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GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the
island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North
Sea, northwest of France |
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Geographic
Coordinates:
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54 00 N, 2 00 W |
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Map
References:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
244,820 sq km
land: 241,590 sq km
water: 3,230 sq km
note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands |
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Area
- Comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Oregon |
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Land
Boundaries:
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total:
360 km
border countries: Ireland 360 km |
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Coastline:
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12,429 km |
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Maritime
Claims:
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continental
shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance
with agreed upon boundaries
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm |
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Climate:
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temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North
Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
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Terrain:
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mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains
in east and southeast |
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Land
Use:
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arable
land: 19%
permanent crops: 12%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 46%
other: 19% (1993 est.) |
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Irrigated
Land :
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15,800
sq km (1993 est.) |
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Natural
Hazards:
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NA |
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Environment
- Current Issues:
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sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air pollution;
some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes; and coastal waters
polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea |
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Environment
- International Agreements:
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party
to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol |
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