Imports - commodities: data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners: EU 61% (UK 33%, Germany 6%, France 5%, Netherlands 4%), US 16%, Japan 4% (2000)
Debt - external: $11 billion (1998)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $283 million (2001)
Currency: euro (EUR); Irish pound (IEP) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code: EUR; IEP
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Irish pounds per US dollar - 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Ireland
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.59 million (2001)