Language
Irish, English and Shelta (a Roma language)
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	4.5 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	4.3 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	4.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	4.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	4.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	4.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	3.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	3.9 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	3.8 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
6.3 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
The Irish comprise 94 percent of the population, with a small English minority.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Catholic 92 percent, Anglican 2 percent
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2006	60.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	60.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	60.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	59.9 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	59.6 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	59.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	59.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1918 1928
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
96 (2007)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15

2005	20.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	20.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	20.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	20.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	21.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	21.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Time zone
GMT

Climate description
Temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time.

Currency
Euro

Telephone dialling code
(+) 353

Driving (left/right)
Left

Average life expectancy

2005	78.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	77.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	77.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	76.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	76.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	76.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	76.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	75.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	75.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	74.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	74.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	74.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	80.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	80.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	80.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	79.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	79.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	79.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	4 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	4 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	5 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	5 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	4 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	5 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	6 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	6 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	6 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	100 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	No data available percent
1995-2000	No data available percent

Maternal mortality

2005	1 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	5 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	5	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	4	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	8	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	10	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	12	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	18	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	<5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	<2.5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	<2.5 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water
No data available percent

Population with access to improved sanitation
No data available percent

Literacy - average

2004	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	99.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	496 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	514 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	514 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	490 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	491 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	486 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	501 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	481 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	482 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	1138 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	1144 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	1110 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	1020 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	941 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	871 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	761 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	768 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	647 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	646 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	570 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	510 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	370 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	340 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	310 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	259 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	232 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	179 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	16 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	17 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	18 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	19 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	17 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	18 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	23	Transparency International
2001	18 (joint)	Transparency International
2000	19	Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	47610 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	44990 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	41490 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	35280 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	28750 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	23780 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	23110 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	23160 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	259.0 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	219.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	200.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	184.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	157.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	122.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	104.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	96.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	5.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	5.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	4.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	4.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	6.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	5.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	9.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	2.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	2.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	2.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	2.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	2.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	4.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	5.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	5.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
2.9 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
27.2 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians

2000-2004	279 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	279 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	239 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	226 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	0.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	12 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	12 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	13 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	14 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

Number of refugees originating here

2008	7	UNHCR
2007	10	UNHCR
2006	4	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	21	UNHCR
2004	3	UNHCR
2003	No data available
2002	No data available
2001	No data available
2000	No data available

Number of refugees residing here

2008	9730	UNHCR
2007	9333	UNHCR
2006	7917	UNHCR
2005	7113	UNHCR
2004	7201	UNHCR
2003	5971	UNHCR
2002	5380	UNHCR
2001	3598	UNHCR
2000	2543	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	0.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	0.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	0.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	4.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	4.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	5.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	4.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	4.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	5.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	5.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	5.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	4.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	5.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003