Ireland, commonly known as the Republic of Ireland, is one of the member states of the European Union, located on the island of Ireland off the northwest coast of Europe, covering approximately 5/6 of the southern part of the island. The remaining 1/6 in the northeast belongs to the United Kingdom, known as Northern Ireland. The capital is Dublin, located in the eastern part of the island. As of 2011, Ireland had a population of 4.58 million, with a high degree of press freedom, economic freedom, democracy, and political freedom. Ireland is also a member of the Council of Europe, the WorldWay Organization, and the United Nations.
Ireland is a republic that operates under a parliamentary system. The President of Ireland serves as the head of state, with a term of 7 years and the possibility of re-election for one additional term. The President does not hold actual executive power but has certain powers and duties based on the advice of the Government of Ireland. The Prime Minister of Ireland is nominated by the parliament and appointed by the President, typically held by the leader of the largest party or the head of a coalition government.
The territory of the Republic of Ireland covers approximately 70,273 square kilometers, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, facing Scotland across the North Channel to the northeast, and the Irish Sea to the east. The western coast of Ireland is characterized by cliffs and hills, while the interior features relatively flat terrain, with many marshes in the central river valley region, abundant forests, and lakes, and rich in peat. Ireland has a temperate maritime climate, influenced by the North Atlantic Drift, with winter temperatures rarely falling below -5°C and summer temperatures not exceeding 29°C. Rainfall is abundant, with some areas experiencing 275 days of precipitation per year. Major cities include the capital Dublin on the east coast, Cork in the southwest, Limerick and Galway on the west coast, and Waterford on the southeast coast.
Ireland's foreign policy largely references the EU's foreign policy and maintains close and friendly relations with both the United Kingdom and the United States. On June 22, 1979, Ireland established diplomatic relations with China. In May 2003, Premier Wen Jiabao made an official visit to Ireland. In February 2012, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited Ireland at the invitation of the Irish government. The trade volume between China and Ireland reached 1.46 billion USD in 2002 and exceeded 2.3 billion USD in 2003.
Although Ireland's economy is relatively small, it is highly developed and primarily relies on export trade. Between 1995 and 2000, Ireland achieved an economic growth rate of 10%, ranking among the top in Europe, and by 2003, it had become the second country in the world in terms of GDP per capita (second only to Luxembourg), earning it the title of the Celtic Tiger.
The official language of Ireland is Irish (the native Celtic language), with English as the second official language and the mother tongue of the vast majority. Irish is a compulsory subject in schools. Most public signage is written in both languages, and national broadcasting is conducted in both languages. Catholicism is the predominant religion in Ireland, accounting for approximately 92% of the population.