Land area: 26,598 sq mi (68,889 sq km);

Total area: 27,135 sq mi (70,280 sq km)

Population (2009 est.): 4,203,200 (growth rate: 1.1%); birth rate: 14.2/1000; infant mortality rate: 5.0/1000; life expectancy: 78.2; density per sq km: 60

Capital (2003 est.): Dublin, 1,018,500

Other large cities: Cork, 193,400; Limerick, 84,900; Galway, 67,200

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly Irish pound [punt])

 

National name: Éire

Current government officials

Languages: English, Irish (Gaelic) (both official)

Ethnicity/race: Celtic, English

Religions: Roman Catholic 88%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 2%, none 4%

National Holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, March 17

Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $187.5 billion; per capita $45,600. Real growth rate: 5%. Inflation: 4.7%. Unemployment: 4.2%. Arable land: 16%. Agriculture: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products. Labor force: 2.21 million (2007 est.); agriculture 6%, industry 27%, services 67% (2006 est.). Industries: steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glass and crystal; software, tourism. Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver. Exports: $124.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products. Imports: $90.35 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing. Major trading partners: U.S., UK, Belgium, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy (2006).