英語國家概況-愛爾蘭篇中英翻譯

第十一章PartTwoTheRepublicofIreland愛爾蘭共和國地理與歷史GeographyandHistory不列顛群島由兩大島嶼和幾百座小島組成。兩大島嶼是大不列顛和愛爾蘭島。愛爾蘭也因其鄉(xiāng)村綠蔭而被稱為綠寶石島。愛爾蘭分為兩個政治區(qū)域：北愛爾蘭和愛爾蘭共和國。北愛爾蘭是聯(lián)合王國的一部分。愛爾蘭共和國是個獨立國家。TheBritishIslesaremadeupoftwolargeislandsandhundredsofsmallones.ThetwolargeislandsareGreatBritainandIreland.IrelandisalsocalledtheEmeraldIslebecauseotitsrichgreencountryside.Irelandisdividedintotwopoliticalunits.TheyareNorthernIrelandandtheRepublicofIreland.NorthernIslandispartoftheUnitedKingdom.TheRepublicofIreland(Eire)isanindependentcountry.=1\*ROMANI.GeographicalFeatures地理特征愛爾蘭共和國的面積為70，282平方公里。與北愛爾蘭接壤的邊界為434公里。TheRepublicofIrelandcoversanareaof70,282sq.itslandborderwithNorthernIrelandis434km.首都是都柏林，ThecapitalisDublin.愛爾蘭一直被比作盆地，內(nèi)有海濱高地圍起的石灰?guī)r高原。海洋性氣候影響全國。Irelandhasbeencomparedtoabasininwhichalimestoneplateauisrimmedbycoastalhighlands.Maritimeinfluencespenetratetheland.最高峰是卡朗圖山(1，041米)ThehighestpeaksareCarrantuohill(1,041m)愛爾蘭最大的河是香農(nóng)河，它發(fā)源于斯利戈灣附近的高原,香農(nóng)河為共和國提供了大部分電力。ThelargestriverinIrelandistheShannonRiver.ItrisesintheplateaunearSligoBay,TheShannonRiverprovideselectricpowerformuchoftheRepublic.多樣化是低地的主要特征。中部低地是愛爾蘭的心臟。山谷的通道和低地走廊通向每一個愛爾蘭海岸，Varietyisthemainfeatureofthelowlands.TheCentralLowlandistheheartofIreland.EasypassagewaysalongvalleyandlowlandcorridorsleadfromittoeveryIrishshore.因為愛爾蘭在冰川時期完全被冰層覆蓋，現(xiàn)在所有的動植物種類都是從歐洲其他地方遷徙來的。AsIrelandwascompletelycoveredbyicesheetsduringthelceAge,allextantplantsandanimalsaremigrantspeciesfromotherpartsofEurope.沼澤仍是愛爾蘭最重要的地形特征。在所有山脈中隨處可見，并覆蓋低地的大片地區(qū)。BogsremainthemostsignificantfeatureofIrishlandscape.Theyoccuronallthemountainsandcoverlargeareasofthelowlands.l.氣候ClimateandWeather愛爾蘭的氣候被描繪成"溫和、溫潤和多變",地理學(xué)家把全島劃分為六大氣候區(qū)：TheweatherofIrelandisdescribedas"mild,moistandchangeable."Geographershavedistinguishedsixclimaticregions愛爾蘭雨量過多。中部低地,是愛爾蘭雨量最少的地區(qū)Irelandhasexcessiverainfall.TheCentralLowlandistheareaofthelightestrainfallinIreland,東北部以極佳的農(nóng)場和莊稼聞名TheNortheastisnotedforitsexcellentcattlepasturesandcrops.Ⅲ.人口與宗教PopulationandReligion愛爾蘭的基本民族是凱爾特人，同時還混合有挪威人、法國人、諾曼人和英國人。InIrelandthebasicethnicstockisCeltic,withanadmixtureofNorse,French,NormanandEnglish.因為其種族的同一性，歷史上的愛爾蘭一直沒有種族沖突。Therearenosignificantethnicminorities.HistoricallyIrelandhasbeenfreeofethnicconflictsbecauseofitsracialhomogeneity.愛爾蘭有四大不尋常的人口特征：Irelandhasfourunusualdemographicfeatures:(1)結(jié)合整個世紀(jì)的遷移而形成的低出生率；alowbirthratecompoundedbyacenturyofemigration,(2)晚婚(男性35歲，女性29歲)；alatemarriageage(35formenand29forwomen),(3)人口中男性過剩；anexcessofmalesinthepopulation.(4)人口中各種年齡的獨身男女占高比例。ahighproportionofbachelorsandspinstersofallages.1845年開始的大饑荒標(biāo)志著愛爾蘭社會歷史的一個時代結(jié)束和另一個時代的開始。Theyear1845,whentheGreatFaminebegan,markstheendofoneeraandthebeginningofanotherinthesocialhistoryofIreland.在人口自然下降的基礎(chǔ)上雪上加霜的是同樣歷史悠久的人口外遷浪潮。從1845年起，赤貧的人們跳上任何一艘能運載他們渡過愛爾蘭?；虼笪餮蟮拇弧＜s有6百萬人離開了愛爾蘭。Tonaturaldecreasewasaddedaflowofemigrationalmostaslong.From1845onwardthedesperatelypoorsoughtanyshipthatcouldcarrythemacrosstheIrishSeaortheAtlantic.some6millionpeopleareestimatedtohaveleftIrelandinthecenturyfollowingtheGreatFamine.愛爾蘭自由邦建立后(1921年)，移民銳減。AftertheestablishmentoftheIrishFreeState(1921),emigrationshowedasharp政府向眾議院所負(fù)的責(zé)任是集體的，它被要求作為一集體權(quán)力部門聚會和行動。集體負(fù)責(zé)制要求政府對公眾和眾議院以統(tǒng)一戰(zhàn)線的面目出現(xiàn)。愛爾蘭議會生活的這一特征歸功于政黨團(tuán)結(jié)和忠誠。Thegovernment'sresponsibilitytotheDailiscollective,anditisrequiredtomeetandactasacollectiveauthority.CollectiveresponsibilityrequiresthegovernmenttopresentaunitedfronttothepublicandtotheDail.ThisfeatureofIrishparliamentarylifeisduetopartysolidarityandloyalty.作為政府首腦，首相只對眾議院負(fù)責(zé)。他僅被要求讓總統(tǒng)對"國內(nèi)和國際事務(wù)的方針有總體了解"。AstheheadofgovernmentthetaoisesehisanswerableonlytotheDail.Heisrequiredonlytokeepthepresident"generallyinformedonmattersofdomesticandinternationalpolicy."2.立法權(quán)Legislativepower所有立法權(quán)都賦予了國家議會。國家議會分為兩院：眾議院和參議院。Allthelegislativepowersarevestedinthenationalparliament.Thenationalparliament(Oireachtas)hastwoHouses.TheyaretheHouseofRepresentatives(DailEireann)andtheSenate(Seanad).憲法所規(guī)定的參議院的權(quán)力通常比眾議院的權(quán)力要少。ThepowersoftheSeanad,asdefinedbytheConstitution,areingenerallessthanthoseoftheDail.1）要求總統(tǒng)拒絕簽署議案,直到提交全民公決的請愿書,必須獲得參議院的多數(shù)議員同意(但眾議院只需三分之一同意)。ApetitiontothepresidenttodeclinetosignabilluntilthemattercanbeputbeforethepeopleinareferendumrequirestheassentofamajorityofthemembersoftheSeanad(butonlyone-thirdofthemembershipoftheDail).2）個人議案必須首先在參議院提出。AprivatebillmustbeintroducedintheSeanedfirst.3.愛爾蘭法律和法院3.Irishlawsandcourts愛爾蘭法律以英國的普通法為基礎(chǔ)，隨后的立法和1937年的憲法對之加以修改。IrishlawisbasedonEnglishcommonlawasmodifiedbysubsequentlegislationandthe1937Constitution.只有議會決議能對法官免職。高級法院裁決憲法條款范疇內(nèi)的任何法律的合法性。judgescanberemovedfromofficeonlybyresolutionoftheOireaehtas.ThehighcourtalsocandeterminethevalidityofanylawwithintheprovisionsoftheConstitution.最高法院可以宣布現(xiàn)有立法違憲。TheSupremeCourtmaydeclareexistinglegislationtobeunconstitutional.Ⅱ.政黨11.PoliticalParties愛爾蘭是兩極政黨制，主要的兩大黨為共和黨和統(tǒng)一黨。兩黨都由新芬黨發(fā)展而來。Irelandhasabipolarpoliticalpartysystemwithtwomajorparties,FiannaFailandFineGael.TheyarebothdescendedfromSinnFein(WeOurselves).后來的統(tǒng)一黨，接受英愛條約和在英聯(lián)邦內(nèi)的自治領(lǐng)地位，而少數(shù)派共和黨，則由埃蒙·德·凡勒拉領(lǐng)導(dǎo)，拒絕接受條約并繼續(xù)斗爭。CumannnaGael,laterFineGad,acceptedthetreatyanddominionstatuswithintheBritishCommonwealthwhiletheminority,FiannaFail,ledbyEamortDeValera,refuseditandcontinuedthestruggle.具有一定的規(guī)模的唯一全國性的其他政黨是工黨TheonlyothernationalpartyofsomesizeistheLaborParty.1)共和黨是愛爾蘭的最大政黨，在所有階級和所有地區(qū)都有廣泛的群眾基礎(chǔ)。FiannaFail(SoldiersofDestiny)isthelargestpoliticalpartyinIreland,ithasabroadpopularbaseamongallclassesandinallregions.(2)統(tǒng)一黨(自我黨),從一開始統(tǒng)一黨就是個保守政黨,贊成平衡預(yù)算和較低稅收。它在農(nóng)民和中產(chǎn)階級中更受歡迎。此政黨不像共和黨那以提倡蓋爾語。FineGael(IrishTribe)。FromitsoutsetFineGaelwasaconservativepartyfavouringbalancedbudgetsandlowertaxation.Itisstrongeramongthefarmersandthemiddleclass.ThepartyislessinfavorofpromotingGaelicthanFiannaFailis.(3)愛爾蘭工黨是愛爾蘭最古老的政黨。TheIrishLaborPartyistheoldestofallthepartiesinIreland.(4)進(jìn)步民主黨是1987年大選后的最大少數(shù)黨。TheProgressiveDemocratsisthelargestoftheminorpartiesafterthe1987elections.Ⅲ.經(jīng)濟(jì)III.TheEconomy愛爾蘭是私有經(jīng)濟(jì)占主導(dǎo)地位的自由市場經(jīng)濟(jì)。它是歐共體中最不發(fā)達(dá)國家之一。Irelandisafree-marketeconomywithadominantprivatesector.ItisoneoftheleastdevelopedcountriesintheEC.1.農(nóng)業(yè)Agriculture盡管愛爾蘭不能被看作主要是農(nóng)業(yè)國，但農(nóng)業(yè)仍然是主要產(chǎn)業(yè)。AlthoughIrelandcannotbeconsideredtobeprimarilyanagriculturalcountry，agriculturestillisamajorsector.總體上說，愛爾蘭農(nóng)業(yè)是混合經(jīng)濟(jì)。但農(nóng)民的一大部分收入來自家畜。農(nóng)業(yè)總產(chǎn)值的84%來源于家畜和家畜產(chǎn)品，幾乎所有都是牛和牛奶。Asawhole,Irishfarmingisamixedeconomy.Butthefarmerderivesasizablepartofhisincomefromlivestock.Some84%ofthevalueofgrossoutputinagricultureisaccountedforbylivestockandlivestockproducts,almostallofwhichderivesfromcattleandmilk.愛爾蘭農(nóng)業(yè)中最重要的近期發(fā)展是其成為歐共體成員。歐共體成員身份使愛爾蘭農(nóng)民能參加共同體的公共農(nóng)業(yè)政策并把他們的產(chǎn)品出口到更廣范圍的市場。ThemostsignificantrecentdevelopmentinIrishagriculturehasbeenmembershipintheEuropeanCommunity.ECmembershipenabledIrishfarmerstoparticipateintheCommunity'sCommonAgriculturalPolicy(CAP)andexporttheirproductstoawiderrangeofmarkets.2.制造業(yè)2.Manufacturing自從20世紀(jì)60年代以來，制造業(yè)一直是愛爾蘭經(jīng)濟(jì)的支柱。Sincethe1960s,manufacturinghasbecomethemainstayoftheIrisheconomy.在工業(yè)就業(yè)中，66%雇傭于制造業(yè)。Ofindustrialemployment,66%areemployedinmanufacturing.3.礦業(yè)3.Mining自從20世紀(jì)60年代以來，愛爾蘭一直是主要的礦產(chǎn)生產(chǎn)國。Irelandhasbeenamajormineralproducersincethe1960s.現(xiàn)在愛爾蘭是歐洲最大的鉛和鋅生產(chǎn)國IrelandisnowthelargestproducerofleadandzincconcentratesinEurope.4.能源4.Energy雖然愛爾蘭缺乏有規(guī)模的石油儲藏，但它在覆蓋全國廣闊地區(qū)的泥煤沼中擁有極有價值的能源。泥煤被視為愛爾蘭的固體燃料。WhileIrelandlackssizableoildeposits,ithasavaluableenergysourceinthepeat,orturf,bogsthatcoverextensiveareasofthecountry.TurfisconsideredasasolidfuelinIreland.5.勞動力5.Labor失業(yè)是愛爾蘭的一個長期問題。政府和工會都把失業(yè)視為國家最嚴(yán)重的經(jīng)濟(jì)問題。UnemploymentisachronicprobleminIreland.Itisseenbyboththegovernmentandthetradeunionsasthecountry'smostseriouseconomicproblem.失業(yè)產(chǎn)生的原因如下：thereasonsforthisphenomenonareasfollows:(1)愛爾蘭人口相對年輕--歐洲最年輕的國家之一。Irelandhasarelativelyyoungpopulation--oneoftheyoungestinEurope.(2)農(nóng)業(yè)就業(yè)在衰減。Agriculturalemploymentisdeclining.(3)因預(yù)算原因公共部門的就業(yè)在減少。Publicsectoremploymentisbeingreducedforbudgetaryreasons.(4)大多數(shù)高新技術(shù)產(chǎn)業(yè)不是勞動密集型產(chǎn)業(yè)。Mostofthenewhi-techindustriesarenotlabor-intensive.6.對外貿(mào)易Foreigntrade現(xiàn)在的愛爾蘭是工業(yè)出口國，愛爾蘭現(xiàn)有雙重出口基地。進(jìn)口商品額通常超過出口商品額。這就是為什么愛爾蘭長期貿(mào)易逆差。一直依靠進(jìn)口石油是高進(jìn)口額的原因之一。Irelandisnowanindustrialexporter.Irelandnowhasadualexportbase.Thevalueofimportsgenerallyexceedsthatofexports.That'swhyIrelandhasachronicnegativebalanceoftrade.Continuingdependenceonimportedoilisoneofthereasonsforthehighimportbill.Ⅳ.教育IV.Education.6歲到15歲之間的教育是義務(wù)的，主要的教學(xué)語言是英語。Schoolingiscompulsorybetweenages6and15.ThechieflanguageofinstructionisEnglish中學(xué)大體上是私立和宗教學(xué)校。愛爾蘭最古老的大學(xué)是都柏林大學(xué)，Secondaryschoolsarebyandlargeprivateanddenomination