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Ireland: Geography
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Location:
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Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
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Geographic coordinates:
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53 00 N, 8 00 W
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total: 70,280 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than West Virginia
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Land boundaries:
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total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km
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Coastline:
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1,448 km
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
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Climate:
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temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
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Terrain:
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mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
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Natural resources:
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zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
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Land use:
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arable land: 19.49%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 80.47% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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NA
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin
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