What is "ireland"

12c., Anglo-Norman, with land + native Eriu (see Irish).

Ireland (; ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the third-largest in Europe, and the twentieth-largest on Earth.

Politically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially named Ireland), which covers five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, in the northeast of the island. In 2011 the population of Ireland was about 6.4 million, ranking it the second-most populous island in Europe after Great Britain. Just under 4.6 million live in the Republic of Ireland and just over 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland.The 2011 population of the Republic of Ireland was 4,588,252 and that of Northern Ireland in 2011 was 1,810,863. These are Census data from the official governmental statistics agencies in the respective jurisdictions:

• Central Statistics Office, Dublin

The island's geography comprises relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain, with several navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation, a product of its mild but changeable climate which avoids extremes in temperature. Thick woodlands covered the island until the Middle Ages. As of 2013, the amount of land that is wooded in Ireland is about 11% of the total, compared with a European average of 35%. There are twenty-six extant mammal species native to Ireland. The Irish climate is very moderated and classified as oceanic. As a result, winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area. However, summers are cooler than those in Continental Europe. Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant.

The earliest evidence of human presence in Ireland is dated at 10,500 BC. Gaelic Ireland had emerged by the 1st century AD and lasted until the First World War. The island was Christianised from the 5th century onward. Following the Norman invasion in the 12th century, England claimed sovereignty over Ireland. However, English rule did not extend over the whole island until the 16th–17th century Tudor conquest, which led to colonisation by settlers from Britain. In the 1690s, a system of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters, and was extended during the 18th century. With the Acts of Union in 1801, Ireland became a part of the United Kingdom. A war of independence in the early 20th century was followed by the partition of the island, creating the Irish Free State, which became increasingly sovereign over the following decades, and Northern Ireland, which remained a part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland saw much civil unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s. This subsided following a political agreement in 1998. In 1973 the Republic of Ireland joined the European Economic Community while the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland, as part of it, did the same.

Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures, especially in the fields of literature. Alongside mainstream Western culture, a strong indigenous culture exists, as expressed through Gaelic games, Irish music, and the Irish language. The culture of the island also shares many features with that of Great Britain, including the English language, and sports such as association football, rugby, horse racing, and golf.

Ireland is an island in western Europe.

Ireland may also refer to:

Ireland is a 2004 South Korean television series starring Lee Na-young, Kim Min-joon, Kim Min-jung and Hyun Bin. It aired on MBC from September 1 to October 21, 2004 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 16 episodes.

Ireland is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

• Alexander Ireland (journalist) (1810–1894), Scottish journalist
• Alexander Ireland (1901–1966), British boxer
• Alleyne Ireland (1871–1951), British traveller and author
• Andy Ireland (born 1930), American politician
• Anthony Ireland (disambiguation)
• Betty Ireland (born 1946), American politician
• Bill Ireland (1927–2007), American college sports coach
• Billy Ireland (1880–1935), American cartoonist
• Brian Ireland (born 1980), American drummer
• Colin Ireland (born 1954), British serial killer
• Danny Ireland (born 1990), Australian football player
• David Ireland (disambiguation)
  • David Ireland (artist) (1930–2009), American artist
  • David Ireland (author) (born 1927), Australian novelist
  • David Ireland (colonel) (1832–1864), American soldier
• Doug Ireland (born 1946), American journalist
• Gary Ireland (born 1961), Australian cricketer
• Innes Ireland (1930–1993), Scottish race car driver
• Jake Ireland (born 1946), Canadian football referee
• Jeff Ireland, American football administrator
• Jill Ireland (1936–1990), English actress
• John Ireland (disambiguation)
  • John Ireland (politician) (1827–1896), American politician
  • John Ireland (archbishop) (1838–1918), American religious leader and academic
  • John Ireland (composer) (1879–1962), English composer
  • John Ireland (actor) (1914–1992), Canadian actor
  • John de Courcy Ireland (1911–2006), Irish historian and activist
• Kathy Ireland (born 1963), American model, actress, author, and entrepreneur
• Kenny Ireland (born 1947), Scottish director and actor
• Kylie Ireland (born 1970), American pornographic actress and radio show host
• Marin Ireland, American actress
• Mike Ireland (born 1974), Canadian speed skater
• Patricia Ireland (born 1945), American feminist and administrator
• Paul Ireland (born 1970), Scottish actor
• Samuel Ireland (1744–1800), British author
• Stephen Ireland (born 1986), Irish footballer
• Tim Ireland (born 1953), American baseball player
• Walter Ireland (1923–2010), American politician
• William Henry Ireland (1775–1835), English forger of Shakespearean documents and plays