republic.
Independence: from the United Kingdom - on April 24, 1916 and recognized on December 6, 1922.
Entry into the European Union: January 1, 1973.
Income per capita: 47,168 dollars.
HDI (Human Development Index): 0.895 (very high).
Life expectancy: 78.6 years.
Literacy: 99.9%.
Euro currency.
Official site: www.irlgov.ie
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By Eduardo de Freitas
Graduated in Geography
Brazil School Team
Countries of the world - geography - Brazil School
