QUICK FACTS

LOCATION: Atlantic Europe

CAPITAL CITY: Dublin

OFFICIAL BORDERS: Northern Ireland

CURRENCY: Euro

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary republic

RELIGION: Christianity

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE(S): English and Irish

SURFACE AREA: 70.300 km²

POPULATION: 4.760.000

GEOGRAPHY

• The Republic of Ireland occupies the central and southern part of the entire island, precisely 5/6 of it (the remaining part is occupied by Northern Ireland, which is instead a UK region)

• The territory is three times as big as Sicily

• As it is an insular state, it is surrounded by:

  • The North Atlantic Ocean to the north and west

  • The Irish Sea to the east

  • The Celtic Sea to the south

GEOGRAPHY

• The territory is mainly covered in plains and hills used for grazing

• As the typical landscapes are mostly colored green, the whole country is also called the "Emerald Isle"

• Reliefs are located in the south part and they are not that high (peaks generally don't reach 1000 meters)

• The highest peak is Mount Carrauntoohil, which attracts hikers and climbers from all over the world

CLIMATE

• Due to its location, Ireland enjoys an Atlantic Climate: it is constantly windy and it has a high humidity rate

• However, winds coming from south-west and the warm Gulf Stream contribute in keeping the temperature mild even in winter

• Precipitations are very frequent, but they are mostly short and slight

• Especially in the winter season, there is often fog in the plains

• In addition to the fog, the sky is almost always covered with clouds and this phenomenon helps in creating unique lighting effects

COASTS

• Irish coastline attracts tourists from all over the world due to its uniqueness and geographical features

• There are green headlands, small villages and lots of cliffs

• However, their shape changes from region to region:

  • In the western part, coasts are high and rocky with deep bays

  • in the eastern and southern part, coasts are straight and sandy

• Cliffs of Moher are very beautiful and famous, as they are the result of violent winter storms and Atlantic waves

RIVERS AND LAKES

• Due to its humid climate, there are lots of rivers and lakes

• The longest river is Shannon (365 km), running through a large part of the island and flowing into the Atlantic Ocean

• Most of rivers are navigable, thanks to abundant and slow waters

• Lakes are numerous but small, almost all of glacial origin

• The largest lake is Lough Corrib, which covers 176 km² and it is located in the west part of the country

POPULATION

• The country suffered a decrease in its population over the last two centuries, due to the fact that it had long been the poorest among the British Isles with an economy mainly based on agriculture

• This condition led people to emigrate to the UK or the USA

• The first major depopulation happened in 1845, after a dramatic famine caused by poor potato harvests (one of the staple foods)

• Following that event, the country experienced a rapid economic recovery and now attracts immigrants from all over the world

POPULATION

• Ireland can boast a high quality of life

• It is currently experiencing an increase regarding the birth rate and a decrease regarding the death rate

• Due to this, the Irish population is among the youngest in Europe

• The eastern part is the most inhabited, especially the city of Dublin, as there are better job opportunities than in the rest of the country

• The second most populated city is Cork, in the south of Ireland

RELIGION

• Almost 80% of population is Catholics

• Belonging to this religion is considered an important feature in terms of the country's identity, as the Catholicism has always exercised a strong influence in all areas of social life (from the family to education)

• In addition, it sharply distinguished the Republic of Ireland from:

  • Great Britain, mostly Anglican and Protestant

  • Northern Ireland, mostly Anglican

• Christianity has been introduced to the country thanks to Saint Patrick, who later has become Saint Patron of Ireland

LANGUAGE

• Irish, also known as Gaelic, is the national language

• This dialect has a Celtic origin, it is taught in schools along with English and it is among the official languages of the European Union

• Irish and English has the same status in the whole country: street signs, street names and public documents are bilingual

• Even if it uses the Latin alphabet, its pronunciation is pretty difficult

• However, only 38% of population speaks Irish everyday as the majority of them prefer speaking in English

ECONOMY

• Until the 1950s, the Irish economy was mainly based on agriculture and livestock farming

• Potatoes and lots of cereals are the most produced

• The majority of the milk, meat and wool production is exported

• After joining the European Union, the economy finally became more advanced thanks to financial supports for the development of high technology (electronics, IT and pharmaceuticals)

• Subsoil is rich in peat used for fuel and methane gas used as an energy source, together with wind energy

ECONOMY

• Tourism represents a significant industry, thanks to landmarks of biggest cities (Dublin, Cork and Galway) and unique landscapes

• In addition, it is in Ireland that the low-cost air travel industry was born with the famous airline Ryanair

• After the economic crisis of 2008, the country suffered a sharp rise in unemployment but it quickly recovered

• Nowadays, the Gross Domestic Product is among the highest, thanks to the law whereby foreign companies can open branches by paying few taxes (such as Microsoft, Facebook & Google)

HISTORY

• For centuries, Ireland has been a former British colony

• The country gained independence in 1922, thanks to a two-year war

• After that tragic event, for several years continued to be part of the newest Commonwealth but it decided to left afterwards

• Since 1949, it has become a parliamentary republic

• In addition, since 1973 the country has joined the European Union and it has adopted Euro as its currency