Ireland: Background & Geography

Introduction Ireland
Background:
 Celtic tribes settled on the island from 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is being implemented with some difficulties.
Geography Ireland
Location:
 Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Geographic coordinates:
 53 00 N, 8 00 W
Map references:
 Europe
Area:
 total: 70,280 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km
Area - comparative:
 slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
 total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km
Coastline:
 1,448 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
Climate:
 temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain:
 mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Elevation extremes:
 lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
Natural resources:
 natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
Land use:
 arable land: 19.49%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 80.47% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 NA sq km
Natural hazards:
 NA
Environment - current issues:
 water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements:
 party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
 strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin

See Also: