Ireland

Ireland is a sovereign state in Northwestern Europe comprising 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of approximately 5.4 million. Its capital and largest city is Dublin, located on the eastern side of the island with a population exceeding 1.5 million. The country shares its only land border with Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Celtic Sea, St George's Channel, and the Irish Sea. Ireland is a unitary parliamentary republic governed by the Oireachtas legislature, which consists of a lower house (Dail Eireann), an upper house (Seanad Eireann), and an elected president serving as ceremonial head of state. The head of government is the Taoiseach, elected by the Dail and appointed by the president. In rugby union, Ireland's national team competes internationally, including in championships and test matches against other nations.