ago, New York, and
San Francisco;
US--Ambassador Richard A. MOORE; Embassy at 42 Elgin Road,
Ballsbridge, Dublin; telephone p353o (1) 688777

Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange;
similar to the flag of the Ivory Coast which is shorter and has the colors
reversed--orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of
Italy which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red

- Economy
Overview: The economy is small, open, and trade dependent. Agriculture,
once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for
35% of GNP and about 80% of exports and employs 20% of the labor force. The
government has successfully reduced the rate of inflation from double-digit
figures in the late 1970s to about 4% in 1989. In 1987, after years of deficits,
the balance of payments was brought into the black. Unemployment, however,
is a serious problem. A 1989 unemployment rate of 17.7% placed Ireland
along with Spain as the countries with the worst jobless records in
Western Europe.

GDP: $31.4 billion, per capita $8,900; real growth rate 4.3% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.2% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 17.7% (1989)

Budget: revenues $10.9 billion; expenditures $11.2 billion, including
capital expenditures of $1.5 billion (1989)

Exports: $20.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--live animals,
animal products, chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery;
partners--EC 74% (UK 35%, FRG 11%, France 9%), US 8%

Imports: $17.3 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities--food, animal
feed, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles,
clothing; partners--EC 66% (UK 42%, FRG 9%, France 4%), US 16%

External debt: $16.1 billion (1988)

Industrial production: growth rate 9.5% (1989 est.)

Electricity: 4,957,000 kW capacity; 14,480 million kWh produced,
4,080 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal

Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GNP and 14.8% of the labor force;
principal crops--turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat;
livestock--meat and dairy products; 85% self-sufficient in food; food
shortages include bread grain, fruits, vegetables

Aid: NA

Currency: Irish pound (plural--pounds); 1 Irish pound (LIr) = 100 pence

Exchange rates: Irish pounds (LIr) per US$1--0.