On which continent is Ireland located?

Ireland is located in Europe. More precisely, the island of Ireland lies in northwestern Europe in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain. The island contains the independent Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.

Ireland is separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea, while the Celtic Sea lies to the south. Although Ireland is an island and is physically separated from mainland Europe by surrounding seas, it is geographically and conventionally classified as part of the European continent. It is also commonly described as part of Western Europe or Northwestern Europe.

A frequent source of confusion is the phrase "continental Europe." In everyday British and Irish usage, that phrase often means mainland Europe and may exclude both Ireland and Great Britain because they are islands. That wording does not change Ireland's continental classification: Ireland remains part of Europe. Another mix-up concerns political geography. The Republic of Ireland is a sovereign country and a member of the European Union, while Northern Ireland is within the United Kingdom; both are located on the European island of Ireland.