Capital: Dublin
Administrative divisions: 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK)
National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution: 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebecite

Legal system: based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990); election last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held November 1997); results - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%
head of government: Prime Minister Albert REYNOLDS (since 11 February 1992)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by president with previous nomination of the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Oireachtas)
Senate (Seanad Eireann): elections last held on NA February 1992 (next to be held February 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total, 49 elected) Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats 2, Democratic Left 1, independents 6
House of Representatives (Dail Eireann): elections last held on 25 November 1992 (next to be held by June 1995); results - Fianna Fail 39.1%, Fine Gael 24.5%, Labor Party 19.3%, Progressive Democrats 4.7%, Democratic Left 2.8%, Sinn Fein 1.6%, Workers' Party 0.7%, independents 5.9%; seats - (166 total) Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats 10, Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Left, Proinsias DE ROSSA; Fianna Fail, Albert REYNOLDS; Labor Party, Richard SPRING; Fine Gael, John BRUTON; Communist Party of Ireland, Michael O'RIORDAN; Sinn Fein, Gerry ADAMS; Progressive Democrats, Desmond O'MALLEY
note: Prime Minister REYNOLDS heads a coalition consisting of the Fianna Fail and the Labor Party
Member of: Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, ONUSAL, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNOSOM, UNPROFRO, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER
chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 462-3939
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [353] (1) 6687122
FAX: [353] (1) 6689946

Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red

NOTE: The information regarding Ireland on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ireland Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ireland Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.