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Europe > Ireland > introduction.
| IRELAND |
The Irish are
known for many things: for St Patrick’s Day and four-leaf clover; for Guinness and
for its almost mythical natural beauty; for the string of deep-blue Lakes of Killarney,
for the serene, lovely Connemara Mountains and for the mystic beauty of the limestone
desert called the Burren, for the wildly dramatic Giant’s Causeway and the many hues
of green in the Glens of Antrim. |
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Ireland has been
called the `Emerald Isle’- and with good reason too. Immortalised in poetry and
prose, in painting and in tourist literature too, Ireland with its historic cities and the
legendary warmth and hospitality of its people is an attractive destination as more and
more visitors find out year after year! Yes, for an island as small as it is, Ireland is
well known.
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F A C
T B O X |
| Full Country Name |
Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland – part of the UK |
| Area |
84,421 sq km; 70,282 sq km (Republic of Ireland), 14,139 sq km (Northern Ireland) |
| Population |
5.2 million (3.6 million – Republic of Ireland, 1.6 million – (Northern
Ireland) |
| Capital City |
Dublin (Republic of Ireland), Belfast (Northern Ireland) |
| People |
Irish |
| Religion |
Christian (95% Roman Catholic; 3.4% Protestant) |
| Language |
English, Irish (Gaelic) |
| Government |
Democracy |
| Prime Minister |
Bertie Ahern (Republic of Ireland), Tony Blair (UK) |
| Head of State |
Dr Mary McAleese (President, Republic of Ireland), Queen Elizabeth II (UK) |
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