Irlanda

Features of Ireland
Ireland (pronounced [ˈaɪrlənd] ( listen); Irish: Éire [ˈeːɾʲə] ( listen); Ulster Scots: Airlann or Airlan) is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth.[4] To its east is the larger island of Great Britain, from which it is separated by the Irish Sea.
Politically, the island isdivided between the Republic of Ireland, which covers just under five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, which covers the remainder and is located in the northeast of the island. The population of Ireland is approximately 6.4 million. Just under 4.6 million live in the Republic of Ireland and just under 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland.[3]
Relatively low-lyingmountains surrounding a central plain epitomise Ireland's geography with several navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation, a product of its mild but changeable oceanic climate, which avoids extremes in temperature. Thick woodlands covered the island until the 17th century. Today, it is the most deforested area in Europe.[5] There are twenty-six extant mammal speciesnative to Ireland.
A Norman invasion in the Middle Ages gave way to a Gaelic resurgence in the 13th century. Over sixty years of intermittent warfare in the 1500s led to English dominance after 1603. In the 1690s, a system of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters, and was extended during the 18th century. In 1801, Ireland becamea part of the United Kingdom. A war of independence in the early 20th century led to the partition of the island, creating the Irish Free State, which became increasingly sovereign over the following decades. Northern Ireland remained a part of the United Kingdom and saw much civil unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s. This subsided following a political agreement in 1998. In 1973, bothparts of Ireland joined the European Economic Community.
Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures, particularly in the fields of literature and, to a lesser degree, science and education. A strong indigenous culture exists, as expressed for example through Gaelic games, Irish music and the Irish language, alongside mainstream Western culture, such as contemporary music anddrama, and a culture shared in common with Great Britain, as expressed through sports such as soccer, rugby and golf, and the English language.Ireland: Map and Location
Island Location: Ireland
is an island off western Europe in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Ireland is a divided country, with independent governments. . The Republic of Ireland (also called Ireland or Eire) occupies 5/6th of theisland of Ireland Northern Ireland occupies 1/6th of the island and is a part of the United Kingdom. Capital(s) Republic of Ireland: Dublin. Northern Ireland: Belfast Official languages: English and Gaelic. Size: The Republic of Ireland covers 27,135 square miles (70,280 sq km).Population: The population of Ireland is about 3,689,000 (as of 2000). Climate: Ireland has a cool, often-cloudy climate.Flag of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland's flag is tricolor, and is made of three equal-sized rectangles of orange, white, and green. The flag is twice as wide as it is tall. The green side is by the flagpole. This flag was first used in 1848. Colors in the flag represent the native population and religious beliefs in Ireland.Green: Signifies the native people of Ireland (most of whom are RomanCatholic). Orange: Represents the British supporters of William of Orange who settled in Northern Ireland in the 17th century (most of whom are Protestant). White: White occupies the center of the flag and signifies peace between these two groups of people.
Irish Provinces:
Commonly known as the Four Green Fields of Ireland. Irelands 4 provinces. Connacht is the north-western province of...