Located on the North Atlantic Ocean, Ireland is the third largest island in Europe and home to 4.7 million people. From St. Patrick’s Day to Guinness beer to rugby to the color green, Ireland is a popular tourist destination and is visited by millions of people each year. In 2014 alone, more than seven million people made the trip to the Emerald Isle.
While Ireland is well known as the birthplace of U2 and is known for numerous pubs and Celtic ballads and shamrocks, the country is home to so much more.
If a tour of Ireland is in your future, some basic facts about the Emerald Isle can familiarize you with the country as you tour and visit some of the country’s popular destinations.
- As of 2011, more than 4.5 million people live in Ireland and the country’s population ranked 119th in the world.
- Catholicism is Ireland’s dominant religion at 84 percent.
