This means that two sea journeys can be necessary to get to Ireland, and it is partly for this reason that Ireland was not settled as densely as areas closer to the Continent and why, even today, Ireland is regarded as being on the perimeter of Europe. However, its location is growing in importance as world commerce takes off, since it is one of the closest parts of the European Union to the markets of North America. The island of Ireland plays host to no less than two independent countries. Both these countries are members of the European Union, a loose federation of countries which are coloured blue on the map above and are striving to become ever more closely linked. As Ireland is one of the poorest parts of the European Union, both parts of the island have benefitted greatly from membership.
National capital is London, England.