Greater Dublin Area

Greater Dublin Area (GDA) ("Irish: Mórcheantar Bhaile Átha Cliath" or "MBÁC"), or simply Greater Dublin, is a term which is used to describe the city of Dublin and the surrounding counties of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Kildare, Meath, South Dublin and Wicklow in Ireland.

In 2006, the population of the GDA was 1,661,185.

Introduction

The term is described in the [http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA30Y2000S21.html Planning and Development Act, 2000 (Section 21)] and a number of other statutory instruments for the purposes of planning and development throughout the area. The area is covered in these contexts by the combined " [http://www.dra.ie/ Dublin Regional Authority] " and " [http://www.mera.ie/ Mid-East Regional Authority] ". The city and five counties are also mentioned in the order creating the Dublin Transportation Office, giving functions and representations to the office in the Greater Dublin Area, though not using the term. The term is also defined in section 3 of the Dublin Transportation Authority Bill, 2008.

The Greater Dublin Area covers an area of 6,980km².

Alternative census definition

The term is used differently by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in the reports of the 2006 census of the Republic of Ireland. It comprises Dublin City (as legally defined) together with its suburbs in the three adjacent counties of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown; Fingal; and South Dublin. [cite book |title=Census 2006 Volume 1 - Population Classified by Area: Appendices |url=http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/census_2006_Appendices.pdf |pages=Appendix 2, p.164: Dublin Area |format=PDF |publisher=Central Statistics Office |date=26 April 2007
author=Central Statistics Office |authorlink=Central Statistics Office |accessdate=2007-09-15 |quote=The description Greater Dublin Area in the 2006 Census denotes Dublin City and its suburbs] The boundaries for suburbs are not legally defined, but drawn and revised by the CSO in accordance with United Nations recommendations. [cite book |title=Census 2006 Volume 1 - Population Classified by Area: Appendices |pages=Appendix 2, p.163: Towns (i) Towns with Legally Defined Boundaries |author=Central Statistics Office |date=26 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-09-15 |quote=where urban areas have extended beyond the legally defined town boundary, the Central Statistics Office draws up new boundaries defining the suburban areas of Cities/Boroughs ... for census purposes ... in conformity with United Nations recommendations, as the continuation of a distinct population cluster outside its legally defined boundary in which no occupied dwelling is more than 200 metres distant from the nearest occupied dwelling ... The suburban boundaries were reviewed for each subsequent census. A comprehensive review was carried out as part of the processing phase of the 2006 Census.] The population of this Greater Dublin Area in 2006 was as follows: [cite book |title=Census 2006 Volume 1 - Population Classified by Area: Tables 7 and 12
url=http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/census2006_Table_7_and_12.pdf |pages=Table 12, p.139: Alphabetical list of Towns with their population, 2002 and 2006 |format=PDF |author=Central Statistics Office |date=26 April 2007 |accessdate=2007-09-15]

Related terms

Greater Dublin Area is often used interchangeably, but somewhat inaccurately, with other terms: ;Dublin Region:the area of the four Dublin local authorities under the [http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZSI394Y1993.html Local Government Act, 1991 (Regional Authorities) (Establishment) Order, 1993] ;Dublin Metropolitan Area:the urban part of Dublin as defined by various statutory instruments, mainly those referring to the Garda Síochána and court proceedings.

Population

The population of the Greater Dublin Area (Dublin City; Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown; Fingal; South Dublin; Kildare; Meath; and Wicklow) as of Census 2006 was 1,661,185 persons. Estimates published by the Central Statistics Office suggest that the population of the Greater Dublin Area will reach 2.1 million by 2021. The figures are based on a regional breakdown of previously published national population projections and assume that current demographic trends will continue.

Historical

*1996: 1,405,671
*2002: 1,535,446
*2006: 1,661,185

ee also

*The Pale
*Greater Belfast
*Derry Urban Area
*Largest European cities and metropolitan areas

References

External links

* [http://www.dublinblog.ie/ The Dublin Community Blog]
* [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0525/cso.html Greater Dublin population to reach two million, from RTÉ News]
* [http://www.spggda.ie/ Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area]

* [http://beyond2020.cso.ie/censusasp/saps/boundaries/city-towns_bound.htm Cities/Towns Boundaries] CSO page with links to Shapefile data for the boundary of the CSO-defined Greater Dublin Area; readable by Geographic information systems