The Republic of Ireland is a country in Northern Europe, occupies most of the island of Ireland and borders Northern Ireland in the north.
The area of the country is 70.3 thousand square kilometers. The population is 5.1 million people. According to the form of government, Ireland is a parliamentary republic. The President of the country is Michael Higgins. The Prime Minister is Mihol Martin. The capital of Ireland is Dublin. The official languages are Irish and English.
One of the most recognizable symbols of Ireland is St. Patrick. He is usually credited with the Christianization of the country. Many brands, sports teams, universities and other organizations from Ireland use a shamrock in their emblems. It is even registered as a symbol of the country in the register of the World Intellectual Property Organization. According to legend, St. Patrick used this plant as a sign of the Holy Trinity.
In 1949, Ireland received the status of an independent republic, announcing its withdrawal from the British Commonwealth of Nations. In 1955, the country joined the UN, and in 1958 began to take part in peacekeeping actions. In 1973, Ireland was admitted to the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Union (EU).
The Irish economy suffered greatly during the 2008 global crisis. However, the economy has managed to recover, and now its key industries are pharmaceuticals, information technology, production of agricultural equipment and the food industry. In Ireland, zinc, barite, silver, lead, copper, coal, natural gas and gold are mined.
