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IRELAND
Year of EU entry 1973
Political system Republic
Capital city Dublin
Total area 70,000 km2
Population 4 million
Currency euro |
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Overview
Since joining the European Union in 1973, the Republic of Ireland (Eire) 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.
Economy
Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 7% in 1995-2004. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labour force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment.
Per capita GDP is 10% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programmes designed to curb price and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increase labour force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002, along with 11 other EU nations.
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