The Republic of Ireland is a Western European state. Its name coincides with the name of the island on which it is located. The location on the map is the north coast of the Atlantic. Ireland is the second largest British island.
2004 census data recorded a population of 4.24 million.
Ireland is a multinational country. It has about 40 nationalities. Of these, 88% are Irish. The rest are migrants from Asia, Europe and Africa. The most representative diasporas are Poles, Nigerians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Chinese, Americans and Germans. The British account for 2.7% of the multinational composition.
Ireland has two official languages - English and Irish. However, in recent years, the government has made attempts to completely abandon English and use only the original Irish language as the state language.
Until 1999, the territory of Ireland had its own currency - the Irish pound. However, after the country's entry into the European Union, it was replaced by the euro, the common European currency.
Catholic Christianity prevails among the religions represented in the country. Since freedom of religion is declared in Ireland, national minorities, without any harassment, have the opportunity to adhere to their faith.
Ireland is the capital and major cities.
The capital of Ireland has become the largest city on the island - Dublin. It is located at the junction of the Dublin Bay of the Irish Sea with the Liffey River. The city is not only the center of the political and cultural life of the state, but also the country's most significant port.
The area of the city is approximately 115 square meters. km The Liffey River flows in the center, dividing the entire territory into two parts: southern and northern. The main problem for the construction and development of the city has always been the swampiness of the territory, which was provided by the presence of this mighty river. But over time, the negative factor was overcome, and now the city is one of the most beautiful and modern places of European civilization.
Another metropolis, the second largest after Dublin - the city of Cork, is located in the south-eastern part of the country. It has a centuries-old history and rich cultural heritage.
Ireland - holidays and tours.
It is not by chance that Ireland received the nickname "Emerald Isle". Local beauties leave no one indifferent, and every tourist who arrives has the impression that he has fallen into a fairy-tale world.
There are many ways to spend time in Ireland. Beach vacations are most common along the western, eastern and southern coasts of the island and only where there are no rocks. The most popular beach is in the county of Donegal. Other visited and favorite beach vacation spots are Mayo counties, the resort of Tramor, the city of Wexfjord.
The temperature of coastal waters in summer is not too high - up to + 19 degrees, but this is enough to not only sunbathe, splash, but also to practice various types of swimming (diving, surfing).
The island is also interesting for ecotourism lovers. Numerous parks and protected areas attract attention with their extraordinary beauty and the ability to get in touch with nature untouched by civilization.
Hiking enthusiasts come to Ireland. The most suitable place for this is the county of Kerry with its hilly landscapes.
Ireland - Attractions.
The main attractions of Ireland are ancient castles and other ancient architectural structures. Throughout the territory there are palaces, castles and ensembles that fully reflect the style of the era:
Athenray, Bally, Ballymore, Glinsky, Onaneira, Portumna, Hackett and many others.
It should be noted that modern architecture did not concern Ireland for a long time, so the first building in the style of modernism appeared only in the middle of the last century.
Due to its distinctive architecture, Ireland remains the most attractive country for those tourists who love to touch ancient relics.
The most visited places in Ireland were:
• Guinness Museum (brewery), which is visited by about a million tourists a year.
• Dublin Zoo, which hosts up to 930 thousand tourists.
Also, guests of the country are attracted by trips to the numerous cliffs located along the coast.
Ireland - the weather.
Ireland has a temperate marine climate. The warm current of the Atlantic determines the nature of the weather on the island. In Ireland, warm and humid weather prevails.
Summer, by European standards, is a little cool, but winter is warm, the temperature rarely reaches minimum outlines of minus 9 degrees.
In summer, the air warms up to 20 degrees Celsius and above.
The amount of precipitation per year is quite large - 1200mm, but they are unevenly distributed over the territory. Most of the rains are in the western part of the island.
Weather in Ireland now:
Ireland is the cuisine.
The cuisine of Ireland deserves special mention, as many food and drinks are loved by gourmets around the world.
The most popular dish is Irish stew, which is prepared from lamb and vegetables. No less attractive treat for tourists is a hearty and tasty Coddle. It is made from bacon and sausages, which are stewed with onions and potatoes.
Braised bacon with cabbage is a very common dish that is often consumed by any European.
But the Irish beer, which is brewed according to special recipes using natural ingredients, has become truly famous and loved.
Therefore, going on a tour of Ireland, there is no doubt that here they will not only be well-received, but also hearty-fed.
Ireland - national holidays
As in other countries, there are official and unofficial holidays in Ireland. This is due to the interweaving of pagan and Christian traditions.
New Year is an absolute time for fun. The first day of spring is celebrated by the feast of St. Brigitte.
The main national celebration is considered March 17 - St. Patrick's Day. This holiday is dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland, whose merit lies in the expulsion of snakes from the island. According to legend, it was Patrick who became the founder of Christianity in Ireland.
In general, holidays are very popular in this country. Almost every first Monday of the month is marked by some kind of fun or celebration.
Easter, Beltayn, Lugnassad, Mabon, Christmas - all these days are celebrated on a large scale.
Ireland - visa application.
Since Ireland is not a party to the Schengen Agreement, a visa is issued in a general manner. Recently there has been a provision that citizens of Russia and the CIS countries can enter Ireland with a visa issued to enter the UK. But this rule remains in force only until October 2012.
In this case, the guest must have the status of "business" or "regular visitor".
This visa must be made at least once entry into the UK.
Staying in Ireland is only possible during the validity period of this visa.
In other cases, standard visas are issued (tourist, student, transit, business) according to the general scheme.
Ireland is an embassy.
The Embassy of Ireland is located in Moscow at 28 Khlebny Pereulok Street. Tel: 8 (495) 956-76-04.
Map of ireland
