World Country Guide

Population
4,048,800 (2004).

Population Density
56.7 per sq km.

Capital
Dublin. Population: 1,144,400 (2004).

Geography
The Republic of Ireland lies in the north Atlantic Ocean and is separated from Britain by the Irish Sea to the east. The northeastern part of the island (Northern Ireland) is part of the United Kingdom. The country has a central plain surrounded by a rim of mountains and hills offering some of the most varied and unspoilt scenery in Europe – quiet sandy beaches, semi-tropical bays warmed by the Gulf Stream, and rugged cliffs make up the 5600km (3500 miles) of coastline.

Government
Republic. Head of State: President Mary McAleese since 1997. Head of Government: Prime Minister Bertie Ahern since 1997.

Language
Irish (Gaelic) is the official language, spoken as a first language by about 55,000 people (mostly in the west). The majority speak English. Official documents are printed in both languages.

Religion
Roman Catholic 77 per cent, the remainder being Protestant, with Jewish and Islamic minorities.

Time
GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before the last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs are in use.

Communications

Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 353 followed by the area code, omitting the initial zero. Outgoing international code: 00.

Mobile telephone
GSM 900 networks cover the whole country. GSM 900/1800 networks operated by O2 Communications (Ireland) Ltd, Meteor (website: www.meteor.ie) and Vodafone (website: www.vodafone.ie). Handsets can be hired.

Fax
Facilities are widely available.

Internet
Public access is available free in libraries. Internet cafes exist in nearly every town. ISPs include Ireland On-Line (website: http://home.iol.ie).

Post
Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1730/1800, Sat 0900-1300. Sub-post offices close at 1300 one day a week. The Central Post Office is in O’Connell Street, Dublin.

Press
There are several daily newspapers published in Dublin including Evening Herald, the Irish Independent and The Irish Times; and two in Cork (Evening Echo and Irish Examiner). British dailies and Sunday papers are available.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.