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 Where In The World?
Where in the World is Ireland?
Its time to get out your globe! You need to know about the imaginary lines on globes and maps. These lines are called lines of latitude and longitude, and they tell a pilot or ships captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also called parallels) are the horizontal lines on your map. Lines of longitude (also called meridians) are the vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. This mapping system is written in degrees and uses the symbol . Get ready to travel the world!
One of the highlights of March is the Saint Patricks Day holiday, so its birthplace, Ireland, is a natural fit for our March Where in the World. On your globe, find longitude of 6W and latitude of 53N and youll find Dublin, the capital of Ireland. Ireland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, just west of the larger island of Great Britain. The North Channel and the Irish Sea separate Ireland from Great Britain. In area, Ireland is roughly one-tenth the size of the state of Texas. There are more than 100 small islands off the Irish coast. The most important of these are the Aran Islands, off Galway Bay in the west.
 Eire, as it is known in the Irish language, is also known as the Emerald Isle because of its lush green fields and hills. Most of the island is occupied by the Republic of Ireland, an independent nation. The northwestern region, known as Northern Ireland, is part of the United Kingdom. This division of the island has caused much political turmoil and bloodshed for hundreds of years.
Some other interesting facts about Ireland:
Lots of rain is what makes Ireland so green. In some parts of the country, it rains 200 days out of the year. Even in the driest months, they get some rain about every other day! Irelands weather is fairly mild because it is exposed to the westerly Gulf Stream winds. The average temperature is 50F.
Irish music is the countrys greatest contribution to performing arts. Some famous musicians and groups from Ireland include U2, The Corrs, Van Morrison, Snead OConnor and Enya.
The chief crops in Ireland are oats, potatoes, barley, wheat, turnips and sugar beets.
Sources: The World Factbook prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency. The New Book of Knowledge. Scholastic Library Publishing, 2006.
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