Geography of Ireland

Geography of Ireland

Continent	Europe
Region	Northwestern Europe
Area
• Total	84,421 km2 (32,595 sq mi)
• Land	98.2%
• Water	1.8%
Coastline	7,524 km (4,675 mi)
Highest point	Carrauntoohil 1,039 metres (3,409 ft)
Lowest point	North Slob −3 metres (−10 ft)
Longest river	River Shannon 360.5 km (224.0 mi)
Largest lake	Lough Neagh 392 km2 (151 sq mi)
Climate	temperate oceanic climate with some upland areas classified as oceanic subpolar
Terrain	flat, low-lying area in the midlands, ringed by mountain ranges
Natural resources	aquaculture, fertile soil, freshwater, timber, peat, bauxite, copper, zinc, lead, gold, silver, iron, gypsum, natural gas, hydropower, wind energy
Natural hazards	Cyclones, flooding, thunderstorms
Environmental issues	Water pollution, Leaching, Climate change, Waste disposal

Ireland is an island in Northern Europe, in the north Atlantic Ocean. The island measures about 480 km (300 mi) north-south, and 275 km (171 mi) east-west, with a total area of 84,421 km² (32,595 sq mi).^[1] It lies about 53°N 8°W / 53°N 8°W / 53; -8, near the western edge of the European continental shelf, part of the Eurasian Plate. Ireland is separated from the island of Great Britain by the Irish Sea to the east, and from mainland Europe by the Celtic Sea to the south. It is bounded to the north by the North Channel and to the south by St George's Channel. Ireland is the second-largest landmass in the British Isles, after Great Britain and before the Isle of Man.^[2][3]

Its main geographical features include low central plains surrounded by coastal mountains. The highest peak is Carrauntoohil (Irish: Corrán Tuathail), which is 1,039 metres (3,409 ft) above sea level. The western coastline is rugged, with many islands, peninsulas, headlands and bays, while the southern and northern coasts have a smaller number of substantial sea inlets, such as Lough Foyle and Cork Harbour; no part of the land is more than around 110 km (68 mi) from the sea. The island is almost bisected by the River Shannon, which at 360.5 km (224 mi) with a 102.1 km (63 mi) estuary is the longest river in Ireland and flows south from County Cavan in the province of Ulster to form the boundary between Connacht and Leinster, and later Munster, and meet the Atlantic just south and west of Limerick. Lough Neagh is the largest of several sizeable lakes along Ireland's rivers.

The island has a temperate oceanic climate, mild and humid, and is warmer than other landmasses at the same latitude thanks to the winds on the Atlantic Ocean, ocean currents, and circulations. The island is one of the least forested areas in Europe, though forestation is expanding, but has a strong agricultural sector. It has a limited range of mineral resources, and has only had two major gas finds, and none in the oil sector. Hydroelectric energy is used, and wind farms are growing; neither solar nor tidal energy is much exploited.

Politically, the island consists of the Republic of Ireland, with jurisdiction over about five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom, with jurisdiction over the remaining sixth. The island has traditionally been divided into four provinces, each of which is divided into counties. Of the 32 counties in total, 26 are in the Republic of Ireland, with the remaining 6 in Northern Ireland.