Capital

Irland

name: Dublin

geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: derived from Irish dubh and lind meaning respectively "black, dark" and "pool" and which referred to the dark tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the River Liffey; today the area is the site of the castle gardens behind Dublin Castle

Lesotho

name: Maseru

geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: in the Sesotho language the name means "[place of] red sandstones"

Israel

name: Jerusalem; note - the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017 without taking a position on the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty

geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, Friday before the last Sunday in March; ends the last Sunday in October

etymology: Jerusalem's settlement may date back to 2800 B.C.; it is named Urushalim in Egyptian texts of the 14th century B.C.; uru-shalim likely means "foundation of [by] the god Shalim", and derives from Hebrew/Semitic yry, "to found or lay a cornerstone", and Shalim, the Canaanite god of dusk and the nether world; Shalim was associated with sunset and peace and the name is based on the same S-L-M root from which Semitic words for "peace" are derived (Salam or Shalom in modern Arabic and Hebrew); this confluence has thus led to naming interpretations such as "The City of Peace" or "The Abode of Peace"

Citizenship

Irland

citizenship by birth: no, unless a parent of a child born in Ireland has been legally resident in Ireland for at least three of the four years prior to the birth of the child

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 4 of the previous 8 years

Lesotho

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Israel

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Israel

dual citizenship recognized: yes, but naturalized citizens are not allowed to maintain dual citizenship

residency requirement for naturalization: 3 out of the 5 years preceding the application for naturalization

note: Israeli law (Law of Return, 5 July 1950) provides for the granting of citizenship to any Jew - defined as a person being born to a Jewish mother or having converted to Judaism while renouncing any other religion - who immigrates to and expresses a desire to settle in Israel on the basis of the Right of aliyah; the 1970 amendment of this act extended the right to family members including the spouse of a Jew, any child or grandchild, and the spouses of children and grandchildren

Legal system

Irland

common law system based on the English model but substantially modified by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts by Supreme Court

Lesotho

mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal

Israel

mixed legal system of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious laws

Suffrage

Irland

18 years of age; universal

Lesotho

18 years of age; universal

Israel

18 years of age; universal; 17 years of age for municipal elections

Area

Irland

total: 70,273 sq km

land: 68,883 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km

Lesotho

total: 30,355 sq km

land: 30,355 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Israel

total: 21,937 sq km

land: 21,497 sq km

water: 440 sq km

Land use

Irland

agricultural land: 66.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 15.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 50.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.9% (2018 est.)

other: 23% (2018 est.)

Lesotho

agricultural land: 76.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 65.9% (2018 est.)

forest: 1.5% (2018 est.)

other: 22.4% (2018 est.)

Israel

agricultural land: 23.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 13.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 3.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 6.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 7.1% (2018 est.)

other: 69.1% (2018 est.)

Location

Irland

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Lesotho

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Israel

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Age structure

Irland

0-14 years: 20.39% (male 556,057/female 529,454)

15-64 years: 65.04% (male 1,741,527/female 1,720,989)

65 years and over: 14.57% (2023 est.) (male 360,476/female 415,488)

Lesotho

0-14 years: 32.4% (male 360,327/female 355,863)

15-64 years: 62.21% (male 688,373/female 686,911)

65 years and over: 5.39% (2023 est.) (male 44,313/female 74,859)

Israel

0-14 years: 25.96% (male 1,200,721/female 1,146,556)

15-64 years: 61.66% (male 2,839,124/female 2,737,054)

65 years and over: 12.38% (2023 est.) (male 506,536/female 613,396)

Birth rate

Irland

11.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Lesotho

23 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Israel

19.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Irland

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Lesotho

10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Israel

5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Irland

English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 39.8% of the population as of 2016; mainly spoken in areas along Ireland's western coast known as gaeltachtai, which are officially recognized regions where Irish is the predominant language)

Lesotho

Sesotho (official) (southern Sotho), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu

Israel

Hebrew (official), Arabic (special status under Israeli law), English (most commonly used foreign language)

major-language sample(s):
ספר עובדות העולם, המקור החיוני למידע בסיסי (Hebrew)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Irland

total population: 82.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 80.5 years

female: 84.1 years

Lesotho

total population: 59.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 57.9 years

female: 62 years

Israel

total population: 82.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 80.2 years

female: 84.3 years

Major urban areas - population

Irland

1.270 million DUBLIN (capital) (2023)

Lesotho

202,000 MASERU (capital) (2018)

Israel

4.421 million Tel Aviv-Yafo, 1.174 million Haifa, 970,000 JERUSALEM (capital) (2023)

Median age

Irland

total: 39.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 39.4 years

female: 40.2 years

Lesotho

total: 23.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 23.2 years

female: 24.2 years

Israel

total: 30.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 29.5 years

female: 30.7 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Irland

30.9 years (2020 est.)

Lesotho

20.9 years (2014 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Israel

27.7 years (2019 est.)

Net migration rate

Irland

6.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Lesotho

-4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Israel

1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Irland

population distribution is weighted to the eastern side of the island, with the largest concentration being in and around Dublin; populations in the west are small due to mountainous land, poorer soil, lack of good transport routes, and fewer job opportunities

Lesotho

relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru, and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people as shown in this population distribution map

Israel

population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

Population growth rate

Irland

1.09% (2023 est.)

Lesotho

0.76% (2023 est.)

Israel

1.56% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Irland

1.72 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Lesotho

2.88 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Israel

2.94 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Irland

urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Lesotho

urban population: 30.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Israel

urban population: 92.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.51% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Irland

3.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Lesotho

8.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Israel

7.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Irland

total: 19 years

male: 18 years

female: 19 years (2020)

Lesotho

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2017)

Israel

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Irland

-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Lesotho

-6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Israel

-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Irland

20.33% (2021 est.)

Lesotho

8.52% (2021 est.)

Israel

6.05% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Irland

2.518 million (2021 est.)

Lesotho

955,600 (2021 est.)

Israel

4.186 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Irland

13.1% (2018 est.)

Lesotho

49.7% (2017 est.)

Israel

22% (2014 est.)

note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day

Unemployment rate

Irland

6.63% (2021 est.)

5.62% (2020 est.)

4.95% (2019 est.)

Lesotho

24.6% (2021 est.)

24.56% (2020 est.)

22.44% (2019 est.)

Israel

5.05% (2021 est.)

4.33% (2020 est.)

3.8% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Irland

71.58% of GDP (2020 est.)

69.7% of GDP (2019 est.)

75.19% of GDP (2018 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Lesotho

33.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

36.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Israel

72.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

59.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

60.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Irland

2.36% (2021 est.)

-0.33% (2020 est.)

0.94% (2019 est.)

Lesotho

6.05% (2021 est.)

4.98% (2020 est.)

5.19% (2019 est.)

Israel

1.49% (2021 est.)

-0.59% (2020 est.)

0.84% (2019 est.)

Exports

Irland

$677.028 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$569.061 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$502.313 billion (2019 est.)

Lesotho

$1.08 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$902.123 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.093 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Israel

$143.884 billion (2021 est.)

$114.422 billion (2020 est.)

$117.779 billion (2019 est.)

note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Irland

United States 28%, Belgium 10%, Germany 10%, UK 9%, China 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019)

Lesotho

United States 29%, Belgium 26%, South Africa 25%, Switzerland 6% (2019)

Israel

United States 27%, China 8%, India 4%, Germany 3%, Ireland 3% (2021)

note: Approximately, 6% of Israel's exports went to the Gaza Strip and West Bank, but official data are not available individually for the Palestinian territories.

Imports

Irland

$477.544 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$486.946 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$452.979 billion (2019 est.)

Lesotho

$2.221 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.98 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.23 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Israel

$124.578 billion (2021 est.)

$95.977 billion (2020 est.)

$108.784 billion (2019 est.)

note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Irland

United Kingdom 31%, United States 16%, Germany 10%, Netherlands 5%, France 5% (2019)

Lesotho

South Africa 85%, China 5% (2019)

Israel

China 14%, United States 11%, Turkey 7%, Germany 7%, Switzerland 5% (2021)

Airports

Irland

40 (2021)

Lesotho

24 (2021)

Israel

42 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Irland

total: 1,516,473 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)

Lesotho

total: 5,060 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.2 (2020 est.)

Israel

total: 2,602,079 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Irland

total: 4.75 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 95% (2021 est.)

Lesotho

total: 1.104 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 48% (2021 est.)

Israel

total: 8.01 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 90% (2021 est.)

Railways

Irland

total: 1,688 km (2020) 53 km electrified

Israel

total: 1,497 km (2021) (2019)

standard gauge: 1,497 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge

Roadways

Irland

total: 99,830 km (2018)

paved: 99,830 km (2018) (includes 2,717 km of expressways)

Lesotho

total: 5,940 km (2011)

paved: 1,069 km (2011)

unpaved: 4,871 km (2011)

Israel

total: 20,391 km (2021)

paved: 20,391 km (2021) (includes 449 km of expressways)

Telephones - fixed lines

Irland

total subscriptions: 1,595,061 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2021 est.)

Lesotho

total subscriptions: 9,559 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1

Israel

total subscriptions: 3.5 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Irland

total subscriptions: 5,373,865 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2021 est.)

Lesotho

total subscriptions: 1,821,374 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 80 (2021 est.)

Israel

total subscriptions: 12.5 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Irland

956 km (2010) (pleasure craft only)

Disputes - international

Irland

Ireland-Denmark: Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Iceland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands signed an agreement in 2019 extending the Faroe Islands’ northern continental shelf area

Lesotho

Lesotho-South Africa: South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

 

Israel

Israel-Gaza Strip: Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005

Israel-Syria: Golan Heights is Israeli-controlled (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); in March 2019, the US Government recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region

Israel-West Bank: West Bank is Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; in 2002, Israel began construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; as of mid-2020, plans were to continue barrier construction