onwealth; 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 currently being implemented.

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: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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: zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum,
limestone, dolomite, peat, silver

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (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-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent
Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,
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

People Ireland

Population: 3,883,159 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.3% (male 425,366; female 403,268) 15-64
years: 67.3% (male 1,307,469; female 1,305,038) 65 years and over: 11.4%
(male 191,927; female 250,091) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.07% (