onsumption: 20.823 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 71 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 169 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat;
beef, dairy products

Exports: $75.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products

Exports - partners: EU 63% (UK 20%, Germany 11%, France 8%, Netherlands
6%, Belgium 5%), US 20% (2000)

Imports: $49.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

Imports - commodities: data processing equipment, other machinery and
equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners: EU 61% (UK 33%, Germany 6%, France 5%, Netherlands
4%), US 16%, Japan 4% (2000)

Debt - external: $11 billion (1998)

Economic aid - donor: ODA, $283 million (2001)

Currency: euro (EUR); Irish pound (IEP) note: on 1 January 1999, the
European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be
used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002,
the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the
member countries

Currency code: EUR; IEP

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Irish pounds per US dollar - 0.7014
(1998), 0.6588 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Ireland

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.59 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2 million (2001)

Telephone system: general assessment: modern digital system using cable
and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 2.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions: 1.82 million (2001)

Internet country code: .ie

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 22 (2000)

Internet users: 1.25 million (2001)

Transportation Ireland

Railways: total: 3,314 km broad gauge: 1,949 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km
electrified; 485 km double-tracked) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge
(operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations
and briqueting plants) (2001)

Highways: total: 92,500 km paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of
expressways) unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 700 k