Separated from Great Britain to its east, Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe and politically divided between Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland which is an independent state and occupies 83% of the country. Both share an open border and as part of the Common Travel Area can have free movement of people, goods, services and capital across the border.
The Republic of Ireland is a highly developed knowledge economy and is one of the largest exporters of medical devices, computer software and pharmaceuticals. Microsoft, Google and Apple are all companies that have invested heavily in to the country and remain the top 3 tech companies with Google’s EMEA headquarters based in Dublin.
Due to the vast greenery throughout their countryside, which is covered with farms and national parks, it is often referred to as the ‘Emerald Isle’. The landscape in almost every county in Ireland is dominated by some of the greenest hills anywhere in the world.