English First/Official language?

Irish (Gaeilge) is recognised as the first official language of the Republic of Ireland, but is mainly spoken in the Gaeltacht areas (meaning Irish speaking region) which are mainly secluded areas on the west coast. The major one of them is Connemara, in the County of Galway, including the Aran Islands. Three Irish principal dialects are Ulster in the north, Munster in the south and Connacht in the central and western region of the island. The Irish belongs to the Gaelic division of Celtic languages.

The other official language, which is more commonly used, is English.  

 

Around 30% of the 3.5m population is able to speak Irish, and 5% use it regularly.

However, English is almost totally dominant in social, economic and cultural contexts.

English came to Ireland in the 17th Century where settlers were forbidden from talking to natives. Because the English were in power their language became powerful and since Irish speakers were usually poor their language was then seen as backwards. Some English is based on Irish language forms though.

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Capital City

Ireland is occupied by two political entities:

- Ireland (also sometimes 'Republic of Ireland'), a sovereign country, covers five-sixths of the island. Its capital is Dublin.

- Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, covers the remaining sixth. Its capital is Belfast.

Dublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. The English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region.

Originally founded as a Viking settlement, it evolved into the Kingdom of Dublin and became the island's primary city following the Norman invasion. The city population was 495,781 inhabitants in 2002. Today has one of the fastest growing populations of any European capital city.

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Population of the country

The last information on the population in Ireland is of beginning of 2009 and speaks about 6200000 inhabitants. Though it thinks that this number has increased lightly in the last months. As for the density of population it is necessary to say that it courts the 70 for km2.

Ireland is one of Europa's countries with the highest rate of birthrate (17 %), and one of the highest indexes of natural growth of the population (0,5 %). Also it contrasts with the rest of Europa for the youth of his population and the low index of urbanization (58 %).

Dublin and Cork are both cities with more than 100.000 inhabitants.

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Area of the country: How big is it?

Ireland covers an area of 70,286 square kilometers.

Ireland is the third biggest island in Europe. It is positioned towards the northwest of the European Continent and has the island of Great Britain towards its east. 

Traditionally, Ireland is subdivided into four provinces: Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster; and, in a political system that was developed between the 13th and 17th centuries, thirty-two countries. Twenty-six of the counties are in the Republic of Ireland, and six countries (six of Ulster's nine counties) are in Northern Ireland.

The "Irish Sea" that divides Ireland from Britain is only 17.6 kilometers across at its narrowest point.

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