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Report about Ireland

Ireland is a country in Northern Europe that occupies most of the island of Ireland. In the north it borders with Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom). The country has access to the Atlantic Ocean.

Ireland Square- 70.2 thousand km².

Ireland is in an advantageous position:

• it borders on an economically developed state,
• has access to transport routes of world importance,
• away from major hotbeds of military conflicts

Relief of Ireland

As you know, Ireland is an island state, a flat and rocky surface.

Ireland consists of a low central plain and its elevated rim. However, both the interior plain and the coastal mountains have significant specifics. The surface of the plain is complicated by individual hills, and in the surrounding ring of mountains there are gaps through which the plain is connected to the coast, this is especially noticeable in the area between Dublin and Dundalk on the east coast.

Climate of Ireland

Ireland lies in the temperate maritime climate zone - the average January temperature here does not rise above 4-7 C, and July 13-16 C. Precipitation ranges from 800 mm in the east to 2500 mm in the west of the country. Atlantic air masses saturated with moisture are the cause of frequent fogs and low clouds.

Inland waters and natural areas of Ireland

Shannon is the largest river, its length is 386 km, the catchment area is 11,769 sq. km. On the site between Loch Derg and the mouth of the river there is a hydroelectric power station built in 1929.

Also large rivers are the Barrow (190 km) and the Shur (183 km).

Natural wealth of Ireland

In Ireland, zinc, lead, silver, barite are mined, there are reserves of gold, copper, coal and natural gas.

The population of Ireland. Types of economic activity of the population of the country.

The population of Ireland is 4.761.865 million (2016). Representatives of more than 40 nationalities live in Ireland, but almost 88.6% are Irish themselves.

official languages- Irish and English

By the beginning of the 21st century, the key sectors of the Irish economy are: pharmaceuticals, the production of medical equipment, information and multimedia technologies, mechanical engineering, and the food industry.

Capital and major cities of Ireland

The capital of Ireland is Dublin. About a quarter of the population of the entire country (1.4 million people) lives in Dublin.

Another big city is Cork.

This is a very green country. It is green partly because it rains a lot.

The Irish and the descendants of the ancient population of Great Britain. Their favorite activities are horse riding, football and rugby.

Ireland is a country of good butter, beer and horses. People from all over the world come to buy Irish horses: from Europe, America, the Arab countries and the Far East. Ireland is also known for its manufacturing industry.

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Geographical position of the territory

Ireland (Irish Republic) is a state in Western Europe, occupying 5/6 of the island of Ireland, it is a large island in the west of the British archipelago, separated from Great Britain by the Strait of St. George, the Irish Sea and the North Strait. Geographical coordinates: 53 gr. s.sh, 8 gr. h.d. Located on the edge of the shelf, dissected by deep underwater valleys in the north, west and south; in the east, the water areas are shallow. Ireland is located on important sea and air routes from Europe to North America.

Ireland is most elongated from the northeast to the southwest, the length in this direction is 486 km. Total area 84,423 sq. km, of which the independent Republic of Ireland occupies 70,280 sq. km, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is 14,138 sq. km. km. The shortest distance between Ireland and the UK is 21 km in a straight line from Torr Head near Ballycastle to Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. Out of a total area of ​​70,280 sq. km, water occupies 1,390 sq. km, and land, respectively, 68,890 sq. km. The length of the coastline is 1,448 km. The eastern shores are predominantly low, leveled, the southern ones are shallow bays, with numerous rocky capes, the western ones are riasic, intensely indented by deeply protruding bays (Bantry, Kenmare River, Dingle, etc.).

Natural conditions and resources of the territory

The main natural resources are: zinc, lead, natural gas, copper, heavy spar, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat.

Relief

More than 1/2 of the territory of Ireland (in the center and in the north) is occupied by the Central Lowland (height 40-100 m) with hills and ridges rising above it, composed mainly of sandstone and limestone, covered by moraine deposits. In limestone - funnels, depressions, caves and other forms of karst relief, underground rivers and lakes. In the outlying regions there are deeply dissected ranges of low and middle mountains with ancient leveling surfaces. In the south-west - the highest mountains in Ireland, the Kerry Mountains (Carrantwill, 1041 m).

Geological structure and minerals

Ireland is located almost entirely in the system of the British Caledonides of the north-east strike. There are a metamorphic zone (crystalline schists, gneisses, migmatites and granites of the Upper Precambrian) and non-metamorphic zones (sandstones, shales, conglomerates, spilites and tuffs of the Lower Paleozoic). On the geosynclinal complexes of the north-west of Ireland, orogenic strata of the Devonian and Carboniferous (red-colored sandstones, conglomerates, mudstones, carbonate and coal-bearing rocks) occur with unconformity. Mesozoic marine deposits and Paleogene plateau basalts are developed in the northeast. In the extreme south, the Hercynian zone stretches, composed of shales and limestones of the Devonian and Carboniferous systems.

Of the minerals, there are large reserves of peat; in the Upper Paleozoic depressions - small deposits of coal (counties of Kilkenny and Carlow); in the central part of Ireland - a post-magmatic lead-zinc deposit (Shelly-Silvermines); in the Avoki area - a copper-pyrite deposit; in carboniferous limestones - bedded phosphorites. Reserves of explored natural gas - 9.911 billion cubic meters (2002)

Climate

The climate is temperate oceanic; Unstable cyclonic weather prevails with frequent rains, fogs, and winds. Winter is mild, frost-free, the average January temperature is 5-8 C; summer is cool, cloudy, the average temperature in July is 14-16 C. The annual amount of precipitation is from 700-800 mm. in the east up to 1000-1500 mm in the west, in the mountains over 2000 mm; maximum precipitation in winter.

Inland waters

Due to strong waterlogging, a dense network of rivers, as well as lakes and swamps, has formed. The rivers are full-flowing all year round, do not freeze, are used for navigation and electricity generation. The most significant - r. Shannon, crossing most of Ireland from east to west. The lakes are predominantly of tectonic-glacial or karst origin (on the Central Lowland). The largest lakes are Loch Corrib, Loch Mask, Loch Ree.

Soils and vegetation, Animals

Peat and heather wastelands and meadows predominate; peat wastelands are confined to acidic peat-bog soils, composed of cotton grass, blueberries, sedges, and sphagnum. On sandy soils (often with a dense ortstein horizon), moorlands are common with the dominance of ordinary and, in the south, European heather. Under the meadows, acid podzolic and meadow podzolic soils are developed. The meadows are widely used for grazing livestock. Forests (of oak, pine, birch) occupy less than 1% of the territory. The fauna of Ireland and the nearby mainland regions of Western Europe is similar. The species composition is depleted as a result of island isolation, as well as the development of cattle breeding, which led to the intensive extermination of wild animals.

Protected Areas and Natural Areas

The most famous natural parks are Bourne Vincent and Phoenix, the Karra Reserve. The central lowland with a slightly hilly karst surface, an abundance of lakes, swamps, meadow and heath vegetation. West coast with a heavily indented coastline, dissected low-mountain terrain, humid climate, dominated by heaths. The eastern coast is slightly dissected, with alternating middle mountains and small plains, with separate massifs of broadleaf and coniferous forests. The southern mountainous coast with the mildest climate, sharply dissected mountain slopes, and an abundance of short rivers.

Industry

Ireland is a small, developed country focused on foreign trade. Ireland is the most trade-dependent country in the world: according to 2002 data, in billions of US dollars, exports were 86.6, imports 48.6 and GDP 118.5, so the sum of exports and imports is 114% of GDP. The growth of the economy in 1995-2002 was 8% per year, the growth of industrial production in 2002 was 6%. Agriculture, once the most important sector of the economy, now lags far behind industry, which accounts for 38% of GDP, 80% of exports and 28% of the workforce. Ireland's total population is 3,924,140 (July 2003), with a workforce of 1.8 million (2001). Unemployment in 2002 was 4.3%. The main types of goods produced are textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machine tools, transport equipment, electronics, glass and crystal. Ireland produces 23.53 billion kWh of electricity (2001), of which thermal power plants produce 95.9%, hydroelectric power plants 2.3%, other 1.8%, nuclear 0%.

Ireland may soon become the most expensive country in the Eurozone, according to a report released by the Forfas agency. In 2002, Ireland ranked second in the euro area in terms of consumer prices; Finland was in the lead. However, in the near future, Ireland may take first place: at present, prices in the country exceed the average level for the eurozone by about 12%.

However, for services with high added value, such as the production and implementation of software, Ireland still remains attractive to TNCs, due to favorable tax conditions, although in 2001-02 the pace of economic development, especially in the field of high-tech exports slowed down by half amid the global economic downturn.

It is positive for the development of the industry that immigrants from Ireland, who held high positions in companies in the USA and Great Britain, when concluding international trade deals, often, for patriotic reasons, preferred Irish partners, which played a positive role in the development of Ireland in the 90s .

Agriculture

In Ireland, as in any developed post-industrial country, the role of agriculture is small - in 2002 this industry accounted for 5% of GDP, and 8% of the labor force was employed in this area. The main types of agricultural products produced in crop production are: turnip, sugar beet, wheat, oats, barley, potatoes; in animal husbandry: meat, milk, cheese, wool. Crop production largely serves the needs of animal husbandry.

Milk products

Ireland has a long and successful history as a producer of high quality dairy products. Dairy products have become a staple in the agricultural sector, with a turnover of over 2.5 billion euros in 2001, employing over 9,000 people for the production of finished products and 27,000 dairy farmers. The impetus for the development of the industry was the entry of Ireland into the EU in 1973. Irish dairy products have long been export-oriented. In 2002, 30.5% of all dairy products were supplied to the UK, 37.2% to other EU countries, and 15% to North America. In the CIS countries, Irish dairy products are almost unknown. Only 0.1% is supplied to Russia and China. The world famous brand is “Kerrygold”. Ireland's main competitors in this industry are Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

In 1992, the turnover in the production of dairy products was 2.231 billion Euros, which was 5.57% of GDP, and in 2000, the turnover was 2.530 billion Euros, which was 2.46% of GDP. The decrease in the share of dairy products in GDP was not due to a decrease in the production of these products, but to the rapid growth in other sectors of the economy, which significantly outpaced the growth in dairy production. The GDP of the entire state in 1992 was 40.034 billion Euros, and in 2000 it was 102.910 billion Euros. GDP growth during this period amounted to 95%, and the growth in dairy production - 16%.

The image of a "green and clean" country

Ireland has a strong international reputation for being a "green and clean country" which lends a positive image to Irish dairy products, especially when combined with natural pastures.

The Irish dairy sector has a long history of excellence in the international marketplace. Given the recent increased focus on food safety, this image is a very significant selling point for Irish dairy products. This image is supported by manufacturers such as Teagasc, FSAI and Bord Bia. These organizations have gone to great lengths to create a strong image of "green and clean" Ireland by emphasizing the clean and natural elements of dairy products.

However, competitors from other countries are putting the very image of "green and clean" Ireland into question. Although some Irish manufacturers have had success with branding, especially Kerrygold in Germany, where a "green and clean" image is in high demand, this image is not always properly used to demonstrate competitive advantage. Large investments are required to create new brands and strengthen existing ones. For now, the Irish industry continues to sell large quantities of finished products at low prices, instead of creating and strengthening brands of expensive products in order to use this image to increase profit margins.

Demographics of the village

One of the most serious rural development problems in Ireland has been depopulation. In Ireland in 1981-1991. With the onset of the economic downturn and increased immigration, as well as the outflow of the rural population to the cities, the number of areas with a declining rural population has increased significantly. The least accessible marshy and upland areas in the central part of the country, as well as peripheral rural areas in the northwest and southeast of Ireland, continued to lose population. The results of the last population census in 1991 reflected the fact that the relatively stable dynamics of the rural population in the late 1980s. was replaced by accelerated rural depopulation in 1981-1991. During this period, out of 155 rural areas, 75.5% of the population declined, compared with 29% in 1971-1981. The spatial development of depopulation in Ireland was caused by a general deterioration in the socio-economic situation and the temporary curtailment of government programs for rural development. One of the reasons for this was the introduction of restrictions on agricultural production, which most seriously affected the viability of the traditional dairy economy in the western regions of the country (this was also reflected in the dynamics of the rural population in these regions). Another reason for the temporary cessation of state aid to rural areas was the reform of EU structural funds intended for the development of depressed areas of the Community, as a result of which the volume of financial assistance to Ireland was reduced.

Since 1991, the dynamics of the rural population of Ireland has changed: a constant decrease has been replaced by an increase. The growth of the general welfare of the country in the 90s provoked the return of former emigrants to their homeland. Since most of the emigrants left rural areas of Ireland, many of the newly arrived settlers returned to the rural areas of the country.

Transport

There are 3,312 km of railways in Ireland, of which 1,947 km are broad gauge, 1,365 narrow gauge (used to transport peat to power plants) (2002), 92,500 roads (of which 115 km are motorways, 5,457 km are unpaved) (1999) . Waterways - 700 km (1998). Natural gas pipelines 7,592 km. Ports and marinas: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford. Merchant fleet - 26 ships, including several foreign vessels registered under the Irish flag for convenience, including two German (2002). Airports with a fixed runway - 16, of which one with a runway length of more than 3,047 m.

Automobile transport

Due to left-hand traffic on Ireland's roads, foreign drivers and pedestrians must take extra care. Tourists driving on the wrong side of the road make several accidents every year. Road conditions are mostly normal, but when leaving the main highways, the roads become narrow (usually a lane in each direction) and winding. Roads are much more dangerous in summer and on weekends due to increased traffic. Since the country is moving to the metric system, most of the road signs are marked in both miles (black inscription on a white background) and kilometers (white and green signs). One mile in Ireland is equal to 1609 m. Road signs are bilingual in English and Irish.

Taxi fares are moderate, but availability depends on the time of day. The bus service in the cities is mostly of good quality, but many buses are overloaded and often late.

Air transport

There are air links between major cities. From Dublin, planes fly to Cork, Shannon, Galway, Knock, Sligo, Carrickfinn, and Kerry airports. Several companies also organize charter flights to anywhere in Ireland and the UK.

Aer Arann operates year-round air transportation to the Aran Islands. From Caislean, Inverin, Connemara, County Galway airports.

Aer Lingus is the flag carrier of Ireland. The company was founded in April 1936. Its main shareholder is the government of Ireland (95%). Aer Lingus operates scheduled and charter flights.

The discount airline Ryanair has the lowest prices for air travel. Ryanair expects to carry 30 million passengers in 2004, overtaking Lufthansa and British Airways.

prospects

If in the early 80s Ireland was the poorest country in the EU, then the rapid growth of the economy in the 90s brought the state to the forefront. In 2004, Ireland may become the most expensive country in Europe. If earlier the country attracted foreign investors with cheap labor, now investors are forced to transfer production from the countries of Eastern Europe due to the high level of wages in Ireland. Due to the expensive labor market, Ireland can no longer compete with Eastern Europe and the countries of the East in the production of conventional products. Therefore, in order to continue to grow the economy, Ireland must continue to use its strengths to create new high-tech products with high margins. Ireland's strengths are:

· High level of education. Education in Ireland is not purely academic in nature, "campuses" are widespread - a symbiosis of student campuses, universities and manufacturing firms, where students work in real commercial firms during their studies. Many graduates open their own businesses. The country has state investment funds that invest in start-up companies in return for 10% of the subsequent profits of the company.

· Political stability. No matter how many parties come to power, each new party continues the policy of the old one. This raises the image of the country's stability at the international level, improves the investment climate.

· Low taxes.10% income tax for companies when selling products made in Ireland.

· Developed high-tech sector. Software plays a special role in this sector. In 2000, the turnover of this sector amounted to 11% of GDP, 30,000 people work in software companies.

· State support for the high-tech sector. The National Development Plan 2000-2006 provides for 3 billion Euros of investment in this sector. There are government agencies (Enterpries Ireland, Industrial Development Agency) responsible for the development of local firms.

· Strong Irish diaspora. Many Irish people work in the UK and the US and prefer Irish companies when doing international business.

Conclusion

Promising for Ireland are new, expensive products with high profit margins. In the agricultural sector, Ireland needs to make its way into the international market with a high-value new commodity with a high margin, such as high-priced gourmet cheeses. In the field of industry and services, the development of software, the design of hardware complexes, microcircuits (which Ireland is already strong in), as well as new technologies such as quantum mechanics, DNA computing, molecular nanotechnology, bioinformatics, are promising for Ireland.

The famous Russian poetess Zinaida Gippius once, although she had never seen Ireland, called it "a foggy country with sharp rocks." Now the island of Ireland, on which, in fact, the Republic of Ireland is located, is called the "Emerald Isle", because. trees and plants are green almost all year round. However, tourists in Ireland will be interested not only in nature, but also in numerous medieval castles, as well as other attractions, traditional festivals and local alcoholic drinks (Irish whiskey, beer and ale).

Geography of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland is located on the island of Ireland, in northwestern Europe. This country has a land border only with Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK. The island of Ireland is washed on all sides by the Atlantic Ocean (the Celtic Sea in the south, the St. George Canal in the southeast and the Irish Sea in the east). The total area of ​​this country is 70,273 sq. km. The highest peak in Ireland is Mount Carantwill, whose height reaches 1041 m.

Capital

The capital of Ireland is Dublin, which now has a population of about 550 thousand people. Historians claim that a Celtic settlement on the site of modern Dublin existed already in the 2nd century AD.

Official language of Ireland

Ireland has two official languages ​​- Irish and English. However, only 39% of the population of Ireland knows the Irish language.

Religion

About 87% of the inhabitants of Ireland are Catholics belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.

State structure

According to the Constitution, Ireland is a parliamentary republic, the head of which is the President, who is elected for a 7-year term.

Executive power belongs to the bicameral Parliament - Oirakhtas, consisting of the Senate (60 people) and the House of Representatives (156 people).

The main political parties are the Labor Party, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Workers' Party of Ireland, and the Socialist Party.

Climate and weather in Ireland

The climate in Ireland is determined by the Atlantic Ocean and the warm Gulf Stream. As a result, the climate in this country is temperate maritime. The average annual air temperature is +9.6C. The warmest months in Ireland are July and August, when the average air temperature reaches +19C, and the coldest months are January and February (+2C). The average rainfall is 769 mm per year.

Average air temperature in Dublin:

• January - +4C
• February - +5С
• March - +6.5С
• April - +8.5С
• May - +11С
• June - +14C
• July - +15C
• August - +15С
• september - +13С
• october - +11C
• November - +7С
• December - +5C

Seas and oceans

The island of Ireland is washed on all sides by the Atlantic Ocean. In the south, Ireland is washed by the Celtic Sea, and in the east by the Irish Sea. In the southeast, the St. George Canal separates Ireland and Great Britain.

Rivers and lakes

Many rivers flow through Ireland. The largest of these are Shannon, Barrow, Shur, Blackwater, Bunn, Liffey, and Slaney. As for the lakes, of them, first of all, the following should be mentioned: Loch Derg, Loch Mask, Loch Neagh, and Killarney.

Note that Ireland has an extensive network of canals, most of which were built more than 100 years ago.

Story

The first people on the island of Ireland appeared 8 thousand years ago. Then, during the Neolithic, Celtic tribes from the Iberian Peninsula arrived in Ireland. The spread of Christianity in Ireland is associated with the name of St. Patrick, who arrived on this island around the middle of the 5th century.

Since the 8th century, Ireland has been subjected to a century-long invasion of the Vikings. At this time, the country is divided into several counties.

In 1177, a significant part of the territory of Ireland was captured by English troops. In the middle of the 16th century, the British tried to impose Protestantism on the Irish, but they could not do it completely. Thus, to this day, the inhabitants of the island of Ireland are divided into two religious concessions - Catholics and Protestants (in the Republic of Ireland, the majority of the population are Catholics).

In 1801 Ireland became part of Great Britain. It wasn't until 1922, after the Irish War of Independence, that most of Ireland seceded from Great Britain, forming the Irish Free State (but which was part of the Commonwealth of Great Britain). Only in 1949 did Ireland become truly independent. However, Northern Ireland, where the majority of the population is Protestant, is still part of the UK.

In 1973 Ireland was admitted to the EU.

Culture of Ireland

Despite the fact that the British for many centuries tried to include Ireland in their empire, the Irish still managed to maintain their national identity, as well as traditions and beliefs.

The most popular festivals in Ireland are the St. Patrick's Day Festival and Parade, the Galway Oyster Festival, the Cork Jazz Festival, the Bloomsday Festival, and the Dublin Marathon.

Kitchen

Traditional products in Ireland are meat (beef, pork, lamb), fish (salmon, cod), seafood (oysters, mussels), potatoes, cabbage, cheese, dairy products. The most famous Irish dish is Irish stew, which is made from lamb, potatoes, carrots, parsley, onions and cumin.

Another traditional Irish dish is boiled bacon with cabbage. Ireland is also famous for its traditional soda bread and cheesecake.

Everyday non-alcoholic drinks in Ireland are tea and coffee (think of the famous Irish coffee, which includes whiskey, brown sugar and whipped cream). As for alcoholic beverages, the Irish prefer whiskey, beer and ale.

Landmarks of Ireland

Despite the fact that Ireland is a small country, it still has a lot of interesting sights. The top ten of them, in our opinion, are the following:

Cities and resorts

Ireland's largest cities are Cork, Limerick and, of course, Dublin. The largest of them is Dublin, which is now home to about 550 thousand people. In turn, the population of Cork is more than 200 thousand people, and Limerick - about 100 thousand people.

Souvenirs/Shopping

Tourists from Ireland usually bring traditional Irish sweaters from the Aran Island (we recommend buying white Aran sweaters, not colored ones), Waterford Crystal glassware, tweed suits, linen, Irish music CDs, fishing tackle, and, of course, Irish whiskey.

Office Hours

Banks: Mon-Fri: 10:00-16-00 (on Wednesdays - 10:30-16-30).

Some shops in Ireland are open on weekdays until 21:00. Some supermarkets are open 24 hours a day. Bars and pubs in Ireland open at 10:00 (Mon-Sat) and close at 23:00 (Mon-Thur), at 00:30 on Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday at 23:00.

Visa

To enter Ireland, Ukrainians need to apply for a visa.

Currency of Ireland

Ireland is a member of the European Union, which means that the euro is used as currency in this country. All major credit cards are widely accepted in the country, including Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Customs restrictions

You can import foreign currency into Ireland without restrictions, but you can export no more than what was declared when entering the country. Customs regulations in Ireland are the same as in other EU countries.

Name The Constitution of Ireland, adopted in 1937, states that "the name of the state is Eire, or, in English, Ireland". In 1949, the name "Republic of Ireland" was adopted as a description of the state; its name is still simply "Ireland". However, in various spheres, official and unofficial, the name "Republic of Ireland" is widely used to distinguish the state from British Northern Ireland and the island as a whole.

Capital: Dublin. Area: 70,280 sq. km. Population: 3,797,257 Administrative-territorial division: 4 provinces with 26 counties. Language: The official languages ​​are Irish and English. Currency: Irish pound (100 pence).

Member of organizations: UN (since 1955), Council of Europe (since 1949), OECD (since 1960), EU (since 1973), Euratom (since 1973), European Monetary System (since 1979).

Geographical position

Ireland is located on the island of the same name (occupies most of it) in the Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of Great Britain. The length from north to south is 465 km, from east to west - 285 km. The length of the coast is about 2.8 thousand km. The entire middle part of the island is occupied by a hilly plain, replete with lakes and peat bogs. The central plain rises to the edges of the island, giving way to low mountains. In the southwest in the mountains of Kerry is the highest point in Ireland - the city of Carrantwill (1041 m). The shores of the island are heavily indented and abound with fjords, bays, bays and deep estuaries. The total area of ​​the country is about 70.3 thousand square meters. km.

Relief

Ireland consists of a low central plain and its elevated rim. However, both the interior plain and the coastal mountains have significant specifics. The surface of the plain is complicated by individual hills, and in the surrounding ring of mountains there are gaps through which the plain is connected to the coast, this is especially noticeable in the area between Dublin and Dundalk on the east coast.

The coastline is strongly dissected. Elongated sea bays cut into the depths of mountains and lowlands, forming a picturesque coastline with many peninsulas and islands. The interior of the island (Central Plain) is mostly low-lying, about 60 m above sea level. At the base of it lie red sandstones and limestones, overlain by thick (up to 60 m) glacial deposits. Separate hills, rising to a height of 180-300m, are the remains of Hercynian structures or a cover of carbonic limestones. The latter form island plateaus up to 600 m high along the outskirts of the lowland, where (especially in the west) karst is widely developed. In the northeast there are plateaus (Antrim) and lowlands formed by tertiary outpourings of basalts. Deposits of peat and coal.

The highest point in Northern Ireland is Mount Slieve Donard (850 m) in the Morne Mountains north of Carlingford Lough. These mountains drop steeply to the sea. The Spurrin Mountains, located southwest of Londonderry (sometimes also called Derry), reach their highest height of 683 m (Soel). The volcanic ridge, formed in the Eocene, stretched from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the north almost to Belfast Lough. It shares the historical region of Antrim. Most of the peaks of the ridge are currently leveled, and the entire area is used for pasture. Much of the area around Armagh has a runoff north to Loch Ness. To the south, a predominantly rugged relief is developed. Mount Slieve Gallion, located 5 km from the southern border of Northern Ireland, reaches a height of 575 m. The highlands of this area, for all their massiveness and dissection, do not create obstacles for transport or for the penetration of the prevailing south-westerly winds, which bring moisture and moderate temperatures in the east and in the west.