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The
island of Ireland is situated in the extreme north-west of
Europe and is the most westerner of the two principals islands
of the British archipelago.The Irish Sea to the east, which
separates Ireland from Britain, is from 17.6 to 192 km (11
to 120 miles) wide and has a maximum depth of about 200 metres
(650 feet). Around the other coasts the shallow waters of
the Continental Shelf are rather narrow and depths increase
rapidly into the Atlantic Ocean.
Ireland's
greatest length is 485 km (302 miles) and it is 304 km (189
miles) at its widest point.
The
Republic of Ireland covers 70,282 sq. km (27,136 sq.mi.) and
consists of Munster, Leinster, Connacht and three counties
of Ulster, making a total of 26 counties governed by The Republic.
Northern
Ireland is only 5,500 square miles in area - about the size
of Yorkshire or Connecticut - and is made up of the remaining
6 counties of Ulster.
Among
Ireland's natural advantages is 5,631 km (3,500 mi.) of coastline,
so indented that you are never more than 70 miles from the
sea. Add to this the 800 lakes and rivers of inland Ireland
and you can be fairly certain of being in sight of some body
of water anywhere in Ireland! .
The
island comprises a large central lowland of limestone with
a relief of hills surrounded by a discontinuous border of
coastal mountains which vary greatly in geological structure.
The
highlands of the north, west, and south, which rise to more
than 3,000 ft (914 m), are generally barren, but the central
plain is extremely fertile and the climate is temperate and
moist, warmed by southwesterly winds.
The
highest mountain is Carrantuohill (1,040 metres/3'414 feet),
near Killarney in County Kerry.
The
longest river is the Shannon (370 km/230 miles, including
estuary) which opens at the sea in county Limerick.
The
largest lake is Lough Neagh (396 ssq km/153 ss.quare miles)
in the North and is bordered by counties Armagh, Down, Antrim,
Derry and Tyrone.
The
climate is temperate maritime and modified by North Atlantic
Current. It's why winters are mild and summers are cool. The
weather is consistently humid and overcast about half the
time.
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