Ireland covers most of the island of the same name. The country borders in the northeast on Northern Ireland, which is an autonomous part of Great Britain. The country is divided into 26 counties, and a member of the EU since 1973. Ireland is often called the “green island” and is considered by many to have Europe’s most spectacular coastal landscape with lots of unspoilt nature. There are hundreds of castles, small picturesque villages and winding roads.
| Capital: | Dublin |
| Biggest city: | Dublin |
| State: | republic within the EU |
| Language: | Irish, English |
| Religion: | catholicism |
| Surface: | 70 280 km² |
| Population: | 4.6 million (2013) |
| Population density: | 60 residents per km² |
| Life expectancy: | 78 years |
| Illiteracy: | 1% |
| Currency: | euro (EUR) 1 euro = 9.76 kr |
| GDP per capita: | $ 39,000 (2010) |
| Time difference: | -1 hour |
| Electricity: | 220 V AC, 50Hz |
| National Day: | March 17 |
| Country area code: | 353 |
| 2-Letter country abbreviation: | IE (See more abbreviations on Abbreviationfinder) |
| Business: | service sector 69%, industry 18%, agriculture 13% |
| Climate: | temperate; chilly, humid winters in the north and mild summers; wetter in the west |
Beer is an important part of Irish culture. Much of the social life is centered around the pubs where you meet to talk and socialize. Irish Coffee is a famous coffee drink, and consists of coffee, cream, brown sugar and Irish whiskey. The drink is said to have been composed in the 1940s at Shannon’s airport to warm up frozen air passengers who had just arrived on an American flight.
World Heritage
The following objects in Ireland are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The year in which the item was added to the list is indicated in parentheses.
- Boyne Archaeological Site (1993)
- The monastery complex at Skellig Michael (1996)
ELECTRICAL OUTLET
Electricity and electrical outlets in Ireland
Voltage: 230 V
Frequency: 50 Hz
Type of plug: G
Need an adapter: Yes, Swedes need an adapter.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Weather in Dublin
| Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Christmas | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average temperature °C | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 7 |
| Day °C | 7 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 8 |
| Night °C | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
| Rain (mm) | 70 | 60 | 70 | 50 | 50 | 70 | 50 | 80 | 60 | 80 | 60 | 80 |
| Rainy days | 24 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
| Soltim / day | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Cork
Cork is Ireland’s second largest city with 123,000 residents (2002) in the city center and 186,000 residents (2002) in the metropolitan area. The city is located on the south coast and has a fairly important port. It is also home to the Irish Navy.
The city has a rich social life with many events such as an annual film festival, jazz music festival, Irish dancing and choir singing as well as an entertainment life with discos, nightclubs and traditional Irish public life. In Cork you can also engage in sports such as horse riding, golf, cycling, tennis, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and fishing.
Dublin
According to Countryaah, Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland. It is located near the center of Ireland’s east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and in the middle of County Dublin. Dublin was founded as a Viking settlement and has been Ireland’s most important city since the Middle Ages. Today, Dublin is the economic, administrative and cultural capital of Ireland, and is one of Europe’s fastest growing capitals.
In a 2003 interview with the BBC, 11,200 residents of 112 urban and agricultural communities were asked which was the best capital. Dublin was voted the best in Europe to live in, and Ireland as the best country in Europe.
The city has a world-famous literary history that has produced several famous literary figures. As the birthplace of William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett, Dublin also has three Nobel Prize winners in literature – more than any other city in the world. Other influential writers and playwrights from Dublin are Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and the creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker.
The city is perhaps best known for being the place where some of James Joyce’s work takes place. Dubliners is a collection of short stories by Joyce about incidents and characters typical of city dwellers in the early 20th century. His most successful book, Odysseus, also takes place in Dublin with several topographical details.
Dublin’s nightlife is large and the city is one of the cities with the most young people in Europe where 50 percent of the population is under 25 years old. In 2007, the city was also voted by TripAdvisor as the friendliest city in Europe. Like the rest of Ireland, there are pubs directly adjacent to the city center and almost every street. Around St. Stephen’s Green – mainly Harcourt Street, Camden Street, Wexford Street and Leeson Street – is home to some of Dublin’s most popular nightclubs and pubs.
Live music is popularly played in the streets and arenas across Dublin and the city is known for several bands with international success such as Thin Lizzy and U2.
Galway
Galway is a town in the province of Connacht on the west coast of Ireland and the capital of the county of Galway. The city has 72,729 residents (2006). It is also Ireland’s fastest growing city. A famous football club from Galway is Galway United.