Ireland's Location and Neighbors

Geographic Position

Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic, west of Great Britain. It is the third-largest island in the British Isles and the 20th largest globally.

Political Division

• Republic of Ireland – Sovereign state covering ~80% of the island; EU member.
• Northern Ireland – Part of the United Kingdom, occupying the northeast.

Neighboring Countries

Ireland shares a land border only with the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland). Its nearest maritime neighbor is France, across the Celtic Sea (~300 km at closest point).