Economy of the Republic of Ireland
Economy of Ireland
Currency
1 Euro = 100 cent(s)
Fiscal year
Calendar year
Trade
organisations
EU, WTO and OECD
Statistics
GDP
€161.6 bn (2005)
GDP growth
4.7% (2005 est.)
GDP per capita $41,000 (2005 est.)
GDP by sector
agriculture (5%),
manufacturing (46%),
services (49%) (2002)
Inflation (CPI)
3.9% (2006)
Population
below poverty
line
10% (1997 est.)
Labour force
2.154 million (2006[1] )
Labour force
by occupation
services (64%),
manufacturing (29%),
agriculture (8%) (2005)
Unemployment 6.6% (October 2008) [13]
Main
industries
steel, lead, zinc, silver,
aluminium, barite, and
gypsum mining processing;
food, brewing, textiles,
clothing; chemicals,
pharmacology; machinery,
rail transportation
equipment, passenger and
commercial vehicles, ship
construction and
refurbishment; glass and
crystal; computer software,
tourism
External
Exports
$102 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Export goods
machinery and equipment,
computers, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals; live
animals, animal products
Main export
partners
United States 18.7%, United
Kingdom 17.3%, Belgium
15.1%, Germany 7.3%,
Netherlands 4.8% (2005)
Imports
$65.47 billion f.o.b. (2005
est.)
Import goods
data processing equipment,
other machinery and
equipment, chemicals,
petroleum and petroleum
products, textiles, clothing
Main import
partners
UK 36.8%, United States
13.8%, Germany 9.1%,
Netherlands 4.5% (2005)
Public finances
Public Debt
€37.2 bn (27% of GDP) (June
2006)
Revenues
€44.3 bn (2006)
Expenses
€45.4 billion (2006)
Economic aid
donor: ODA, €735 mn (2005)
Main data source: CIA World Fact Book
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US
dollars
History
The state known today as Ireland seceded
from the United Kingdom in 1922. The state
was periodically troubled by emigration until
the early 1990s. These problems virtually dis-
appeared over the course of that decade,
which saw the beginning of unprecedented
economic growth, in a phenomenon known as
the "Celtic Tiger". Over the past two decades,
the Irish government has implemente