Ireland is the island divided between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
The island lies west of Great Britain and is the third-largest island in Europe. The independent Republic of Ireland occupies most of its land area, while Northern Ireland forms part of the United Kingdom in the island’s northeast.
The political division developed after the Government of Ireland Act 1920 and the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922. The island’s modern border is therefore political rather than a natural geographic division.
Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are not exact synonyms: Ireland is the name of the whole island, while the Republic of Ireland is the sovereign state covering most of it. The island includes Dublin, Belfast, Cork, and Galway, and its highest point is Carrauntoohil at 1,039 metres.