County Kildare Contae Chill Dara
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Motto: Meanma agus Misneach (Irish) "Spirit and Courage" |
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Location in Ireland |
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Coordinates: 53°10′N 6°45′W / 53.167°N 6.750°WCoordinates: 53°10′N 6°45′W / 53.167°N 6.750°W | ||
Country | Ireland | |
Province | Leinster | |
County town | Naas | |
Government | ||
• Type | County Council | |
• Dáil Éireann |
Kildare North Kildare South |
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• European Parliament | Midlands–North-West | |
Area | ||
• Total | 1,695 km2 (654 sq mi) | |
Area rank | 24th | |
Population (2016) | 222,130 | |
• Rank | 7th | |
Vehicle index mark code |
KE | |
Website | www |
County Kildare (Irish: Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the province of Leinster and is part of the Mid-East Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county which has a population of 222,130.
Kildare is the 24th largest of Ireland's 32 counties in area and seventh largest in terms of population. It is the eighth largest of Leinster's twelve counties in size, and second largest in terms of population. It is bordered by the counties of Carlow, Laois, Meath, Offaly, Dublin and Wicklow. As an inland county, Kildare is a generally lowland region. The county's highest points are the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains bordering to the east. The highest point in Kildare is Cupidstown Hill on the border with Dublin, with the better known Hill of Allen in central Kildare.
The county has three major rivers running through it: the Barrow, the Liffey and the Boyne. The Grand Canal crosses the county from Lyons on the east to Rathangan and Monasterevin on the west. A southern branch joins the Barrow navigation at Athy. The Royal Canal stretches across the north of the county along the border with Meath. Pollardstown Fen is the largest remaining calcareous fen in Ireland, covering an area of 220 hectares and is recognised as an internationally important fen ecosystem with unique and endangered plant communities, and declared a National Nature Reserve in 1986.