STATISTICS: IRELAND

Ireland Official name: ire (Irish); Ireland{1} (English). Form of government: unitary multiparty republic with two legislative houses (Senate ; House of Representatives ). Chief of state: President. Head of government: Prime Minister. Capital: Dublin. Official languages: Irish; English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 Irish pound (Ir) = 100 new pence; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 Ir = U.S.$1.49 = 0.88. Demography Population (1998): 3,647,000. Density (1997): persons per sq mi 134.4, persons per sq km 51.9. Urban-rural (1996): urban 58.0%; rural 42.0%. Sex distribution (1996): male 49.64%; female 50.36%. Age breakdown (1996): under 15, 23.7%; 15-24, 17.5%, 25-44, 28.0%; 45-59, 15.6%; 60-74, 12.3%; 75 and over, 2.9%. Population projection: (2000) 3,673,000; (2010) 3,837,000. Religious affiliation (1991): Roman Catholic 91.6%; Church of Ireland (Anglican) 2.5%; Presbyterian 0.4%; other 5.5%. Major cities (1996){3}: Dublin 480,996; Cork 127,092; Galway 57,095. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1996): 13.9 (world avg. 25.0). Death rate per 1,000 population (1996): 8.7 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1996): 5.2 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1994): 1.8. Life expectancy at birth (1990-92): male 72.3 years; female 77.9 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1996): heart and circulatory diseases 385.2, of which ischemic heart diseases 210.0; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 201.8; respiratory disease 131.6, of which pneumonia 62.7. National economy Budget (1997). Revenue: Ir 13,584,100,000 (income taxes 36.3%, value-added tax 25.5%, excise taxes 18.2%). Expenditures: Ir 14,996,000,000 (social welfare 30.6%, health 16.5%, debt service 15.2%, education 14.7%). Public debt (1995): U.S.$48,449,000,000. Tourism (1995): receipts U.S.$2,688,000,000; expenditures U.S.$2,030,000,000. Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): sugar beets 1,485,000, barley 1,225,000, wheat 771,000, potatoes 733,000, oats 146,000, milk 51,900,000{4} hectolitres; livestock (number of live animals){5} 7,934,000 sheep, 7,423,000 cattle, 1,620,000 pigs; roundwood (1995) 2,204,000 cu m; fish catch (1995) 412,722. Mining and quarrying (1994): gypsum 367,300; zinc ore 194,000{6}; lead ore 53,700{6}. Manufacturing (value added in Ir; 1990): metals and engineering goods 3,237,500,000; food products 1,828,300,000; chemical products 1,492,600,000. Construction (1996): residential 4,167,000 sq m; nonresidential 3,531,000 sq m. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 17,105,000,000 (17,105,000,000); coal (metric tons; 1994) 1,000 (2,695,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 1994) none (16,764,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) 2,213,000 (4,879,000); natural gas (cu m; 1994) 2,565,000,000 (2,565,000,000). Gross national product (1996): U.S.$62,040,000,000 (U.S.$17,110 per capita). Population economically active (1996): total 1,475,000; activity rate 40.7% (participation rates: ages 15-64, 59.2%{7}; unemployed 11.9%{8}). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1996) 3.3; income per household (1994-95): Ir 16,224 (U.S.$25,100); expenditure (1996){9}: food and beverages 35.4%, transportation 13.9%, rent/household goods 11.6%. Foreign trade{10} Imports (1995): Ir 20,347,300,000 (machinery and transport equipment 42.4%, chemicals 12.9%, manufactured goods 11.5%, food 7.2%, petroleum and petroleum products 3.3%, crude materials [inedible] 2.0%, beverages and tobacco 1.0%). Major import sources: U.K. 35.5% U.S. 17.5%; Germany 7.1%; Japan 5.2%; Singapore 4.0%; France 3.8%; The Netherlands 2.7%. Exports (1995): Ir 27,680,900,000 (machinery and transport equipment 34.6%, chemical products 18.8%, food 17.5%, manufactured goods 4.8%). Major export destinations: U.K. 25.7%; Germany 14.4%; France 9.4%; U.S. 8.2%. Transport Transport. Railroads (1995): route length 1,947 km; passenger-km 1,331,900,000; metric ton-km cargo 573,000,000. Roads (1995): length 92,340 km (paved 94%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 990,384; trucks and buses 155,153. Air transport (1996){11}: passenger-km 5,126,177,000; metric ton-km cargo 102,055,000; airports (1996) 9. Education and health Educational attainment (1991). Percentage of population age 15 and over having: primary education or no schooling 33.7%; secondary 42.7%; some postsecondary 12.6%; university or like institution 11.0%. Health: physicians (1984) 5,180 (1 per 681 persons); hospital beds (1994) 11,853{12} (1 per 301 persons); infant mortality rate (1994) 5.9. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 3,638 (vegetable products 69%, animal products 39%); 145% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1995): 12,900 (army 84.5%, navy 7.7%, air force 7.8%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 1.3% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$193. {1} As provided by the constitution; the 1948 Republic of Ireland Act provides precedent for this longer formulation of the official name but, per official sources, "has not changed the usage Ireland as the name of the state in the English language." {2} Includes 11 nonelective seats. {3} County boroughs. {4} 1995. {5} June. {6} Metal content of ores. {7} 1988. {8} April. {9} November. {10} Import figures are c.i.f. in balance of trade. {11} Aer Lingus only. {12} Acute-care public hospitals only.