Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom

Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom with a local executive and assemblywhich exercise devolved powers. The executive is jointly headed by the first and deputy-first minister, with the ministries being allocated in proportion with each party's representation in the assembly. Its capital is Belfast. Toshiba Satellite X205-S9349 CPU Fan Ultimately political power is held by London, from which Northern Ireland has gone through intermittent periods of direct rule during which devolved powers have been suspended. Northern Ireland elects 18 of the UK House of Commons' 650 MPs. TheNorthern Ireland Secretary is a cabinet level post in the British government. Northern Ireland forms a separate jurisdiction, its court of final appeal is the UK Supreme Court.  DELL yy529 CPU Fan As part of the Good Friday Agreement, the British and Irish government agreed on the creation of all-island institutions and areas of cooperation. The North/South Ministerial Council is an institution through which ministers from theGovernment of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive agree all-island policies. HP Pavilion dv7-3020es CPU Fan At least six of these policy areas must have an associated all-island "implementation bodies" and at least six others must be implemented separately in each jurisdiction. The implementation bodies are: Waterways Ireland, the Food Safety Promotion Board, InterTradeIreland, theSpecial European Union Programmes Body, the North/South Language Body and the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. HP G62-369TX CPU Fan The British–Irish Intergovernmental Conference provides for co-operation between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom on all matter of mutual interest, especially Northern Ireland. In light of Ireland's particular interest in the governance of Northern Ireland, "regular and frequent" meetings co-chaired by the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and the UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, dealing with non-devolved matters to do with Northern Ireland and non-devolved all-Ireland issues, are required to take place under the establishing treaty. The North/South Inter-Parliamentary Association is a joint parliamentary forum for the island of Ireland. HP 13.V1.BJ195.F.GN CPU Fan It has no formal powers but operates as a forum for discussing matters of common concern between the respective legislatures. Despite the two jurisdictions using two distinct currencies (the euro and pound sterling), a growing amount of commercial activity is carried out on an all-island basis. Toshiba Satellite L675D-S7016 CPU Fan This has been facilitated by the two jurisdictions' shared membership of the European Union, and there have been calls from members of the business community and policymakers for the creation of an "all-island economy" to take advantage of economies of scale and boost competitiveness. Ireland has an ancient industry based on peat (known locally as "sod" or "turf") as a source of energy for home fires. HP Pavilion dv7-1451nr CPU Fan A form of biomass energy, this source of heat is still widely used in rural areas. In cities, heat is generally supplied by heating oil, although some urban suppliers distribute "sods of turf" as "smokeless fuel." An area in which the island operates as a single market is electricity.^[83] For much of their existence electricity networks in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland were entirely separate. HP G62-a57SG CPU Fan Both networks were designed and constructed independently post partition. However, as a result of changes over recent years they are now connected with three interlinks^[84] and also connected through Great Britain to mainland Europe. The situation in Northern Ireland is complicated by the issue of private companies not supplying Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) with enough power. SONY Vaio VGN-NR31S/S CPU Fan In the Republic of Ireland, the ESB has failed to modernise its power stations and the availability of power plants has recently averaged only 66%, one of the worst such rates in Western Europe. EirGrid is building a HVDC transmission line between Ireland and Great Britain with a capacity of 500 MW, about 10% of Ireland's peak demand.^[85] IBM 91P9252 CPU Fan As with electricity, the natural gas distribution network is also now all-island, with a pipeline linking Gormanston, County Meath, and Ballyclare, County Antrim.^[86] Most of Ireland's gas comes through interconnectors between Twynholm in Scotland and Ballylumford, County Antrim and Loughshinny, County Dublin. Toshiba Satellite M70-122 CPU Fan A decreasing supply is coming from the Kinsale gas field off the County Cork coast^[87][88] and the Corrib Gas Field off the coast of County Mayo has yet to come on-line. The County Mayo field is facing some localised opposition over a controversial decision to refine the gas onshore. Research and development in Ireland in renewable energy such as wind power has increased since 2004. SONY UDQFWPH22FQU CPU Fan Large wind farms are being constructed in coastal counties such as Cork, Donegal, Mayo and Antrim. The construction of wind farms has in some cases been delayed by opposition from local communities, some of whom overall consider the wind turbines to be unsightly. The Republic of Ireland is also hindered by an ageing network that was not designed to handle the varying availability of power that comes from wind farms. HP Pavilion dv6-2150ei CPU Fan The ESB's Turlough Hill facility is the only power-storage facility in the state. The island of Ireland is located in the north-west of Europe, between latitudes 51° and 56° N, and longitudes 11° and 5° W. It is separated from the neighbouring island of Great Britain by the Irish Sea and the North Channel, which has a width of 23 kilometres (14 mi)^[90] at its narrowest point. HP G42-367TU CPU Fan To the west is the northern Atlantic Ocean and to the south is the Celtic Sea, which lies between Ireland and Brittany, in France. Ireland has a total area of 84,421 km² (32,595 sq mi)^[2][91] Ireland and Great Britain, together with nearby islands, are known collectively as the British Isles. As the term British Isles is controversial in relation to Ireland, the alternate term Britain and Ireland is often used as a neutral term for the islands. Toshiba Satellite P100-238 CPU Fan A ring of coastal mountains surround low plains at the centre of the island. The highest of these isCarrauntoohil (Irish: Corrán Tuathail) in County Kerry, which rises to 1,038 m (3,406 ft) above sea level.^[92]The most arable land lies in the province of Leinster.^[93] Western areas can be mountainous and rocky with green panoramic vistas. ACER Aspire 5739 CPU Fan The River Shannon, the island's longest river at 386 km (240 mi) long, rises inCounty Cavan in the north west and flows 113 kilometres (70 mi) to Limerick city in the mid west.^[94] The island's lush vegetation, a product of its mild climate and frequent rainfall, earns it the sobriquet the Emerald Isle. Overall, Ireland has a mild but changeable oceanic climate with few extremes. IBM ThinkPad T40 2678 CPU Fan The climate is typically insular and is temperate avoiding the extremes in temperature of many other areas in the world at similar latitudes.^[95] This is a result of the moderating moist winds which ordinarily prevail from the South-Western Atlantic. Precipitation falls throughout the year but is light overall, particularly in the east. IBM Thinkpad T43 CPU Fan The west tends to be wetter on average and prone to Atlantic storms, especially in the late autumn and winter months. These occasionally bring destructive winds and higher total rainfall to these areas, as well as sometimes snow and hail. The regions of north County Galway and east County Mayo have the highest incidents of recorded lightning annually for the island, with lightning occurring approximately five to ten days per year in these areas.^[96] IBM ThinkPad T43 2668 CPU Fan Munster, in the south, records the least snow whereas Ulster, in the north, records the most. Inland areas are warmer in summer and colder in winter. Usually around 40 days of the year are below freezing 0 °C (32 °F) at inland weather stations, compared to 10 days at coastal stations. Ireland is sometimes affected by heat waves, most recently in 1995, 2003, 2006 and 2013. IBM ThinkPad T43 1871 CPU Fan In common with the rest of Europe, Ireland experienced unusually cold weather during the winter of 2009/10. Temperatures fell as low as −17.2 °C (1 °F) in County Mayo on 20 December^[97]and up to a metre (3 ft) of snow in mountainous areas. The island consists of varied geological provinces. In the far west, around County Galway and County Donegal, ACER Travelmate 8104WLMI CPU Fan is a medium to high grade metamorphic and igneous complex of Caledonide affinity, similar to the Scottish Highlands. Across southeast Ulster and extending southwest to Longford and south to Navan is a province of Ordovician and Silurian rocks, with similarities to the Southern Uplands province of Scotland. Further south, along the County Wexford coastline, is an area of granite intrusives into more Ordovician and Silurian rocks, like that found in Wales.^[98][99] DELL Latitude E4300 CPU Fan In the southwest, around Bantry Bay and the mountains of Macgillicuddy's Reeks, is an area of substantially deformed, but only lightly metamorphosed, Devonian-aged rocks.^[100] This partial ring of "hard rock" geology is covered by a blanket of Carboniferous limestone over the centre of the country, giving rise to a comparatively fertile and lush landscape. ASUS F80S CPU Fan The west-coast district of the Burren around Lisdoonvarna has well-developed karst features.^[101] Significant stratiform lead-zinc mineralisation is found in the limestones around Silvermines and Tynagh. Hydrocarbon exploration is ongoing following the first major find at the Kinsale Head gas field off Cork in the mid-1970s.^[102][103] HP Pavilion dv5-1058eo CPU Fan In 1999, economically significant finds of natural gas were made in the Corrib Gas Field off the County Mayo coast. This has increased activity off the west coast in parallel with the "West of Shetland" step-out development from the North Sea hydrocarbon province. The Helvick oil field, estimated to contain over 28 million barrels (4,500,000 m³) of oil, is another recent discovery.IBM 13N5182 CPU Fan There are three World Heritage Sites on the island: the Brú na Boinne, Skellig Michael and the Giant's Causeway.^[105] A number of other places are on the tentative list, for example the Burren, the Ceide Fields and Mount Stewart.^[106] Some of the most visited sites in Ireland include Bunratty Castle, the Rock of Cashel, the Cliffs of Moher, IBM Thinkpad T30 2366-AA3 CPU Fan Holy Cross Abbey and Blarney Castle.^[107]Historically important monastic sites include Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, which are maintained as national monuments in the Republic of Ireland.^[108] Dublin is the most heavily touristed region^[107] and home to several of the most popular attractions such as the Guinness Storehouse and Book of Kells.^[107] IBM Thinkpad T30 CPU Fan The west and south west, which includes the Lakes of Killarney and the Dingle peninsula in County Kerry and Connemara and the Aran Islands in County Galway, are also popular tourist destinations.^[107] Achill Island lies off the coast of County Mayo and is Ireland's largest island. It is a popular tourist destination for surfing and contains 5 Blue Flag beaches and Croaghaun one of the worlds highest sea cliffs. HP 535438-001 CPU Fan Stately homes, built during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries in Palladian, Neoclassical and neo-Gothic styles, such as, Castle Ward, Castletown House, Bantry House, are also of interest to tourists. Some have been converted into hotels, such as Ashford Castle, Castle Leslie and Dromoland Castle. As Ireland was isolated from mainland Europe by rising sea levels after the ice age, it has less diverse animal and plant species than either Great Britain or mainland Europe. There are 55 mammal species in Ireland and of them only 26 land mammalspecies are considered native to Ireland.^[109] DELL Inspiron N3010 CPU Fan Some species, such as, the red fox, hedgehog and badger, are very common, whereas others, like the Irish hare, red deer and pine marten are less so. Aquatic wildlife, such as species of sea turtle,shark, seal, whale, and dolphin, are common off the coast. About 400 species of birds have been recorded in Ireland. Many of these are migratory, including the Barn Swallow. Most of Ireland's bird species come from Iceland, Greenland and Africa. HP Pavilion dv6-3070tx CPU Fan Several different habitat types are found in Ireland, including farmland, open woodland, temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, conifer plantations, peat bogs and a variety of coastal habitats. However, agriculture drives current land use patterns in Ireland, limiting natural habitat preserves,^[110] particularly for larger wild mammals with greater territorial needs. IBM 41W5269 CPU Fan With no top predator in Ireland, populations of animals, such as semi-wild deer, that cannot be controlled by smaller predators, such as the fox, are controlled by annual culling. There are no snakes in Ireland and only one reptile (the common lizard) is native to the island. Extinct species include theIrish elk, the great auk and the wolf. ASUS A8H CPU Fan Some previously extinct birds, such as the Golden Eagle, been reintroduced in about the year 2000 after decades of extirpation. http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/indicators/epa_indicators_2002.pdf Until medieval times Ireland was heavily forested with oak, pine and birch. Forests today cover about 12.6% of Ireland,^[8] of which 4,450 km² or one million acres is owned by Coillte, the Republic's forestry service.^[111] SONY UDQFRZH13CF0 CPU Fan The Republic lies in 42nd place (out of 55) in a list of the most forested countries in Europe.^[112] Much of the land is now covered with pasture and there are many species of wild-flower. Gorse (Ulex europaeus), a wild furze, is commonly found growing in the uplands and ferns are plentiful in the more moist regions, especially in the western parts. HP COMPAQ 2510P CPU Fan It is home to hundreds of plant species, some of them unique to the island, and has been "invaded" by some grasses, such asSpartina anglica.The long history of agricultural production, coupled with modern intensive agricultural methods such as pesticide and fertiliser use and runoff from contaminants into streams, rivers and lakes, impact the natural fresh-water ecosystems and have placed pressure on biodiversity in Ireland.APPLE 661-4951 CPU Fan A land of green fields for crop cultivation and cattle rearing limits the space available for the establishment of native wild species. Hedgerows, however, traditionally used for maintaining and demarcating land boundaries, act as a refuge for native wild flora. This ecosystem stretches across the countryside and acts as a network of connections to preserve remnants of the ecosystem that once covered the island. Subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy, HP Pavilion dv6-3034ca CPU Fan which supported agricultural practices that preserved hedgerow environments, are undergoing reforms. The Common Agricultural Policy had in the past subsidised potentially destructive agricultural practices, for example by emphasising production without placing limits on indiscriminate use of fertilisers and pesticides; but reforms have gradually decoupled subsidies from production levels and introduced environmental and other requirements.^[118] HP G56-126NR CPU Fan Forest covers about 12.6% of the country, most of it designated for commercial production.^[110] Forested areas typically consist of monoculture plantations of non-native species, which may result in habitats that are not suitable for supporting native species of invertebrates. Remnants of native forest can be found scattered around the island, in particular in the Killarney National Park.Compaq Presario C556CA CPU Fan Natural areas require fencing to prevent over-grazing by deer and sheep that roam over uncultivated areas. Grazing in this manner is one of the main factors preventing the natural regeneration of forests across many regions of the countryPeople have lived in Ireland for over 9,000 years, although only a limited amount is known about thepalaeolithic, neolithic and Bronze Age inhabitants of the island. SONY Vaio VGN-NR360E CPU Fan Early historical and genealogical records note the existence of dozens of different peoples that may or may not be mythological, for example the Cruithne, Attacotti, Conmaicne, Eóganachta, Érainn, and Soghain, to name but a few. Over the past 1000 years or so, Vikings, Normans, Scots and English have all added to the Gaelic population and have had significant influences on Irish culture. HP Pavilion dv5170us CPU Fan Ireland's largest religious group is Christianity. The largest denomination is Roman Catholicismrepresenting over 73% for the island (and about 87% of the Republic of Ireland). Most of the rest of the population adhere to one of the various Protestant denominations (about 48% of Northern Ireland).^[120] The largest is the Anglican Church of Ireland. The Muslim community is growing in Ireland, mostly through increased immigration. SONY Vaio VPC-EE3WFX/WI CPU Fan The island has a small Jewish community. About 4% of the Republic's population and about 14% of the Northern Ireland population^[120] describe themselves as of no religion. In a 2010 survey conducted on behalf of the Irish Times, 32% of respondents said they went to a religious service more than once a week. The population of Ireland rose rapidly from the 16th century until the mid-19th century, HP G56-126NR CPU Fan but a devastatingfamine in the 1840s caused one million deaths and forced over one million more to emigrate in its immediate wake. Over the following century the population was reduced by over half, at a time when the general trend in European countries was for populations to rise by an average of three-fold. Traditionally, Ireland is subdivided into four provinces: Connacht (west), Leinster (east), Munster(south), and Ulster (north). HP 3MLX8TATP20 CPU Fan In a system that developed between the 13th and 17th centuries,^[121] Ireland has 32 traditional counties. Twenty-six of these counties are in the Republic of Ireland and six are in Northern Ireland. The six counties that constitute Northern Ireland are all in the province of Ulster (which has nine counties in total). As such, Ulster is often used as a synonym for Northern Ireland, although the two are not coterminous. SONY Vaio VGN-NW240F/S CPU Fan\ In the Republic of Ireland, counties form the basis of the system of local government. Counties Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Tipperary have been broken up into smaller administrative areas. However, they are still treated as counties for cultural and some official purposes, for example postal addresses and by the Ordnance Survey Ireland. SONY Vaio VPC-EB1Z0E/B CPU Fan Counties in Northern Ireland are no longer used for local governmental purposes,^[122] but, as in the Republic, their traditional boundaries are still used for informal purposes such as sports leagues and in cultural or tourism contexts.^[123] City status in Ireland is decided by legislative or royal charter. Compaq Presario CQ60-514NR CPU Fan Dublin, with over 1 million residents in the Greater Dublin Area, is the largest city on the island. Belfast, with 579,726 residents, is the largest city in Northern Ireland. City status does not directly equate with population size. For example,Armagh, with 14,590 is the seat of the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Primate of All Ireland and was re-granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994 (having lost that status in local government reforms of 1840). Toshiba Satellite X205-S9800 CPU Fan