Ireland
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Ireland is a Celtic island of Europe off the west coast of the European mainland. To the west of Ireland is the Atlantic Ocean; to the east of Ireland, across the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain. The island is divided into 32 counties.
The island of Ireland is split into two main parts:
- Republic of Ireland, also called Ireland Irish: Éire, is made up of 26 counties. Its capital city is Dublin. The official languages are called Irish and English. Most people in Ireland can speak a little Irish, but only about a tenth of the population are fluent or native speakers. Almost everyone learns Irish at school, but most people outside the Gaeltacht speak English in their day-to-day lives.
- Northern Ireland is made up of 6 counties and is part of the United Kingdom. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.
The island of Ireland, called Éire in the Irish language, is about 280 miles (450.6 km) long and about 160 mi (257.5 km) wide. Six million people live in Ireland. The River Shannon, which runs from north to south, is the longest river. Ireland has many lakes (or Loughs). Lough Neagh, in Northern Ireland, is the largest lough in Europe. Ireland is known for its beautiful landscapes and its colorful history.
The capital of the Republic of Ireland is called Dublin. It is in the east of the country and built on the river Liffey. More than one million people live in Dublin.
