Ireland
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Dublin
- Population
- 5,233,461 (2024 est.)
- Area
- 70,273 sq km
- Government
- parliamentary republic
- Languages
- English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 37.7% of the population)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 69.2% (includes lapsed), Protestant 3.7% (Church of Ireland/England/Anglican/Episcopalian 2.5%, other Protestant 1.2%), Orthodox 2%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 1.6%, other 1.4%, agnostic/atheist 0.1%, none 14.5%, unspecified 6.7% (2022 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Irish 76.6%, Irish travelers 0.6%, other White 9.9%, Asian 3.3%, Black 1.5%, other (includes Arab, Roma, and persons of mixed backgrounds) 2%, unspecified 2.6% (2022 est.)
- Currency
- euros (EUR)
- Life Expectancy
- 82 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .ie
- Climate
- temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
- Terrain
- mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
- Natural Resources
- natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
- Major Exports
- vaccines, packaged medicine, nitrogen compounds, integrated circuits, hormones (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
Celtic tribes arrived in Ireland between 600 and 150 B.C. Norse invasions that began in the late 8th century finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.