Home

United Kingdom vs. Ireland

Introduction

United KingdomIreland
Background

The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic's withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998.

The UK has been an active member of the EU since its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU. The UK is scheduled to depart the EU on 31 January 2020, but negotiations on the future EU-UK economic and security relationship will continue throughout 2020 and potentially beyond.

Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century was responsible for a drop in the island's population by more than one quarter through starvation, disease, and emigration. For more than a century afterward, the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU.

The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. Deep sectarian divides between the Catholic and Protestant populations and systemic discrimination in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the "Troubles" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals.

Geography

United KingdomIreland
LocationWestern Europe, islands - including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland - between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of FranceWestern Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Geographic coordinates54 00 N, 2 00 W53 00 N, 8 00 W
Map referencesEuropeEurope
Areatotal: 243,610 sq km

land: 241,930 sq km

water: 1,680 sq km

note 1: the percentage area breakdown of the four UK countries is: England 53%, Scotland 32%, Wales 9%, and Northern Ireland 6%

note 2: includes Rockall and the Shetland Islands, which are part of Scotland
total: 70,273 sq km

land: 68,883 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km
Area - comparativetwice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregonslightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundariestotal: 499 km

border countries (1): Ireland 499 km
total: 490 km

border countries (1): UK 490 km
Coastline12,429 km1,448 km
Maritime claimsterritorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climatetemperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcasttemperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrainmostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeastmostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Elevation extremeshighest point: Ben Nevis 1,345 m

lowest point: The Fens -4 m

mean elevation: 162 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 118 m
Natural resourcescoal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable landnatural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite
Land useagricultural land: 71% (2018 est.)

arable land: 25.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 45.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 11.9% (2018 est.)

other: 17.1% (2018 est.)
agricultural land: 66.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 15.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 50.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.9% (2018 est.)

other: 23% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land950 sq km (2012)0 sq km (2012)
Natural hazardswinter windstorms; floodsrare extreme weather events
Environment - current issuesair pollution improved but remains a concern, particularly in the London region; soil pollution from pesticides and heavy metals; decline in marine and coastal habitats brought on by pressures from housing, tourism, and industrywater pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff; acid rain kills plants, destroys soil fertility, and contributes to deforestation
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - notelies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel (the Channel Tunnel or Chunnel); because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal watersstrategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin
Total renewable water resources147 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)52 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributionthe core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scotish lowlands between Endinburgh and Glasgow, southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and far eastern Northern Ireland centered on Belfastpopulation distribution is weighted to the eastern side of the island, with the largest concentration being in and around Dublin; populations in the west are small due to mountainous land, poorer soil, lack of good transport routes, and fewer job opportunities

Demographics

United KingdomIreland
Population67.081 million United Kingdom (June 2020 est.)

constituent countries by percentage of total population:
England 84.3%
Scotland 8.1%
Wales 4.7%
Northern Ireland 2.8%
5,224,884 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 17.63% (male 5,943,435/female 5,651,780)

15-24 years: 11.49% (male 3,860,435/female 3,692,398)

25-54 years: 39.67% (male 13,339,965/female 12,747,598)

55-64 years: 12.73% (male 4,139,378/female 4,234,701)

65 years and over: 18.48% (male 5,470,116/female 6,681,311) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 21.15% (male 560,338/female 534,570)

15-24 years: 12.08% (male 316,239/female 308,872)

25-54 years: 42.19% (male 1,098,058/female 1,085,794)

55-64 years: 10.77% (male 278,836/female 278,498)

65 years and over: 13.82% (male 331,772/female 383,592) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 40.6 years

male: 39.6 years

female: 41.7 years (2020 est.)
total: 37.8 years

male: 37.4 years

female: 38.2 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate0.48% (2021 est.)0.97% (2021 est.)
Birth rate11.77 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)12.6 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate9.41 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate2.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 81.3 years

male: 79.02 years

female: 83.7 years (2021 est.)
total population: 81.45 years

male: 79.12 years

female: 83.9 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate1.86 children born/woman (2021 est.)1.93 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rateNA0.2% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)

adjective: British
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)

adjective: Irish
Ethnic groupsWhite 87.2%, Black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.)Irish 82.2%, Irish travelers 0.7%, other White 9.5%, Asian 2.1%, Black 1.4%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSNA7,800 (2020 est.)

note: estimate does not include children
ReligionsChristian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7% (2011 est.)Roman Catholic 78.3%, Church of Ireland 2.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Orthodox 1.3%, Muslim 1.3%, other 2.4%, none 9.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deathsNA<100 (2020 est.)

note: estimate does not include children
LanguagesEnglish

note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 speakers in Scotland), Welsh (about 20% of the population of Wales), Irish (about 10% of the population of Northern Ireland), Cornish (some 2,000 to 3,000 people in Cornwall) (2012 est.)
English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 39.8% of the population as of 2016; mainly spoken in areas along Ireland's western coast known as gaeltachtai, which are officially recognized regions where Irish is the predominant language)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)total: 17 years

male: 17 years

female: 18 years (2018)
total: 20 years

male: 19 years

female: 20 years (2018)
Education expenditures5.4% of GDP (2017)3.5% of GDP (2017)
Urbanizationurban population: 84.2% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 63.9% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 97% of population

rural: 98.1% of population

total: 97.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 3% of population

rural: 1.9% of population

total: 2.6% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 97.7% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 98.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.3% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population9.426 million LONDON (capital), 2.750 million Manchester, 2.626 million Birmingham, 1.902 million West Yorkshire, 1.681 million Glasgow, 936,000 Southampton/Portsmouth (2021)1.242 million DUBLIN (capital) (2021)
Maternal mortality rate7 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Health expenditures10% (2018)6.9% (2018)
Physicians density2.81 physicians/1,000 population (2018)3.31 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density2.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)3 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate27.8% (2016)25.3% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth29 years (2018 est.)

note: data represent England and Wales only
30.7 years (2019 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate76.1% (2010/12)

note: percent of women aged 16-49
73.3% (2010)

note: percent of women aged 18-45
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 57.1

youth dependency ratio: 27.8

elderly dependency ratio: 29.3

potential support ratio: 3.4 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 54.8

youth dependency ratio: 32.3

elderly dependency ratio: 22.6

potential support ratio: 4.4 (2020 est.)

Government

United KingdomIreland
Country nameconventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales

conventional short form: United Kingdom

abbreviation: UK

etymology: self-descriptive country name; the designation "Great Britain," in the sense of "Larger Britain," dates back to medieval times and was used to distinguish the island from "Little Britain," or Brittany in modern France; the name Ireland derives from the Gaelic "Eriu," the matron goddess of Ireland (goddess of the land)
conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ireland

local long form: none

local short form: Eire

etymology: the modern Irish name "Eire" evolved from the Gaelic "Eriu," the name of the matron goddess of Ireland (goddess of the land); the names "Ireland" in English and "Eire" in Irish are direct translations of each other
Government typeparliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realmparliamentary republic
Capitalname: London

geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 05 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories

etymology: the name derives from the Roman settlement of Londinium, established on the current site of London around A.D. 43; the original meaning of the name is uncertain
name: Dublin

geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: derived from Irish "dubh" and "lind" meaning respectively "black, dark" and "pool" and which referred to the dark tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the River Liffey; today the area is the site of the castle gardens behind Dublin Castle
Administrative divisions

England: 26 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 56 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*);

two-tier counties: Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire

London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster

metropolitan districts: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton

unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset; Bedford; Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Bracknell Forest; Brighton and Hove; City of Bristol; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire East; Cheshire West and Chester; Cornwall; Darlington; Derby; Dorset; Durham County*; East Riding of Yorkshire; Halton; Hartlepool; Herefordshire*; Isle of Wight*; Isles of Scilly; City of Kingston upon Hull; Leicester; Luton; Medway; Middlesbrough; Milton Keynes; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; North Somerset; Northumberland*; Nottingham; Peterborough; Plymouth; Portsmouth; Reading; Redcar and Cleveland; Rutland; Shropshire; Slough; South Gloucestershire; Southampton; Southend-on-Sea; Stockton-on-Tees; Stoke-on-Trent; Swindon; Telford and Wrekin; Thurrock; Torbay; Warrington; West Berkshire; Wiltshire; Windsor and Maidenhead; Wokingham; York

Northern Ireland: 5 borough councils, 4 district councils, 2 city councils;

borough councils: Antrim and Newtownabbey; Ards and North Down; Armagh City, Banbridge, and Craigavon; Causeway Coast and Glens; Mid and East Antrim

district councils: Derry City and Strabane; Fermanagh and Omagh; Mid Ulster; Newry, Murne, and Down

city councils: Belfast; Lisburn and Castlereagh

Scotland: 32 council areas;

council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian

Wales: 22 unitary authorities;

unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, The Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen, Wrexham

28 counties and 3 cities*; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Cork*, Donegal, Dublin*, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Galway*, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
Independenceno official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union formally incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union formally unite England, Scotland, and Wales as Great Britain); 1 January 1801 (Acts of Union formally unite Great Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland); 6 December 1921 (Anglo-Irish Treaty formalizes partition of Ireland; six counties remain part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland); 12 April 1927 (Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act establishes current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)6 December 1921 (from the UK by the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which ended British rule); 6 December 1922 (Irish Free State established); 18 April 1949 (Republic of Ireland Act enabled)
National holidaythe UK does not celebrate one particular national holidaySaint Patrick's Day, 17 March; note - marks the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, during the latter half of the fifth century A.D. (most commonly cited years are c. 461 and c. 493); although Saint Patrick's feast day was celebrated in Ireland as early as the ninth century, it only became an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903
Constitutionhistory: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

amendments: proposed as a bill for an Act of Parliament by the government, by the House of Commons, or by the House of Lords; passage requires agreement by both houses and by the monarch (Royal Assent); many previous, last in 2020 -  The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020 (2021)
history: previous 1922; latest drafted 14 June 1937, adopted by plebiscite 1 July 1937, effective 29 December 1937

amendments: proposed as bills by Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both the Senate and House of Representatives, majority vote in a referendum, and presidential signature; amended many times, last in 2019
Legal systemcommon law system; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998common law system based on the English model but substantially modified by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts by Supreme Court
Suffrage18 years of age; universal18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)

head of government: Prime Minister Boris JOHNSON (Conservative) (since 24 July 2019)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister; election last held on 12 December 2019 (next to be held by 2 May 2024)

note: in addition to serving as the UK head of state, the British sovereign is the constitutional monarch for 15 additional Commonwealth countries (these 16 states are each referred to as a Commonwealth realm)
chief of state: President Michael D. HIGGINS (since 11 November 2011)

head of government: Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál MARTIN (since 27 June 2020); note - MARTIN will serve through December 2022 and will then be succeeded by Leo VARADKAR 

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president, approved by the Dali Eireann (lower house of Parliament) 

elections/appointments: president directly elected by majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 October 2018 (next to be held no later than November 2025); taoiseach (prime minister) nominated by the House of Representatives (Dail Eireann), appointed by the president

election results: Michael D. HIGGINS reelected president; percent of vote - Michael D. HIGGINS (independent) 55.8%, Peter CASEY (independent) 23.3%, Sean GALLAGHER (independent) 6.4%, Liadh NI RIADA (Sinn Fein) 6.4%, Joan FREEMAN (independent) 6%, Gavin DUFFY (independent) 2.2%
Legislative branchdescription: bicameral Parliament consists of:
House of Lords (membership not fixed; as of December 2019, 796 lords were eligible to participate in the work of the House of Lords - 679 life peers, 91 hereditary peers, and 26 clergy; members are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister and non-party political members recommended by the House of Lords Appointments Commission); note - House of Lords total does not include ineligible members or members on leave of absence
House of Commons (650 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 5-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)

elections:
House of Lords - no elections; note - in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain; elections held only as vacancies in the hereditary peerage arise)
House of Commons - last held on 12 December 2019 (next to be held by 2 May 2024)

election results:
House of Lords - composition - men 579, women 217, percent of women 27.3%
House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative 43.6%, Labor 32.1%, Lib Dems 11.6%, SNP 3.9%, Greens 2.7%, Brexit Party 2.0%, other 4.1%; seats by party - Conservative 365, Labor 202, SNP 48, Lib Dems 11, DUP 8, Sinn Fein 7, Plaid Cymru 4, other 9; composition - men 430, women 220, percent of women 34%; total Parliament percent of women 30.2%
description: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of:
Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 43 members indirectly elected from 5 vocational panels of nominees by an electoral college consisting of members from the House of Representatives, outgoing Senate members, and city and county council members, 11 appointed by the prime minister, and 6 elected by 2 university constituencies - 3 each from the University of Dublin (Trinity College) and the National University of Ireland)
House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (158 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; all Parliament members serve 5-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held in April and May 2016 (next to be held no later than 2021)
House of Representatives - last held on 8 February 2020 (next to be held no later than 2025)

election results:  
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fine Gael 19, Fianna Fail 14, Sinn Fein 7, Labor Party 5, Green Party 1, independent 14; composition - men 42, women 18, percent of women 30%  
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Sinn Fein 23%, Fianna Fail 23%, Fine Gael 22%, Green Party 8%, Labor Party 4%, Social Democrats 4%, AAA-PBD 3%, Aontu 0.6%, Independents for Change 0.6%, Ceann Comhairle 0.6%, Independents 12%; seats by party - Sinn Fein 37, Fianna Fail 37, Fine Gael 35, Green Party 12, Labor Party 6, Social Democrats 6, AAA-PBD 5, Aontu l, Independents for Change 1, Ceann Comhairle 1, Independents 19; composition - men 123, women 35, percent of women 22.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 24.3%
Judicial branchhighest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 12 justices, including the court president and deputy president); note - the Supreme Court was established by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and implemented in 2009, replacing the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords as the highest court in the United Kingdom

judge selection and term of office: judge candidates selected by an independent committee of several judicial commissions, followed by their recommendations to the prime minister, and appointed by the monarch; justices serve for life

subordinate courts: England and Wales: Court of Appeal (civil and criminal divisions); High Court; Crown Court; County Courts; Magistrates' Courts; Scotland: Court of Sessions; Sheriff Courts; High Court of Justiciary; tribunals; Northern Ireland: Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland; High Court; county courts; magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals
highest courts: Supreme Court of Ireland (consists of the chief justice, 9 judges, 2 ex-officio members - the presidents of the High Court and Court of Appeal - and organized in 3-, 5-, or 7-judge panels, depending on the importance or complexity of an issue of law)

judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the prime minister and Cabinet and appointed by the president; chief justice serves in the position for 7 years; judges can serve until age 70

subordinate courts: High Court, Court of Appeal; circuit and district courts; criminal courts
Political parties and leadersAlliance Party (Northern Ireland) [Naomi LONG] 
Brexit Party [Nigel FARAGE]
Conservative and Unionist Party [Boris JOHNSON]
Democratic Unionist Party or DUP (Northern Ireland) (vacant)
Green Party of England and Wales or Greens [Sian BERRY and Jonathan BARTLEY]
Labor (Labour) Party [Sir Keir STARMER]
Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Ed Davey]
Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Adam PRICE]
Scottish National Party or SNP [Nicola STURGEON]
Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Mary Lou MCDONALD]
Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Colum EASTWOOD]
Ulster Unionist Party or UUP (Northern Ireland) [Robin SWANN]
UK Independence Party or UKIP [Pat MOUNTAIN, interim leader]
Solidarity-People Before Profit or AAAS-PBP [collective leadership]
Fianna Fail [Micheal MARTIN]
Fine Gael [Leo VARADKAR]
Green Party [Eamon RYAN]
Labor (Labour) Party (vacant)
Renua Ireland (vacant)
Sinn Fein [Mary Lou MCDONALD]
Social Democrats [Catherine MURPHY, Roisin SHORTALL]
Socialist Party [collective leadership]
The Workers' Party [Michael DONNELLY]
International organization participationADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZCADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the USchief of mission: Ambassador Karen Elizabeth PIERCE (since 8 April 2020)

chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870

email address and website:
britishembassyenquiries@gmail.com

https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-washington

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

consulate(s): Orlando (FL), San Juan (Puerto Rico)
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel Gerard MULHALL (since 8 September 2017)

chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993

email address and website:
https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/usa/

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin (TX), Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Philip T. REEKER (since 1 August 2021)

embassy: 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US

mailing address: 8400 London Place, Washington DC  20521-8400

telephone: [44] (0) 20-7499-9000

FAX: [44] (0) 20-7891-3845

email address and website:
SCSLondon@state.gov

https://uk.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Alexandra MCKNIGHT (since 19 January 2021)

embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

mailing address: 5290 Dublin Place, Washington DC  20521-5290

telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777

FAX: [353] (1) 688-8056

email address and website:
ACSDublin@state.gov

https://ie.usembassy.gov/
Flag descriptionblue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territoriesthree equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; officially the flag colors have no meaning, but a common interpretation is that the green represents the Irish nationalist (Gaelic) tradition of Ireland; orange represents the Orange tradition (minority supporters of William of Orange); white symbolizes peace (or a lasting truce) between the green and the orange

note: similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red
National anthemname: God Save the Queen

lyrics/music: unknown

note: in use since 1745; by tradition, the song serves as both the national and royal anthem of the UK; it is known as either "God Save the Queen" or "God Save the King," depending on the gender of the reigning monarch; it also serves as the royal anthem of many Commonwealth nations
name: "Amhran na bhFiann" (The Soldier's Song)

lyrics/music: Peadar KEARNEY [English], Liam O RINN [Irish]/Patrick HEENEY and Peadar KEARNEY

note: adopted 1926; instead of "Amhran na bhFiann," the song "Ireland's Call" is often used at athletic events where citizens of Ireland and Northern Ireland compete as a unified team
International law organization participationaccepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdictionaccepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
National symbol(s)lion (Britain in general); lion, Tudor rose, oak (England); lion, unicorn, thistle (Scotland); dragon, daffodil, leek (Wales); shamrock, flax (Northern Ireland); national colors: red, white, blue (Britain in general); red, white (England); blue, white (Scotland); red, white, green (Wales)harp, shamrock (trefoil); national colors: blue, green
Citizenshipcitizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the United Kingdom

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
citizenship by birth: no, unless a parent of a child born in Ireland has been legally resident in Ireland for at least three of the four years prior to the birth of the child

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 4 of the previous 8 years

Economy

United KingdomIreland
Economy - overview

The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining; the UK has been a net importer of energy since 2005. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, are key drivers of British GDP growth. Manufacturing, meanwhile, has declined in importance but still accounts for about 10% of economic output.

In 2008, the global financial crisis hit the economy particularly hard, due to the importance of its financial sector. Falling home prices, high consumer debt, and the global economic slowdown compounded the UK's economic problems, pushing the economy into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompting the then BROWN (Labour) government to implement a number of measures to stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial markets. Facing burgeoning public deficits and debt levels, in 2010 the then CAMERON-led coalition government (between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats) initiated an austerity program, which has continued under the Conservative government. However, the deficit still remains one of the highest in the G7, standing at 3.6% of GDP as of 2017, and the UK has pledged to lower its corporation tax from 20% to 17% by 2020. The UK had a debt burden of 90.4% GDP at the end of 2017.

The UK economy has begun to slow since the referendum vote to leave the EU in June 2016. A sustained depreciation of the British pound has increased consumer and producer prices, weighing on consumer spending without spurring a meaningful increase in exports. The UK has an extensive trade relationship with other EU members through its single market membership, and economic observers have warned the exit will jeopardize its position as the central location for European financial services. The UK is slated to leave the EU at the end of January 2020.

Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy. It was among the initial group of 12 EU nations that began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002. GDP growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply during the world financial crisis and the subsequent collapse of its domestic property market and construction industry during 2008-11. Faced with sharply reduced revenues and a burgeoning budget deficit from efforts to stabilize its fragile banking sector, the Irish Government introduced the first in a series of draconian budgets in 2009. These measures were not sufficient to stabilize Ireland's public finances. In 2010, the budget deficit reached 32.4% of GDP - the world's largest deficit, as a percentage of GDP. In late 2010, the former COWEN government agreed to a $92 billion loan package from the EU and IMF to help Dublin recapitalize Ireland's banking sector and avoid defaulting on its sovereign debt. In March 2011, the KENNY government intensified austerity measures to meet the deficit targets under Ireland's EU-IMF bailout program.

In late 2013, Ireland formally exited its EU-IMF bailout program, benefiting from its strict adherence to deficit-reduction targets and success in refinancing a large amount of banking-related debt. In 2014, the economy rapidly picked up. In late 2014, the government introduced a fiscally neutral budget, marking the end of the austerity program. Continued growth of tax receipts has allowed the government to lower some taxes and increase public spending while keeping to its deficit-reduction targets. In 2015, GDP growth exceeded 26%. The magnitude of the increase reflected one-off statistical revisions, multinational corporate restructurings in intellectual property, and the aircraft leasing sector, rather than real gains in the domestic economy, which was still growing. Growth moderated to around 4.1% in 2017, but the recovering economy assisted lowering the deficit to 0.6% of GDP.

In the wake of the collapse of the construction sector and the downturn in consumer spending and business investment during the 2008-11 economic crisis, the export sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, has become an even more important component of Ireland's economy. Ireland's low corporation tax of 12.5% and a talented pool of high-tech laborers have been some of the key factors in encouraging business investment. Loose tax residency requirements made Ireland a common destination for international firms seeking to pay less tax or, in the case of U.S. multinationals, defer taxation owed to the United States. In 2014, amid growing international pressure, the Irish government announced it would phase in more stringent tax laws, effectively closing a commonly used loophole. The Irish economy continued to grow in 2017 and is forecast to do so through 2019, supported by a strong export sector, robust job growth, and low inflation, to the point that the Government must now address concerns about overheating and potential loss of competitiveness. The greatest risks to the economy are the UK's scheduled departure from the European Union ("Brexit") in March 2019, possible changes to international taxation policies that could affect Ireland's revenues, and global trade pressures.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$3,118,396,000,000 (2019 est.)

$3,073,442,000,000 (2018 est.)

$3,032,781,000,000 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$428.825 billion (2019 est.)

$406.277 billion (2018 est.)

$375.592 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - real growth rate1.26% (2019 est.)

1.25% (2018 est.)

1.74% (2017 est.)
5.86% (2019 est.)

9.42% (2018 est.)

9.49% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$46,659 (2019 est.)

$46,245 (2018 est.)

$45,910 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$86,781 (2019 est.)

$83,471 (2018 est.)

$78,128 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)

industry: 20.2% (2017 est.)

services: 79.2% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 1.2% (2017 est.)

industry: 38.6% (2017 est.)

services: 60.2% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line18.6% (2017 est.)13.1% (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 1.7%

highest 10%: 31.1% (2012)
lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 27.2% (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)1.7% (2019 est.)

2.4% (2018 est.)

2.6% (2017 est.)
0.9% (2019 est.)

0.4% (2018 est.)

0.3% (2017 est.)
Labor force35.412 million (2020 est.)2.289 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: 1.3%

industry: 15.2%

services: 83.5% (2014 est.)
agriculture: 5%

industry: 11%

services: 84% (2015 est.)
Unemployment rate3.17% (2019 est.)

2.51% (2018 est.)
4.98% (2019 est.)

5.78% (2018 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index34.8 (2016 est.)

33.4 (2010)
32.8 (2016 est.)

35.9 (1987 est.)
Budgetrevenues: 1.028 trillion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 1.079 trillion (2017 est.)
revenues: 86.04 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 87.19 billion (2017 est.)
Industriesmachine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goodspharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer hardware and software, food products, beverages and brewing; medical devices
Industrial production growth rate3.4% (2017 est.)7.8% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - productswheat, milk, barley, sugar beet, potatoes, rapeseed, poultry, oats, pork, beefmilk, barley, beef, wheat, potatoes, pork, oats, poultry, mushrooms/truffles, mutton
Exports$901.882 billion (2019 est.)

$877.501 billion (2018 est.)

$851.693 billion (2017 est.)
$541.789 billion (2019 est.)

$489.89 billion (2018 est.)

$440.693 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commoditiescars, gas turbines, gold, crude petroleum, packaged medicines (2019)medical cultures/vaccines, nitrogen compounds, packaged medicines, integrated circuits, scented mixtures (2019)
Exports - partnersUnited States 15%, Germany 10%, China 7%, Netherlands 7%, France 7%, Ireland 6% (2019)United States 28%, Belgium 10%, Germany 10%, UK 9%, China 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019)
Imports$987.018 billion (2019 est.)

$955.655 billion (2018 est.)

$930.354 billion (2017 est.)
$489.957 billion (2019 est.)

$371.221 billion (2018 est.)

$359.725 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commoditiesgold, cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2019)aircraft, computers, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)
Imports - partnersGermany 13%, China 10%, United States 8%, Netherlands 7%, France 6%, Belgium 5% (2019)United Kingdom 31%, United States 16%, Germany 10%, Netherlands 5%, France 5% (2019)
Debt - external$8,721,590,000,000 (2019 est.)

$8,696,559,000,000 (2018 est.)
$2,829,303,000,000 (2019 est.)

$2,758,949,000,000 (2018 est.)
Exchange ratesBritish pounds (GBP) per US dollar -

0.7836 (2017 est.)

0.738 (2016 est.)

0.738 (2015 est.)

0.607 (2014 est.)

0.6391 (2013 est.)
euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.82771 (2020 est.)

0.90338 (2019 est.)

0.87789 (2018 est.)

0.885 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)
Fiscal year6 April - 5 Aprilcalendar year
Public debt87.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

87.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
68.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

73.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$150.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$129.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$4.412 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.203 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Current Account Balance-$121.921 billion (2019 est.)

-$104.927 billion (2018 est.)
-$44.954 billion (2019 est.)

$24.154 billion (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$2,827,918,000,000 (2019 est.)$398.476 billion (2019 est.)
Credit ratingsFitch rating: AA- (2020)

Moody's rating: Aaa (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: AA (2016)
Fitch rating: A+ (2017)

Moody's rating: A2 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: AA- (2019)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 83.5 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 94.6 (2020)

Trading score: 93.8 (2020)

Enforcement score: 68.7 (2020)
Overall score: 79.6 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 94.4 (2020)

Trading score: 87.2 (2020)

Enforcement score: 57.9 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues39.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)26% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-1.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 11.2%

male: 13%

female: 9.2% (2019 est.)
total: 12.5%

male: 14.2%

female: 10.6% (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 65.8% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 18.3% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 30.2% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -31.5% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 34% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 10.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 23.4% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 119.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -89.7% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving13.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

13.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

13.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
35.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

34.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

34.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Energy

United KingdomIreland
Electricity - production318.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)28.53 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption309.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)25.68 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports2.153 billion kWh (2016 est.)1.583 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports19.7 billion kWh (2016 est.)871 million kWh (2016 est.)
Oil - production1 million bbl/day (2018 est.)0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Oil - imports907,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)66,210 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Oil - exports710,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)5,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Oil - proved reserves2.069 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves176 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - production42.11 billion cu m (2017 est.)3.511 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption79.17 billion cu m (2017 est.)5.238 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports11.27 billion cu m (2017 est.)0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports47 billion cu m (2017 est.)1.642 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity97.06 million kW (2016 est.)9.945 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels50% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources39% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)33% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production1.29 million bbl/day (2017 est.)64,970 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption1.584 million bbl/day (2017 est.)153,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports613,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)37,040 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports907,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)126,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Electricity accesselectrification - total population: 100% (2020)electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

Telecommunications

United KingdomIreland
Telephones - main lines in usetotal subscriptions: 32.288 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49.37 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 1,766,937

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34.51 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellulartotal subscriptions: 80.967 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123.79 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 5,160,309

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100.78 (2019 est.)
Internet country code.uk.ie
Internet userstotal: 61,784,878

percent of population: 94.9% (July 2018 est.)
total: 4,283,516

percent of population: 84.52% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systemsgeneral assessment:

UK's telecom market remains one of the largest in Europe, characterized by competition, affordable pricing, and its technologically advanced systems; mobile penetration above the EU average; government to invest in infrastructure and 5G technologies with ambition for a fully-fibered nation by 2033; operators expanded the reach of 5G services in 2020; super-fast broadband available to about 95% of customers; London is developing smart city technology, in collaboration with private, tech, and academic sectors; legislation banned Chinese company Huawei from UK 5G networks following advisement from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC); importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021)

(2020)

domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems; fixed-line 48 per 100 and mobile-cellular 118 per 100 (2019)

international: country code - 44; Landing points for the GTT Atlantic, Scotland-Northern Ireland -1, & -2, Lanis 1,-2, &-3, Sirius North, BT-MT-1, SHEFA-2, BT Highlands and Islands Submarine Cable System, Northern Lights, FARICE-1, Celtic Norse, Tampnet Offshore FOC Network, England Cable, CC-2, E-LLan, Sirius South, ESAT -1 & -2, Rockabill, Geo-Eirgrid, UK-Netherlands-14, Circle North & South, Ulysses2, Conceto, Farland North, Pan European Crossing, Solas, Swansea-Bream, GTT Express, Tata TGN-Atlantic & -Western Europe, Apollo, EIG, Glo-1, TAT-14, Yellow, Celtic, FLAG Atlantic-1, FEA, Isle of Scilly Cable, UK-Channel Islands-8 and SeaMeWe-3 submarine cables providing links throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, and US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers (2018)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

general assessment: infrastructure projects are underway, including the national plan to deliver fiber-based service of at least 150Mb/s nationally by the end of 2022; operators invested in fiber-based networks to deliver a 1Gb/s service to most premises, and on 5G to cover more than half of population; operator test of satellite broadband; Dublin is smart city (2021) (2020)

domestic: increasing levels of broadband access particularly in urban areas; fixed-line 36 per 100 and mobile-cellular 105 per 100 subscriptions; digital system using cable and microwave radio relay (2019)

international: country code - 353; landing point for the AEConnect -1, Celtic-Norse, Havfrue/AEC-2, GTT Express, Celtic, ESAT-1, IFC-1, Solas, Pan European Crossing, ESAT-2, CeltixConnect -1 & 2, GTT Atlantic, Sirius South, Emerald Bridge Fibres and Geo Eirgrid submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, Norway, Isle of Man and UK; satellite earth stations - 81 (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadband - fixed subscriptionstotal: 26,786,963

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40.96 (2019 est.)
total: 1,462,549

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28.56 (2019 est.)
Broadcast mediapublic service broadcaster, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world; BBC operates multiple TV networks with regional and local TV service; a mixed system of public and commercial TV broadcasters along with satellite and cable systems provide access to hundreds of TV stations throughout the world; BBC operates multiple national, regional, and local radio networks with multiple transmission sites; a large number of commercial radio stations, as well as satellite radio services are available (2018)publicly owned broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) operates 4 TV stations; commercial TV stations are available; about 75% of households utilize multi-channel satellite and TV services that provide access to a wide range of stations; RTE operates 4 national radio stations and has launched digital audio broadcasts on several stations; a number of commercial broadcast stations operate at the national, regional, and local levels (2019)

Transportation

United KingdomIreland
Railwaystotal: 16,837 km (2015)

standard gauge: 16,534 km 1.435-m gauge (5,357 km electrified) (2015)

broad gauge: 303 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2015)
total: 4,301 km (2018)

narrow gauge: 1,930 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2018)

broad gauge: 2,371 km 1.600-m gauge (53 km electrified) (2018)
Roadwaystotal: 394,428 km (2009)

paved: 394,428 km (includes 3,519 km of expressways) (2009)
total: 99,830 km (2018)

paved: 99,830 km (includes 2,717 km of expressways) (2018)
Waterways3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2009)956 km (pleasure craft only) (2010)
Pipelines502 km condensate, 9 km condensate/gas, 28603 km gas, 59 km liquid petroleum gas, 5256 km oil, 175 km oil/gas/water, 4919 km refined products, 255 km water (2013)2,427 km gas (2017)
Ports and terminalsmajor seaport(s): Dover, Felixstowe, Immingham, Liverpool, London, Southampton, Teesport (England); Forth Ports (Scotland); Milford Haven (Wales)

oil terminal(s): Fawley Marine terminal, Liverpool Bay terminal (England); Braefoot Bay terminal, Finnart oil terminal, Hound Point terminal (Scotland)

container port(s) (TEUs): Felixstowe (3,584,000), London (2,790,000), Southampton (1,924,847) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Isle of Grain, Milford Haven, Teesside
major seaport(s): Dublin, Shannon Foynes

cruise port(s): Cork (250,000), Dublin (359,966) (2020)

container port(s) (TEUs): Dublin (529,563) (2016)

river port(s): Cork (Lee), Waterford (Suir)
Merchant marinetotal: 1,304

by type: bulk carrier 147, container ship 59, general cargo 116, oil tanker 99, other 883 (2020)
total: 95

by type: bulk carrier 11, general cargo 37, oil tanker 1, other 46 (2020)
Airportstotal: 460 (2013)total: 40 (2013)
Airports - with paved runwaystotal: 271 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 7 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 89 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 80 (2013)

under 914 m: 66 (2013)
total: 16 (2019)

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 5
Airports - with unpaved runwaystotal: 189 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 26 (2013)

under 914 m: 160 (2013)
total: 24 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)

under 914 m: 21 (2013)
National air transport systemnumber of registered air carriers: 20 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 794

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 165,388,610 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 6,198,370,000 mt-km (2018)
number of registered air carriers: 9 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 450

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 167,598,633 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 168.71 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefixGEI

Military

United KingdomIreland
Military branchesBritish Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force (2021)

note: in 2021 the UK formed a Space Command as a joint command staffed by Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel, as well as civilians and key members of the commercial sector to manage space operations, training, and capabilities; in 2019, the UK formed the Strategic Command (formerly Joint Forces Command) to develop and manage the British military's medical services, training and education, intelligence, and information systems across the land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains; it also manages joint overseas operations
Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireannn): Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, Reserve Defense Forces (2021)
Military service age and obligationslight variations by service, but generally 16-36 years of age for enlisted (with parental consent under 18) and 18-29 for officers; minimum length of service 4 years; women serve in military services including ground combat roles; conscription abolished in 1963 (2021)18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service recruits to the Defence Forces (18-27 years of age for the Naval Service); 18-26 for cadetship (officer) applicants; 12-year service (5 active, 7 reserves); Irish citizen, European Economic Area citizenship, or refugee status (2020)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP2.32% of GDP (2020 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2019)

2.11% of GDP (2018)

2.09% of GDP (2017)

2.08% of GDP (2016)
0.27% of GDP (2020)

0.29% of GDP (2019)

0.29% of GDP (2018)

0.31% of GDP (2017)

0.33% of GDP (2016)
Military and security service personnel strengthsthe British military has approximately 150,000 total active duty troops (82,000 Army; 34,000 Navy, including 7,000 marines; 33,000 Air Force) (2021)the Irish Defence Forces have approximately 8,700 active duty personnel (7,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 700 Air Force) (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe inventory of the British military is comprised of a mix of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; the US is the leading supplier of armaments to the UK since 2010; the UK defense industry is capable of producing a wide variety of air, land, and sea weapons systems and is one of the world's top weapons suppliers (2020)the Irish Defense Forces have a small inventory of imported weapons systems from a variety of mostly European countries; the UK is the leading supplier of military hardware to Ireland since 2010 (2020)
Military deploymentsapproximately 1,000 Brunei; approximately 400 Canada (BATUS); approximately 2,200 Cyprus; 250 Cyprus (UNFICYP); 850 Estonia (NATO); approx. 1,200 Falkland Islands; est. 200 Germany (note - previously about 2,500, but the UK withdrew all but 200 troops by the end of 2020); 570 Gibraltar; approx. 1,400 Middle East (coalition against ISIS; NATO); up to 350 Kenya (BATUK); approx. 400 Mali (EUTM, MINUSMA, and Operation Barkhane); 150 Poland (NATO) (2021)130 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 340 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Jan 2021)

Transnational Issues

United KingdomIreland
Disputes - international

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insisted on equal participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproved of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory); in 2001, the former inhabitants of the archipelago, evicted 1967 - 1973, were granted UK citizenship and the right of return, followed by Orders in Council in 2004 that banned rehabitation, a High Court ruling reversed the ban, a Court of Appeal refusal to hear the case, and a Law Lords' decision in 2008 denied the right of return; in addition, the UK created the world's largest marine protection area around the Chagos islands prohibiting the extraction of any natural resources therein; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugsproducer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money-laundering centertransshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern
Refugees and internally displaced personsrefugees (country of origin): 19,744 (Iran), 13,755 (Eritrea), 10,575 (Sudan), 10,389 (Syria), 9,513 (Afghanistan), 8,164 (Pakistan), 5,522 (Sri Lanka) (2019)

stateless persons: 4,662 (2020)
stateless persons: 106 (2020)

Terrorism

United KingdomIreland
Terrorist Group(s)Continuity Irish Republican Army; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); New Irish Republican Army

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Continuity Irish Republican Army; New Irish Republican Army; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) (2019)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Environment

United KingdomIreland
Air pollutantsparticulate matter emissions: 10.53 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 379.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 49.16 megatons (2020 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 8.26 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 37.71 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 13.67 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawalmunicipal: 6.227 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 1.01 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 1.183 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
municipal: 631 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 51 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 179 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Revenue from forest resourcesforest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coalcoal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recyclingmunicipal solid waste generated annually: 31.567 million tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 8,602,008 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 27.3% (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,692,537 tons (2012 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 888,537 tons (2012 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 33% (2012 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook