Ireland (Irish) is the third largest island in Europe, Ireland lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets and the capital Dublin. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain. Politically, the state Ireland (described as the Republic of Ireland in cases of ambiguity) covers five-sixths of the island, with Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, covering the remainder in the north-east.The island of Ireland has two distinct jurisdictions:
- Ireland (description is the Republic of Ireland), a sovereign state, covers five-sixths of the island. Its capital is Dublin.
- Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, covers the remaining sixth. Its capital is Belfast.