英美文學(xué)介紹Ireland,歷史人口地理位置之類的

1、 Ireland, occupying a population of 4,060,000 people, is the third largest island in Europe. It is a charming country with a 5000-year history. In 1922, Ireland Republic became independent from the rule of England. Ireland is very peaceful and serene, quite different from the violent image that Nort

2、hern Ireland, which is still a part of England, often shown in TV news. Geography History Culture Common sense Language Places of interest Political party Geography Ireland lies to the northwest of Continental Europe with the island of Great Britain lying to the east. Politically it is divided into

3、the Republic of Ireland, a sovereign state occupying five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, occupying the northeastern island.Ireland is an island in northwest Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean whose main geographical features include low central plains surro

4、unded by a ring of coastal mountains. The highest peak is Carrauntoohil (Irish: ), which is 1,041 metres (3,415 ft) above sea level. The western coastline is rugged, with many islands, peninsulas(半島半島), headlands (海岬）海岬） and bays. The island is bisected by the River Shannon, which at 386 km (240 mi)

5、 with a 113 km (70 mi) estuary is the longest river in Ireland and flows south from County Cavan in Ulster to meet the Atlantic just south of Limerick. There are a number of sizeable lakes along Irelands rivers, of which Lough Neagh is the largest. Ireland is sometimes called the Emerald Isle becaus

6、e it is so green. The island has wide green plains and rolling green hills. Cool weather and lots of rain help keep the island green. Summers in Ireland are not very hot and winters are not very cold. History On April 18,1949, the anniversary of the Easter Rebellion, Ireland declared itself a republ

7、ic, completely independent of Britain and no longer a member of the Commonwealth of Nation. People have lived in Ireland for more than 10,000 years. Irish folklore tells of ancient tribes. A people called the Celts invaded Ireland around 350 bc and conquered the tribes. You can still see stone ruins

8、 left by these ancient people. In the 1100s, nobles from the neighboring island of Britain began moving into Ireland and building castles. By the 1700s, Ireland was ruled by Britain. Most of the people in the central and southern parts of Ireland were Roman Catholic. Beginning in the 1800s, Irish Ca

9、tholics began calling for “home rule.” They disliked harsh British rule and wanted to govern themselves. The people in the north were mostly Protestants. They wanted to be governed by Britain. Fighting broke out between the British and the Irish and between Protestants and Catholics. The fighting we

10、nt on for many years. The Irish people called the fighting “the troubles.” Finally, Ireland was divided into two parts. The Irish Free State was set up in the south. It later became the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland remained under the rule of Great Britain. Fighting continued in Northern Ire

11、land between Catholics and Protestants. A peace agreement was signed in the late 1990s. The Irish people hope the troubles are over. The flag of Ireland is in green, white and orange. CultureCatholicsHope for peaceProtestantsThe harp is a symbol of Ireland. It can be seen on the presidential flag an

12、d on the back of the Irish Euro coin. A Euro is worth about $1.32. The shamrock is another symbol of Ireland. It is always worn on St. Patricks Day. Commom sense The capital of Ireland is Dublin. It straddles the mouth of the River Liffey. With one third of the total population live here. It is the

13、largest city in Ireland, and is the commercial and industrial center of Ireland and the countrys principle port.The National Holiday is March 17, St. Patricks Day, named after the Patron Saint of Ireland. Why do some Americans celebrate St. Patricks Day? Many Americans have Irish ancestors, meaning

14、their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents came from Ireland. Its fun to celebrate holidays from around the world. Even if youre not Irish, you can enjoy celebrating the holiday by wearing green, which is also a sign of spring.LanguageA few people still speak Gaelic(蓋爾語)in Ireland, but most p

15、eople in Ireland speak English. English is almost totally dominant in social, economic and cultural contexts. English came to Ireland in the 17th Century where settlers were forbidden from talking to natives. Because the English were in power, their language became powerful and since Irish speakers

16、were usually poor their language was then seen as backwards. Thus, English gradually became the mainly spoken language in Ireland. Though Some English is based on Irish language forms. Almost everyone in Ireland takes English as their main language besides Irish.Castles and ruins are found all over

17、Ireland. Places of interestThe Giants Causeway is a mass of stone columns that extend from a cliff in Northern Ireland and disappear under the sea towards Scotland. They were formed by a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago. However, the ancients believed it to be the work of a giant named Fin MCo

18、ul. (Photo from: http:/ Emerald Isle(綠寶石島)Photo by David Holmes: http:/The Political System Representative democracy (代議民主制）2) Republic (共和制)Prime Minister of Ireland Bertie AhernThe structure of Irish government The presidentsymbolic head of state and the term of office is 7 yearsthe executive powers of the state