first time since 1979 the value of the
Irish pound exceeds that of its British counterpart.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $42.4 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
2% (1992)
National product per capita:
$12,000 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 22.7% (1992)
Budget:
revenues $16.0 billion; expenditures $16.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $1.6 billion (1992 est.)
Exports:
$28.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals,
animal products
partners:
EC 75% (UK 32%, Germany 13%, France 10%), US 9%
Imports:
$23.3 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
commodities:
food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum
products, machinery, textiles, clothing
partners:
EC 66% (UK 41%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 4%), US 15%
External debt:
$15 billion (1990)
Industrial production:
growth rate 8.0% (1992 est.); accounts for 37% of GDP
Electricity:
5,000,000 kW capacity; 14,500 million kWh produced, 4,120 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal

*Ireland, Economy

Agriculture:
accounts for 11% of GDP and 13% 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
Economic aid:
donor - ODA commitments (1980-89), $90 million
Currency:
1 Irish pound (#Ir) = 100 pence
Exchange rates:
Irish pounds (#Ir) per US$1 - 0.6118 (January 1993), 0.5864 (1992), 0.6190
(1991), 0.6030 (1990), 0.7472 (1989), 0.6553 (1988)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

*Ireland, Communications

Railroads:
Irish National Railways (CIE) operates 1,947 km 1.602-meter gauge,
government owned; 485 km double track; 37 km electrified
Highways: 92,294 km total; 87,422 km paved, 4,872 km gravel or crushed stone
Inland waterways:
limited for commercial traffic
Pipelines:
natural gas 225 km
Ports:
Cork, Dublin, Waterford
Merchant marine:
57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 154,647 GRT/186,432 DWT; includes 4
short-sea passenger, 33 cargo, 2 refrigerated cargo, 4 container, 3 oil
tanker, 3 specialized tanker, 3 chemical tanker, 5 bulk
Airports:
t