Geography
of Ireland
"May
you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live."
Ireland
is an island which lies directly west of Britain across the
Irish Sea and is known as the Emerald
Isle. Ireland is 27,136 square miles with a varied
landscape which is covered with a beautiful bright green carpet
of grass, hence the name – Emerald Isle. The west coast
of Ireland is rocky with rugged cliffs and has lots of inlets
and bays. There are also hundreds of small islands off the
west coast. The central lowland consists of rolling hills
and peat bogs. There is a lot of pasture land in Ireland which
is used for farming and cattle, but very little natural woodland.
The
highest peak in Ireland is Carrauntoohil (3, 414 feet) and
lies along the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, at the eastern end of
the Iveragh Peninsula.
The longest
river in Ireland is the River Shannon.
The largest
lakes are Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland and Lough Ree in
the Republic of Ireland.
The Roads
in Ireland are very narrow and are lined on both sides by
stone walls.
Climate:
Ireland
has a mild climate and is green all year round due to lots
of rainfall. However, the mountain regions do experience harsh
winters.
Average Temperatures: Summer, 4° – 21° C. (40°
– 70° F) Winter, -1° – 4° C (30°
– 40° F)
Animals:
Ireland
is known for not having any snakes and the only reptiles in
Ireland are lizards. Some animals and sea life found in Ireland
are: grey seals, pine martens, otters, red fox, rabbits, rodents,
deer, badgers and goats. There are also many species of birds
in Ireland, especially on the west coast where birds stop
en route to other places.
  
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