The Republic of Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George’s Channel. Ireland is the second largest island of the British Isles and the third largest in Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland, a sovereign state covering five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. The city of Dublin is the capital; Irish is the official language; and the Euro is the national currency.