GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland
in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Map references: Europe
Area:
total area: 70,280 sq km
land area: 68,890 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total 360 km, UK 360 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: Northern Ireland question with the UK;
Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland,
and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement
in the Rockall area)
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
Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, petroleum, barite,
copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
Land use:
arable land: 14%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 71%
forest and woodland: 5%
other: 10%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural
runoff
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified
- Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Note: strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
within 60 miles of Dublin
