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Profile of the West Region
The West Region comprises of the following statistics:
Area
The area encompasses the counties of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon and the Local Authority areas of Galway City and County Councils, Mayo County Council and Roscommon County Council. The landmass covers 13,801 km².
Location
The West Region is situated on the western seaboard, with the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the River Shannon to the east.
Population
The population of the region was 445,356 in 2011 which is a growth of 7.5% since the 2006 Census of Population. Galway City is the largest city (and gateway) with a population of 75,529 in 2011. The population of the region accounts for 9.7% of the national population in 2011.
Density
The population density is 32 persons per square kilometre.
Characteristics
The population has also a rural character, with 38% of the population living in urban areas and 62% living in rural areas.
Landscape
The countryside consists of a rugged coastline, a number of off-shore islands, numerous quality beaches, estuaries, inland waterways, lakes, bogs, forestry and mountains. The West is home to many world renowned habitats and unique species. There are national parks and nature reserves throughout the region. The region also contains many archaeological monuments and a wealth of built heritage.
Uniqueness
The area is renowned for the warmth of its people and for the continuation of traditions, particularly the Irish language, which is widely used in the Gaeltacht areas of the region (County Galway, County Mayo and Galway City).
Employment
Traditionally the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors accounted for a large proportion of the labour force within the region, however in more recent years the wholesale and retail sector, industry, health sector, education and construction have become more prominent. Foreign direct investment in the information and communications (ICT) and medical devices sectors has been highly beneficial to the region. Agriculture remains an important sector in the region.
Access
The region is currently served by one airport located in Knock Co. Mayo with services to the U.K. and mainland Europe. There are rail services on the Galway/Mayo to Dublin route and Galway to Limerick route. The M6 inter urban motorway was completed in 2010.
Location of the West Region
Click on this link to view the location of the West Region and other Regional Authority areas. (Includes Ordnance Survey of Ireland data reproduced under OSi Licence Number 2012/15CCMA/Galway County Council. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Ordnance Survey Ireland and Government of Ireland copyright. (c) Ordnance Survey Ireland, 2012. All rights reserved). (jpg, 983 kbs, Last Updated: Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:26:00 BST)
