The population of Ireland in 1998 was estimated to be 3,626,952. Included in this population were 1,800,232 males and 1,826,720 females. Ireland's population has been steadily increasing over the past ten years and is expected to grow at the same steady rate for the next five years. The increase in population has been attributed the increase in birthrate. The ratio of men to woman has made a tremendous change from year to year. Until 1996 the male population had been the greater of the two. Since 1996, the female population has dominated. In analyzing the population by age groups we find that we find that 40percent (the largest group) fall in between the ages of twenty and forty-four while 35percent are under the age of twenty and 25percent are over the age of forty-four. In taking a closer look, we find than an even smaller portion of people is over the age of sixty. This leads us to the conclusion that not many people in Ireland live over the age of sixty. Even though most of the people are Roman Catholics, there is a small Protestant minority. Throughout the Republic of Ireland freedom of worship is guaranteed. Ireland consists of central sections of lowlands, characterized by bogs and lakes and surrounded by low mountain rages that form a barrier between the lolands ad the perphery of the island. Carrantuohill (1041 miles ofbove sea level) in the McGillicuddy Reeks, a mountain range in the southwest, is the highest point on the island. The principle rivers of Ireland are the Erne and the Shannon. Ireland's economy was traditionally agricultrual until the middle 1950s when its industrial base expanded. Construction, mining, public utilities, and manufacturing now account for approximately 36 percent of the gross domestic product. Manufacturing is diversified and mining has an expanding role in the Irish econonmy as new discoveries of mineral deposits have increased mine production. Coal, lead, and zin...
