AT A GLANCE
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Location:
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Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain |
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Geographic coordinates:
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53 00 N, 8 00 W |
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Area:
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total: 70,280 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km |
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Coastline:
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1,448 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time |
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Terrain:
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mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m |
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Natural resources:
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natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite |
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Land use:
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arable land: 15.2% permanent crops: 0.03% |
FACTS
Ireland is the most westerly country of the European Union, separated from
Great Britain by the North Channel on the northeast and the Irish Sea on the
east.
Ireland is an island of 84,288 sq. km (32,544 square miles).
Its greatest length is 485 km (302 miles), its greatest width 304 km (189
miles), and its coastline extends for over 5,631 km (3,500 miles).
The highest mountain is Carrantuohill (1,040 mtres/3,414 feet), near Killarney
in County Kerry.
The longest river is the Shannon (370 km/230 miles).
The largest lake is Lough Neagh (396 sq. km/153 square miles) in Northern
Ireland.
The country is divided into four historic provinces. Ulster (9 counties) in the
north; Munster (6 counties) in the south; Leinster (12 counties) in the east;
and Connacht (5 counties) in the west.
The population of the 32 counties of Ireland is approximately 5 million.