I.

Introduction

Ireland (island), island, British Isles, the westernmost and second largest of the group, in the North Atlantic Ocean, and separated from Great Britain by St. George’s Channel on the southeast, the Irish Sea on the east, and the North Channel on the northeast. Politically, the island is divided into Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom, and Ireland, formerly Eire. The island is divided into four historical provinces—Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster—and administrative units called counties. Ireland consists of Connacht, Leinster, and Munster provinces, totaling 23 counties, and in the north, 3 counties of Ulster Province. Northern Ireland consists of 26 districts, the remainder of Ulster Province. The area of the island is 84,431 sq km (32,599 sq mi) (Ireland, 70,273 sq km/27,133 sq mi; Northern Ireland, 14,160 sq km/5,467 sq mi). The estimated population of the island in 1996 was 5,259,000, with the nation of Ireland representing two-thirds of the total.

In a northern and southern direction, the maximum length of Ireland is 486 km (302 mi); its extreme width is 280 km (174 mi). Malin Head, at latitude 55°27’ north, and Mizen Head, at latitude 51°27’ north, are, respectively, the northernmost and southernmost points on the island; easternmost and westernmost points are demarcated by longitude 5°25’ west and longitude 10°30’ west.