Ireland, located in north-western Europe, is a sizable island in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George’s Channel.
Among the British Isles, Ireland is the second-largest island and ranks as the third-largest in Europe and the twentieth-largest globally.
From a geopolitical standpoint, the island of Ireland is partitioned between two entities: the Republic of Ireland, which is an independent state covering five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, an integral part of the United Kingdom.
In 2022, the combined population of the entire island has exceeded 7 million, with 5.1 million residing in the Republic of Ireland and 1.9 million in Northern Ireland. This makes it the second-most populous island in Europe, following Great Britain.
