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
land: 68,890 sq km
water: 1,390 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
continental shelf: not specified
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: Carrauntoohill 1,041 m

Natural resources zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver

Land use
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 68%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 14% (1993 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, 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, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94

Geography - 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

NOTE: The information regarding Ireland on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ireland Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ireland Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.