Ireland country profile

27 August 2006
by eub2 -- last modified 03 January 2008

Since joining the European Union in 1973, the Republic of Ireland (Éire) has transformed itself from a largely agricultural society into a modern, technologically advanced Celtic Tiger economy.

Éire Ireland

Since joining the European Union in 1973, the Republic of Ireland (Éire) has transformed itself from a largely agricultural society into a modern, technologically advanced Celtic Tiger economy.

Agricultural lowlands make up most of the interior, which is broken in places by low hills and includes considerable areas of bogs and lakes. There are coastal mountains to the west, rising to over 1 000m in places. Nearly a third of the population live in Dublin.

The Dáil, or lower house of Parliament, is composed of 166 members while the Seanad, or upper house, has 60 members. Parliamentary elections are held every five years.

Although the history of Ireland has seen troubles and turbulence, its people have always been associated with a love of music and storytelling. Often referred to as the land of saints and scholars, the country is the birthplace of many famous English-language writers, such as Yeats, Joyce, Beckett, Wilde and Shaw. Ireland is home to internationally known rock bands and singers such as U2, The Corrs and Sinead O’Connor.

Simple meat dishes and boiled vegetables such as the potato, carrot, turnip and parsnip form the principal ingredients of traditional Irish cooking.

Area: 70 282 km²
Population: 4.2 million
Capital city: Dublin
Currency: 1 euro = 100 cent
National day: 17 March
EU-membership: 1 January 1973 (EC)

Head of State: President Mary McAleese
Head of Government: Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern
Foreign Minister: Dermot Ahern
Government: Coalition: Fianna Fáil (FF, Republican Party), Progressive Democrats (PD, Progressive Democrats)
Parliament: Bicameral: Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives), 166 members, elections every 5 years
Seanad Éireann (Senate), 60 members

GDP: € 159.6 billion (2005)
GDP per capita in PPS: € 38 818 (2005)
Economic growth in real terms: + 6.2% (2006, estimate)

Links:
Head of State: http://www.president.ie
Head of Government: http://www.gov.ie
Foreign Minister: http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie
Parliament: http://www.oireachtas.ie

Map of Ireland

Source: European Commission, Slovenia EU Presidency