Ireland

Ireland forms part of the continent of Europe, where it has a coastal position and is bordered by the United Kingdom, the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Europe is the world's second smallest continent, occupying a total area of 10,180,000 km2. Europe has 51 countries, with some countries belonging to both Europe and Asia, and forms 6.8% of the world's landmass. Ireland is a coastal country that encompasses a total area of approximately 70,273 km2. It is one of Europe's smaller countries. The Republic of Ireland shares the same island as Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom.

The following details provide a guide to Ireland's approximate border lengths:
Coastline 1,448 km, UK 443 km.

Ireland has a temperate climate characterized by overcast, mild conditions. The summer is generally cool and the winter season is usually mild, with temperatures being moderated by the North Atlantic Current. The geography of Ireland consists of rolling plains, flatland and hilly areas, low mountainous areas and coastal regions. The lowest point of Ireland is the Atlantic Ocean at 0m, and the highest point of elevation is Carrauntoohil at 1,041m.

The official languages of Ireland are English and Irish. The Irish language is also known as Gaelic or Gaeilge, and it is spoken by approximately 40 percent of the population, particularly on the western coast of Ireland.

The main religion of Ireland is Roman Catholic at approximately 78% of the population. The rest of the population either belongs to other religions or no religion at all.

Natural resources can be defined as materials and substances that occur naturally on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. The level of natural resources present in an individual country depends on varying factors which are influenced by the geography, climate and location of that country. Some countries, such as Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada, have many natural resources, where as some other countries have limited to none. Food, construction and transport are three primary examples of uses of natural resources. The following information provides examples of these uses: fish occurs naturally in streams, rivers, lakes and oceans, and can be caught for food consumption. Wood/timber can be extracted from forests for construction purposes, i.e. to build homes and furniture. Crude oils can be refined into different kinds of fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. The natural resources of Ireland include natural gas, peat, copper, zinc, lead, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone and dolomite.

Each country has its own individual culture, history and identity. Flags, emblems, symbols, mottos, colors, anthems and songs represent the national pride and identity of countries worldwide. These national symbols are created through the unique history of a nation and can portray both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, colors, songs and mottos reflect the past, present and future aspirations of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can represent a combination of things that are important to a country such as birds, animals, plants, geographical features, tools of agriculture, crops, and tools of war. The following facts depict some of the national symbols, songs and colors that are important to Ireland: