United Kingdom

The United Kingdom consisting of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, is twice the size of New York State. England, in the southeast part of the British Isles, is separated from Scotland on the north by the granite Cheviot Hills; from them the Pennine chain of uplands extends south through the center of England, reaching its highest point in the Lake District in the northwest. To the west along the border of Wales-a land of steep hills and valleys –are the Cambrian Mountains, while the Cotswolds, a range of hills in Gloucestershire, extend into the surrounding shires.

The United Kingdom has a total land area of 241,590 sq km with many lakes and rivers running throughout the countryside adding 3,230 sq km of water to the group of countries. The geographic coordinates of the United Kingdom is 54 00 N, 2 00 W.

The largest city in all of the United Kingdom is London, England with a population of 11.8M people. Other large cities include Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool, Bradford, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Bristol.

England

Geography

England has a total area of 50,363 square miles which occupies only about one-thousandth of the world’s land area, but contains one-hundredth of the world’s population and is, therefore, one of the most densely populated countries in the world. England is a land of low hills and plateaus and a 2,000-mile coastline cut into by bays, coves, and estuaries. A substantial upland, the Pennines, splits northern England into northwestern and northeastern sectors. It is separated from the continent of Europe by the English Channel, the Strait of Dover, and the North Sea, it is bordered by Scotland to the north and Wales and the Irish Sea on the west. London, the capital, is the largest city. England has eight geographic regions, often referred to as the standard regions of England; they do not serve any administrative function.

English weather is diverse, with a generally mild but erratic temperate maritime climate. The temperatures range from below 0 F to above 90 F. Northeastern and central England receive less than 40 inches of rainfall annually, and in parts of southeastern England annual rainfall averages as little as 20 inches.

Economy

British pounds per $1- £0.69 (7 Feb 2001)

The UK is an essentially capitalistic economy, and is one of the quarter of a trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. The economy of the United Kingdom has been on a steady incline for the past several years. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs.

Only 1.7% of the GDP is earned through agriculture while the service sector makes up 73% and industries make up the remaining 25.3%(1998). These industries include: production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consume goods.

The total work force of the UK is 29.2 million (1999). The per capita purchasing power of the UK is $21,800 (1999 est.). The top 10% of household income earners consume 24.7% of goods and services while the lowest 10% consume just 2.4%(1986).

Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The agriculture products include: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry, and fish.

The export commodities of the UK are manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, food, beverages, and tobacco. These make up $271b of the export economy. The biggest export partners are the EU 58% (Germany 12%, France 10%, Netherlands 8%) and the US 13% (1998).

The import commodities are manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, and foodstuffs. These make up $306b of the import economy. The United Kingdom import partners are again the EU 53% (Germany 13%, France 9%, Netherlands 7%, Italy 5%) and the US 14% (1998).

Government

Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. The constitution exists in not one document but is a centuries-old accumulation of statutes, judicial decisions, usage, and tradition. The hereditary monarch, who must belong to the Church of England according to the Act of Settlement of 1701, is almost entirely limited to exercising ceremonial functions.

Sovereignty rests in Parliament, which consists of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the crown. Effective power resides in the Commons, whose 659 members are elected from single-member constituencies. The executive, the cabinet of ministers headed by the prime minister, is usually drawn from the party holding the most seats in the Commons; the monarch usually asks the leader of the majority party to be prime minister. Elections must be held at least once in five years, but within that period the prime minister may at any time request the crown to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections.

Most legislation originates in the Commons. Traditionally, the hereditary and life peers of the realm, high officials of the Church of England, and the lords of appeal (who exercise judicial functions) have the right to sit in the House of Lords. In 1999 both houses voted to strip most hereditary peers of their right to sit and vote in the chamber. The House of Lords may take a part in shaping legislation, but it cannot permanently block a bill passed by the Commons, and it has no authority over money bills. The lords of appeal constitute the highest court in Great Britain. The crown need not assent to all legislation, but assent has not been withheld since 1707.

The two main parties are the Conservative party, descended from the old Tory party, and the Labour party, which was organized in 1906 and is moderately socialist. The Liberal Democrats, formed by a merger of the Liberal party and the Social Democratic party, is a weaker third party.

In May 1979, the Conservatives returned power to Margaret Thatcher. Her economic policies resulted in a marked disparity between the developed southern economy and the decaying industrial centers of the north. Her unpopular stands on some issues, such as her opposition to greater British integration in Europe, caused a Conservative party revolt that led her to resign in Nov., 1990, whereupon John Major became party leader and prime minister. Despite a lingering recession, the Conservatives retained power in the 1992 general election.

The Major government was beset by internal scandals and by an intraparty rift over the degree of British participation in the European Union (EU), but Major called a Conservative party leadership election for July 1995 and easily triumphed.

In the elections of May 1997, Labour won 418 seats in the House of Commons. Tony Blair, head of what he called the "New Labour" party, became prime minister. Blair's pledge to decentralize government was endorsed in September, when Scotland and Wales both voted to establish legislative bodies, giving them a stronger voice in their domestic affairs. A bill passed by both houses of Parliament in 1999 stripped most hereditary peers of their right to sit and vote in the House of Lords; the shape of the reconstituted upper chamber is to be studied by a commission.

The Queen is a constitutional monarch: in other words, she is bound by rules and conventions and cannot rule in an arbitrary way.

The essence of the monarchy today is that The Queen is politically impartial. On almost all matters she acts on the advice of the government of the day. The tasks of making laws, administering justice, and governing and defending the country are carried out by others in The Queen's name. The Monarch thus symbolizes the permanence and stability of the nation, which transcends the flow of party politics.

People

The majority of people from England, like those of the British Isles in general, are descended from early Celtic and Iberian peoples and later invaders of the islands, including the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, and Normans. After 1945, substantial numbers of blacks and Asians immigrated into the country. England, once a nation of small rural villages, has become highly urban since the early 19th century. More than 70% of England's population lives in urban areas and about 15 million live in London, the capital.

The population is 49,089,000 (1996). The population density in England is higher than the rest of Great Britain with 376 people per sq km (about 975 per sq mi); this is one of the highest in the world. The Ethnic groups include: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%.

The Church of England, a Protestant Episcopal denomination, is the state church and the nominal church of nearly three-fifths of the population. The denomination second in importance is the Roman Catholic Church, which has about 6 million members in England. Among the various Protestant denominations are the Methodist, Baptist, Congregationalist, Unitarian and Society of Friends. England also has thousands of Muslims and Jews. Large communities of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs have immigrated to England since the 1950s.

The literacy rate for England is very high, 99% of the people have completed five or more years of schooling.

Diet

England has over 77,000 pubs. The local tavern is an important social gathering place. During the British rule of India, Gin and Tonic became a favorite with the English community, especially as the quinine in tonic water was used to protect against malaria. These days there is much less quinine in tonic but a great many English people still enjoy a long cool 'G and T' garnished with a slice of lemon. Gin is also very popular in numerous cocktails.

England now ranks among the world's top dining scenes. A new generation of chefs has brought a fresh approach to food preparation, which you could call "London-style" though most refer to it as "Modern British." Everyone seems to have an opinion about it, and newspapers and magazines are devoting columns if not pages to food and restaurant reviews. This healthy scene rests on a solid foundation of ethnic cuisines.

Thousands of Indian restaurants have long ensured that Brits view a tasty tandoori as a birthright. Chinese Cantonese, primarily outposts have been around a long time, as have Greek taverns; now, Thai eateries are proliferating. Places serving Malaysian, Spanish, Russian, Korean, and a trace of Japanese are adding to the density of dining choices. After all this, traditional British food, lately revived from its deathbed, appears as one more exotic cuisine in the pantheon. More and more, new chefs are taking the starch, literally out of old British favorites, giving a newer than new spin to traditional dishes. Roast suckling pig with strawberry papaya and chili noodles, however, may not be everyone's top pick.

As for cost, the democratization of restaurants means lighter checks than during the '80s, partly due to the popularity of fixed-price menus; still, England is not an inexpensive place for dining. Damage-control methods include having lunch as your main meal, many top places feature good-value lunch menus, cutting the price of evening à la carte and ordering a pair of appetizers instead of an entrée, to which few places object. People should seek out fixed-price menus, but watch for hidden extras added to the check, including a "cover," bread and vegetables charged separately, and a service tariff.

When dining out beware of Sunday. Many restaurants are closed on this day, especially for dinner; likewise, on public holidays. During the Christmas period, the London restaurant community all but shuts down, only hotels will be prepared to feed you. Breakfast is generally served between 7:30 and 9 and lunch between noon and two. Tea, often a meal in itself, is taken between 4 and 5:30, dinner or supper between 7:30 and 9:30, sometimes earlier, seldom later except in large cities. High tea, at about 6, replaces dinner in some areas like the north, where lunch is always called dinner.

Scotland

Geography

Scotland is divided into three main regions; the Highlands, the Midland Valley, and the Southern Uplands. The cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee together with numerous towns, most of the population and the majority of Scotland’s industry is located within the Midland Valley. This Broad valley averages 50 miles across and runs WSW to ENE across the center on the country.

Scotland includes 787 islands, of which most belong to groups known as the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland. Only 62 exceed three square miles in area. There are 26 rivers flowing directly into Scotland. The Rivers Clyde, Forth, and Tay open into significant estuaries and support three of the major cities of Scotland.

Economy

Scottish currency, British pounds per $1- £0.69 (7 Feb 2001)

The GDP for Scotland is $56b according to1997 statistics, which represents 8.3% of the total UK GDP. A population of 5.12b gives the Scots a GDP/capita of almost &pound 11,000.

Scotland has had an average growth of 2.2% per year in the economy over the past 30 years with the agriculture sector having an average of 1.3% in the same period. The production and manufacturing growth has been more erratic with very little increase up to the end of the 1980’s, but more marked growth of 3.3% per year since 1991. This spurt has been due almost entirely to the booming electrical and instrument engineering industry, which grew an average of 17% per year over this period. Oil, however has gained prominence in Scotland’s economy since the 1970’s, with the growth of North Sea oil extraction companies. The Scottish economy is very similar to that of England due to the fact that they are both nations of the United Kingdom.

The principal exports for Scotland include office machinery, communication equipment, chemicals, other textiles, beer, and whisky. Office machinery makes up 34% of total exports and whisky is next at 13%. Salmon is mostly fished out of the nearby coastal waters and total fishing from Scotland makes up around two-thirds of the UK’s yearly total catch. Only one fourth of the land is under cultivation (principally in cereals and vegetables), but sheep raising is important in the mountainous regions. Scotland’s main natural resources are oil and natural gas, which are both abundant in the North Sea. These exports are primarily shipped to France, Germany, United States, Italy, and the Netherlands.

Consumer expenditures has been increasing by an annual average of 2.6% since 1990 making this country very prosperous and a place of tourism.

Government

On 6 May 1999, a new Scottish Parliament was created and provided them the opportunity to establish representative body with new working practices. Scotland had previously been governed by the United Kingdom, but now has its own parliament. This is the first time Scotland has had its own Parliament in over 300 years. Scotland has two Parliaments, one is Edinburgh for devolved, domestic matters, and the other in Westminster for UK-wide issues.

With Scotland having its own Parliament, they based their government on four key principles that intertwined both history and new technology. These principles are sharing the power, accountability, access and participation, and equal opportunities.

For the 1999 election in Scotland, there were 6 political parties present. They were the Labour, Scottish National, Liberal Democrats, Conservative, Scottish Socialist, and Scottish Parties. The Labour Party candidate of Donald Dewar won the duties of overlooking the countries doings. Some of the major points that were debated during this election were whether to become totally independent, education, tax increases or cuts, health care, the Euro, and law enforcement.

The Scottish Parliament is made up of 129 elected Members of the Scottish Parliament, known as MSP’s. One of the MSP’s is elected by the Parliament to serve as the Presiding Officer. There are also two deputy Presiding Officers. The Presiding Officer’s role is to chair meeting, maintain parliamentary order, and represent the Parliament in discussions with other parliamentary or governmental bodies.

The party with the majority of seats in the Parliament forms the Scottish Executive. This is made up of the First Minister, Scottish Law Officers, and Scottish Ministers. The full working arrangements for the Parliament are set out in the Standing Orders. These contain the rules that regulate the proceedings of the Parliament.

The Parliament works in two main ways through full meeting and committee meetings. A full meeting has all 129 members present and voting is done at this time on any items of business that are brought to the attention of the Parliament. The entire Parliament can meet on Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday. At the end of the meeting a period is set aside known as Decision Time when Parliament votes on the questions that have been before it that day.

Committee meetings are held all day Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. In the Standing Orders, there are eight mandatory committees that range from Procedures to Financial to European committees. The Parliament can also establish other committees to deal with particular subjects. Right now there are 9 of those that are currently formed.

Bills can be introduced by Ministers, Parliamentary Committees, or by MSP’s. There are three basic stages involved in a bill becoming law. The first stage is consideration of its general principles and the decision whether they are agreed to. Stage two in the consideration of the details of the bill. This is where amendments and changes occur. Stage three is final consideration of it and a decision whether it should be passed or rejected. Once a bill has been passed or approved, it is then submitted by the Presiding Officer to the Sovereign for Royal Assent. Upon reception of Royal Assent, a bill becomes an Act of Scottish Parliament.

People

The name Scotland derives from the Scoti, a Celtic tribe who migrated to Scotland from Ireland during the fifth and sixth centuries and who, in time, merged through conquest and intermarriage with the Pictish tribes to form the nucleus of the Scottish nation. The Scoti tribe brought over their language of Gaelic over with them and in some parts of the country is still used today. In the far north, fewer than 1,000 people speak only Gaelic and approximately 80,000 Scots still speak Gaelic in addition to English. In legal terms, Gaelic is the ‘national language’, although a majority of the people speak only English. The Annual Mod (a literary, musical, vocal, and artistic competition) lasts nearly two weeks and attracts an attendance of 15,000. Gaelic’s long literary tradition is still used by many writers today.

The current population of Scotland is 5.15 million, which is made up of 48% male and 52% female. A majority of the population is in the large cities with smaller communities scattered around the countryside.

The Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian, is established, but there are no restrictions on religious liberty. Presbyterian and Roman Catholic are the two main religions in Scotland comprising 13% and 14% of the population. Other religions that are currently practiced are Episcopal, Muslim, Hebrew, and other Christian.

The fine arts are very popular in Scotland and can be seen not only in large national exhibitions but also in small town galleries. Music, both historic and popular, is displayed on a regular basis. The Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Opera, and Scottish Ballet have achieved international standing. Scotland’s historic music has made quite the comeback including the instruments of the bagpipe, the fiddle, as well as the clarsach (the small Celtic harp).

Education is quite important in Scotland as well. Approximately 90% of the country is literate and attend secondary. There are eight universities in Scotland that are located in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, St. Andrews, Dundee, Stirling, Strathclyde, and Heriot-Watt.

Sports are also a very popular interest in Scotland. Soccer (association football) still has a wide following and is dominated by Glasgow clubs. Other popular sports that are played competitively are shinty, a hockey like game, curling, golf, and outdoor sports such as hunting, shooting, and fishing. The Highland games are also very popular. This is where clans of Scot heritage compete in games that used to be played back in later times. A couple of examples that are played are the caber toss, and the hammer throw.

Diet

Scotland has a distinctive cuisine, often based on very traditional foods. Some of the more traditional foods include Arbroath Smokie, Bannocks, Colcannon, Crowdie, Haggis, and Stovies. These dishes are primarily made with fish, mutton, leftover beef and pork, and vegetables ranging from cabbage, carrots, turnips, and potatoes.

Eating habits of Scotland are quite similar to those of Americans. The Scottish day usually starts with a breakfast consisting of eggs, bacon, potatoes, and fried breads. Lunches are usually quick and inexpensive eaten at local pubs, bistros, or even department store restaurants. Dinner is more elaborate than lunch but still not as much time is spent eating as in other countries. Some nicer restaurants in the larger towns are open just for the evenings. The Scottish Tourist Board has initiated the Taste of Scotland menu that preserves historic foods of the Scots and some of the language used as well.

Drinking is also very popular in Scotland. Perhaps the best-known Scottish drink is Scotch Whisky (only the Irish and American varieties are spelled with an "e"). Scotch Whisky is distilled from a barley liquor and flavoured with peat-tainted water. The Gaelic term is Uisge-Beatha, which translates into Water of Life. Scottish beers and ales have currently been dominated by international conglomerates. In recent times however, there has been a revival of smaller breweries using traditional methods. Another popular drink is the hot toddy. This is made by combining one teaspoon of sugar with one teaspoon of Scottish heather honey in a warm glass and then a measure of scotch whisky and then topped with boiling water.

Ireland

Geography

Ireland is an island located northwest of Europe between 51.5 and 55.5 degrees north latitude and between 5.5 and 10.5 degrees west longitude. The island itself is 84,288 sq. km, which is approximately the size of South Carolina. The Republic of Ireland, however, is 70,282 sq. km while Northern Ireland is 14,139 sq. km. The coastline of Ireland stretches for over 5,631 km. Ireland is separated from Britain by the Irish Sea on the east. The Irish Sea ranges from 17.6 to 192 km wide and has a maximum depth of about 200 meters. Other shores of Ireland are waters of the Continental Shelf, which are narrow and increase in depth rapidly into the Atlantic Ocean. The island comprises of a large central lowland of limestone with various rolling hills surrounded by a discontinuous border of coastal mountains which vary greatly in geological structure. Southern Ireland consists of mountain ridges, which are composed of old red sandstone separated by limestone river valleys. The mountains of Galway, Mayo and Donegal are predominantly rich in granite. The northeast part of Ireland is covered with a basalt plateau. The central plain, which is broken in places by low hills, is extensively covered with glacial deposits of clay and sand. It has considerable areas of bog and numerous lakes. The highlands of the north, west, and south, which rise to more than 914m, are generally barren, but the central plain is extremely fertile and the climate is temperate and moist, warmed by southwesterly winds.

Ireland’s climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream and with the prevailing winds predominantly from the southwest. Temperatures are fairly uniform over the whole country. The coldest months are January and February with mean daily air temperatures between 4C and 7C, while July and August are the warmest. May and June are the sunniest months, averaging 5 to 7 hours of sunshine per day. In lower areas the average rainfall is mostly between 800 and 1200mm. However, in some eastern areas the rainfall can range from less than 750mm to more than 1500mm in the west. The mountainous areas may exceed 2000mm of rainfall per year. The rains are responsible for the brilliant green grass of the "Emerald Isle," and for the large stretches of peat bog, a source of valuable fuel.

Economy

Irish Currency- Ireland Punt; $1= £0.85 (7 Feb 2001)

Since their accession into the European Union, the economy of Ireland has changed drastically. What once was an economy dependent on agriculture is now an economy dominated by industry and technological growth. Until the 1990’s Ireland dealt with many economic problems. These problems, including unemployment and high dependency, have improved over the last decade. The unemployment rate for 2000 was 5.6% compared to the 8.4% rate in 1998 and 12.2% in 1995. The unusual demographic structure in Ireland has also played a key role in the economic success of the country. It is estimated Ireland will also have the lowest dependency rate by the year 2005.

Coupled with Ireland’s booming economy is their rate of growth for the year 2000. The growth in real GDP was 9.9% and 8.6% increase in real GNP. The average CPI for the country was also calculated at 5.6%. Many economists have criticized the tremendous growth of Ireland stating that inflation is growing too fast. Ireland’s budget surplus has increased significantly and is now Europe’s biggest.

The estimated composition of the labor force in 1999 was 63% services, 28% industry, and 9% agriculture. The GDP in those same sectors are 5% agriculture, 39% industry, and 56% services. As noted before, the industry sector is continuing to grow. In 2000, Ireland surpassed the United States as the leading exporter of software in the world. Other exports include machinery, computers, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Imports into the country include clothing, textiles, and data processing equipment. Ireland’s major trading partners in order of volume include United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.

Government

The basic law of the State of Ireland is the Constitution of Ireland, which was adopted in 1937. The Constitution sets out the form of government and defines the powers of the President, of the two Houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament), and of the Government. It defines the structure and powers of the Courts, and it contains a number of social policies for the general guidance of the Oireachtas.

Ireland is a parliamentary democracy. The national parliament consists of the President and two Houses. These two Houses of the parliament are the House of Representatives and a Senate. The President is elected every seven years and may be re-elected only once. The current President of Ireland is Mary McAleese. The President normally acts on the advice of the Government.

The sole and exclusive power of making laws is vested in the Oireachtas. Currently there are 166 members of the House of Representatives. The Senate consists of 60 members. Eleven members of the Senate are nominated directly by the Prime Minister. Forty-three members are elected from five panels of candidates. These panels consist of the following: Cultural and Educational Panel, Agricultural Panel, Labour Panel, Industrial and Commercial Panel, and the Administrative Panel. Two universities elect the remaining six members. The powers of the Senate, in general, are less than the House of Representatives. The executive powers of the State are exercised by, or on the authority of, the Government.

Political parties represented in the House of Representatives include the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour, Progressive Democrats, the Green Party, the Socialist Party, and Sinn Féin.

Currently the local government in Ireland is going through a process of change. These changes are being made to strengthen and modernize the powers of local authorities while enhancing the focus on customer service and efficiency. There are 114 local authorities, which include a mixture of County Councils, County Borough Corporations, Borough Corporations, Urban District Councils, and Town Commissions. In June 1999, a referendum was passed to give constitutional recognition to local government and provide for periodic local elections.

The Supreme Court is the court of final appeal in Ireland. It consists of the Chief Justice, seven other judges and, in an ex-officio capacity, the President of the High Court. The Court hears appeals from the High Court and the Court of Criminal Appeal. The Court is empowered to decide if the provisions of any statute are repugnant to the Constitution.

Today, Ireland has many friends and few enemies. Ireland is becoming more secular and liberal than it has ever been. The power and influence of the Catholic Church is declining. The Republic of Ireland has a stable government and would be a great opportunity for imports and exports.

People

Human settlement in Ireland was late compared with other European countries. Popular belief places human habitation in Ireland at around 7,500 to 8,000 years ago. About 700 BC, Celtic tribes arrived in Ireland. They were strong Iron Age warriors who imposed their way of life on the inhabitants of the country and divided Ireland into five provinces: Ulster, Leinster, Connaught, Meath and Munster, (Meath later became part of Leinster). The Celts traveled to Ireland in small groups.

The last of these invaders arrived about 100 BC. They introduced a language now known as gaelig which was used by the majority of the people of Ireland until about a century and a half ago. Their society was made up of tribal kingdoms, lesser and greater ones, living by agriculture and constantly fighting each other to gain supremacy and claim more land and cattle.

Ireland was considered to be a pagan country up to the fifth century AD, although some Christian teachings had earlier been introduced by immigrant scholars from Gaul. The year 432 AD is the traditional date given for the arrival of a missionary named Patrick, who was following instructions given to him in visions, to convert the people of Ireland to Christianity. His mission was a successful one. The Gaels incorporated Christianity as part of their culture. Monasteries were built becoming centers of learning. The monasteries thrived, having monks who were skilled smiths and scribes. Ireland became known as 'a land of saints and scholars'. Many of the monks set out to other monasteries in Europe to spread knowledge of their arts. This era was known as the 'Golden Age' of Irish history. Patrick, later canonized St. Patrick, is Ireland's patron saint.

In 794 AD Norsemen, known as Vikings, arrived in long open boats on Lambay Island off the coast of Dublin. They began attacking settlements, plundering monasteries, terrorizing and looting Gaelic homesteads. This was the start of a turbulent period of Irish history. Alongside their campaign of violence, the Vikings had developed the first Irish towns. Dublin and Waterford were among the first walled towns that thrived as Viking settlements.

The Irish population had increased dramatically over the early part of the nineteenth century. Consequently, between 1845 and 1851, when the potato crop, which was the staple food of the population, failed, starvation followed. Grain crops were successful but were too expensive for the poor to buy - while the populations were suffering starvation, illness and death, grain was being exported. About one million people died.

In 1841, shortly before the great famine, the area comprising the present Irish State had a population of over 6.5 million. The next census showed a massive decline to 5.1 million for the same area, due to deaths from starvation and disease and large-scale emigration. The outflow thus begun became a dominant feature of the population pattern over the succeeding years.

Because of the famine, the population of Ireland was reduced by about two million. The people were exhausted and dispirited and had little interest in Britain's control of the country. There was a division between those who favored the union of Britain and Ireland and those who opposed it. Ireland left the British Commonwealth in 1949 and in 1955, Ireland became a member of the United Nations.

By 1961 the population of the state stood at 2.8 million, the lowest census figure on record. From 1961 onwards the pattern changed. A combination of natural increase and the commencement of inward net migration resulting from increased prosperity produced an average annual rise in population of 0.6% in the period 1981 to 1986.

At the 1996 census, the population of the State was 3,626,087. About 60% of the people live in cities and towns of 1,000 or more inhabitants. Population densities are highest in the east and south. The population is very young with approximately 41% under 25 years of age and 24 percent under fifteen. Emigration has declined in recent years and immigration has increased.

The religion of most people in Ireland is Roman Catholic. According to the 1991 census 91.6% of the population were Roman Catholics, 2.5% were Church of Ireland, 0.4% Presbyterians, 0.1% Methodists and less than 0.1% Jewish. About 3% of the population belonged to other religious groupings or have no specific religious beliefs.

The current population of Ireland is estimated at 3,797,257 and a population density of 140 per square mile. The literacy rate stands at 98%. The State of Ireland has declared that it is a bilingual country. English is the main language, but in some areas, Irish is spoken as the primary language.

Diet

The diets of the Irish people involve just about every facet of food. Fresh ingredients simply prepared and served without fuss make eating in Ireland a real pleasure. The rich pastures produce meat of the highest quality, so that beef, lamb, and dairy products, like cream, cheese and butter, are second to none. Among the tempting dishes on offer are Limerick ham, Irish Stew, bacon and cabbage, Galway oysters, sirloin steak and onions, game of all sorts, smoked salmon, Dublin Bay prawns, spring lamb, grilled trout, fresh farm eggs and delicious wheaten bread.

In Irish cooking the basic ingredients are so good that elaborate sauces are unnecessary to bring out the flavor of the food. The humble potato is appreciated as nowhere else and a plate of steaming, floury 'spuds' with butter, salt and a glass of milk is a meal in itself. Indeed potatoes are the principal ingredients of several dishes, which once formed the bulk of the countryman's diet: colcannon is mashed potato with butter and onions; boxty is grated potato fried in bacon fat while potato cakes are often served at breakfast but are delicious anytime.

An Irish breakfast is a substantial affair; fruit juice, cereals, bacon, egg, sausage, tomato, mushrooms, wheaten bread, toast, tea or coffee. Healthy it isn’t, Northern Ireland has among the highest rate of heart disease in western Europe.

Irish Drinks are numerous and invariably alcoholic. The most recognized of Irish brands is of course Guinness. In addition there are a great many lagers, ales and spirits all made and drank in Ireland. Two distinctly Irish drinks are Irish Coffee and Porter, a type of beer.

Our main export will be gift baskets consisting of a selection of Irish smoked salmon, Scottish Whisky, and a selection of whole cheeses from the UK. Each gift basket will consist of 3 pounds of salmon, two bottles of whisky, and two different varieties of cheese. Baskets can be specially ordered depending on the two choices of whisky desired. The baskets will range in price from £250 to £400 or $360 to $576 dollars depending on the variety of whiskies chosen.

The gift basket will include some of the finest smoked salmon from the seas surrounding Ireland. These salmon fillets will be packaged using a vacuum sealing process which will keep the fish fresh until their final destination anywhere in the world.

The smoked salmon fillets will be purchased from www.beshoffs.com. Beshoffs is a fresh seafood distributor located near Dublin on the port of Howth.

The whisky that will be included in the basket will be the finest from The Whisky Store at www.thewhiskystore.de. A wide variety of different whiskies will be available for customers to choose from to be put in their gift basket.

Chivas Royal Salute. This whisky is aged 21 years before being bottled for sale. At 40% alcohol by volume, it makes a wonderful addition to any gift basket.

Grant’s Family Reserve. This three liter bottle of whisky is sure to add delight to any basket. Forty percent alcohol by volume.

Islay Mist Masters, Laphroaig Blend. No basket is ever complete without a bottle of Islay Mist Whisky. With an age of 12 years and alcohol at 43% by volume, everyone is sure to enjoy a bottle of Islay Mist.

Famouse Vintage Malt. This 12 year whisky is packaged in a tin box for the most decorative of looks. Forty percent alcohol by volume. Anyone will enjoy Famouse in any gift basket.

Invergordon. This single grain whisky aged 10 years and is 40% alcohol by volume.

Cheese will be the last ingredient to the gift basket from Britain and Ireland. Cheeses in the baskets will be purchased from www.cheesemongers.co.uk. Customers will have a choice of two different cheeses to be included in their gift baskets.

Celtic Promise. This hard cheese is made in Wales. It is then matured and washed in cider. Celtic promise is a full flavored semi hard cheese that can be enjoyed by many.

Shropshire Blue. This unpressed cheese has a soft creamy texture and light carrot color. This cheese will be a great substitute for those who do not care for the hard cheeses.

The first product that will be imported by the UK and Ireland will be the Mixed Family Pack from the Oceania and the Philippines desk. With all the current risks of consuming beef and lamb from our own country, there is a growing need for disease as well as hormone free meats. This product offers a variety of cuts of both beef and lamb for UK consumers. The price of this product will be AUD119.27, which converts to ?41.79.

These orders will be large in quantity due to the slaughtering occurring in the UK and Ireland. They will be shipped directly to London, England by the courier of their choice. From London, it will shipped to various locations; primarily higher class markets that will be able to sell the meats easily and at a profitable price.

Our next product to import would be the basket of Finest Teas From Asia. Tea is one of the larger food imports into the UK and Ireland. This wide variety will boost consumer demand and we will be able to sell at a higher price. The prices of these teas ranges from $13.50 to $45.00 or ?9.40 to ?31.34. The baskets will be shipped out to the finer restaurants and hotels in the London and Dublin areas. The teas will be shipped via the courier of their choice and sent directly to the hotel or restaurant that wishes to purchase the products.

Our final product of importation is the selection of wines from the Central European desk. They have an assortment of white and red wines ranging from $4.32 to $38.99 (?3.01 to ?27.15). These will be shipped to same list of finer hotels and restaurants located throughout London and Dublin where they can disperse them within their respective chains all through the UK and Ireland area.

Following is a list of some of the hotels in which these last two products will be sold to. These are 5 star establishments, which cater to a higher society of people than most other hotels.

The Franklin Hotel
28 Egerton Gardens
Knightsbridge
London SW 3 2DB
England
Tel: +44 207 584 5533
Fax: +44 207 584 5449
E-mail: bookings@franklinhotel.co.uk

The Landmark London
222 Marylebone Road
London NW1 6JQ
England
Tel: +44 20 7631 8000
Fax: +44 20 7631 8080

The Westbury
Bond Street
London
England
Tel: +44 207 629 7755
Fax: +44 207 495 1163

The Davenport Hotel
Merrion Square
Dublin
Ireland
Tel: +353 1607 3500
Fax: +353 1661 5663

The Alexander Hotel
Merrion Square
Dublin
Ireland
Tel: +353 1607 3800
Fax: +353 1661 5663

Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links
Portmarnock Co.
Dublin
Ireland
Tel: +353-1-846-0611
Fax: +353-1-846-2442

The Fitzwilliam Hotel
Stephen's Green
Dublin
Ireland
Tel: + 353 1 478 7000
Fax: + 353 1 478 7878
E-mail enq@fitzwilliam-hotel.com
Web site: www.fitzwilliam-hotel.com