Land boundaries: total 360 km, UK 360 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: Northern Ireland question with the UK; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged
hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, petroleum, barite, copper,
gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 71% forest and woodland: 5% other: 10%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from
agricultural runoff
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Climate Change, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not
ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation