Ireland | Geography | People | Economy | Innovations and Tourism

1. Ireland | Geography | People | Economy | Innovations and Tourism The Republic of Ireland is a beautiful country in Europe and loaded with so many notable spots and regions. Let's learn more about this interesting country. Geography Ireland is the 3rd largest island in Europe with a total land area of 84,421 km² which is separated from Great Britain by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St. George's Channel. Don't get confused with Northern Ireland, It is a separate country, some say it's a region but it's a constituent country of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland is divided into 26 counties, however, many also include the extra 6 from Northern Ireland and call it 32. There are three city councils: Dublin, Galway, and Cork. Historically, Ireland was divided into 4 provinces that many people still refer to today. They are: Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. The largest cities of Ireland after Dublin are Cork and Limerick In addition to being an island country itself, Ireland also has hundreds of little islands and islets.

2. The formation of Ireland is quite interesting. It is a post-glacial carved mineral and sandstone island with about 12 small mountain ranges in it. The majority of these mountains are located in the north, west, and south region of the country. The tallest peak of the country is Mount Carrauntoohil, which is about a thousand meters and the longest and most important river in whole Ireland is "The River Shannon". Demographics Ireland has about 4.9 million people in 2021 and has the highest birth rate in the whole European Union. About 84.5% of the country identifies as ethnically Irish, whereas about 9.1% of people are white of other nationalities, the remainder of the country belongs to other groups like Asians and Africans. English is the predominant language spoken in Ireland whereas their native Irish language is still spoken by very few people. Ireland is a culturally rich country. They have really unique dances, music, costumes and beliefs which most people find interesting. All religions are equally respected but the major religion in Ireland is Roman Catholic which is practiced by 78.3% of the total population. Prior to Christianity, the Irish were primarily farmers and cattle herders. Modern Ireland is highly developed and peaceful. They have one of the highest wage rates in all of Europe and a very high Human Development Index at 0.955 (2nd rank in the world). Economy

3. Ireland has a highly developed free-market economy with an annual nominal GDP of 476 Billion USD in 2021. They are doing really well in terms of economic growth. They are the fastest- growing nation that ranks 7th in terms of Per Capita Income. The economy of Ireland is highly driven into the service sector (69.2%). The industry sector contributes around 38% of the GDP whereas agriculture is also an important part of the Irish economy as well. Computer Parts, Machinery, Beef, Pharmaceuticals Products, Chemicals, Fertilizers, and Beverages are major production and export items of Ireland. They do most of the trade with The US and UK whereas Germany, China, and the Netherlands also love to do business with Ireland. Do you know? Ireland has received most of the direct foreign investment in the whole of Europe. Ireland has a flexible foreign investment policy which makes foreign investors easily shift their business here in low tax and direct government support. Tourism Ireland is a very beautiful country because they have lots of things to offer. Naturally and culturally Ireland is just wow. Sometimes Ireland has been listed as the best tourism destination in the world. They have some popular landmarks and cultural reminiscences in Europe which are worth visiting. Tourism Destinations in Ireland The Cliffs of Moher Kilkee Seaside Resort Grafton Street, Dublin Dublin Castle Phoenix Park Killarney National Park Cork City Valentia Island Romantic Galway City Boyne Valley

4. If you are planning to visit Ireland, Don't worry, it's a very safe country, however, you will find Ireland a bit expensive. People are very helpful here. They will love to help with their ever- smiling face. Nature and Wildlife The west side of Ireland is home to the most notable landmark, breathtaking cliffs of Moher that rise about 120 meters straight up from the ocean. Ireland actually experiences decent weather, on average they remain about 9 degrees Celsius or about 17 degrees Fahrenheit warmer. This means that although Ireland lies on the same latitude as Newfoundland, Canada rarely reaches the freezing point, which means they hardly ever get snow. Ireland gets plenty of rain because of the island's position next to the Atlantic Ocean. You only get like two months of sunshine, and then it is back to the rainy season. Due to enough rain, Ireland flourishes in flora and agriculture giving it its trademark green color with green fields everywhere in the country. Common crops are potatoes, sugar beets, and grains like barley oats, and wheat which has a large portion that goes for the production of Beer. Animals like Irish Hare, Badger, Irish Setter, Red Fox, Pygmy Shrew, and Gray Wolves are found in Ireland. Innovations Irish are great innovators, even from the past. There are still some of the Great Irish Inventions which are still helping you regularly. They spend large amounts of their annual budget in Innovation and research sectors and students are taught technical and updated courses.

5. Do you know? Ireland is known as the Silicon Valley of Europe because of its advancement in the technology field. Some of the Innovations of Ireland Color Photography Radiotherapy The Modern Tractor Tank Cure for Leprosy Reflector Sight Modern Chemistry Tattoo Machines Seismograph International Relations No matter where you are in the world, you will surely find Irishman there. First of all, as an EU member state, Ireland has strong ties to many of their continental neighbouring countries, specifically to Catholic countries like France and Spain. In fact, about 60% of students in secondary school in Ireland learn French. Spain is not only a close ally but also it does good business with Ireland. It's also the No. 1 tourist destination for the Irish people. Shockingly, about a quarter of their entire population visits Spain at least once a year. S Lithuanians have been flocking to Ireland since the collapse of the Soviet Union after the 90s. In fact, they make up the third-largest immigrant group after the British and the Polish. Do you know? Polish make up around 8% of Ireland's population. Despite the past drama, Ireland gets along pretty well with the UK. A large portion of their trading comes from Britain and the Irish are an almost integral part of the common British atmosphere and about 19% of the total population of Ireland is UK nationals.

6. Especially they get closer with Scotland or the UK because Scots and the Irish are Celtic brothers because they have shared similar cultures and struggles. The USA is like their younger cousin who's a lot bigger and stronger. It is hard to believe to this day about 35 million Americans claim to have partial or full Irish ancestry.