Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Languages
English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population
Exports
machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products
cotton, livestock, gold
External Debt
$2,352,000,000,000 $
$2,335,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6689 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
1.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
3
0
Location
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Area
70,273 km sq
274,200 km sq
Coastline
1,448 km
0 km
Climate
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
