The Irish Republic, also known as EIRE (4 letters), is a sovereign state located in the north-western part of Europe. It is the second largest island in the British Isles and the twentieth-largest island in Europe. The Irish Republic declared its independence from the United Kingdom in 1922 and has been a republic since 1949. It is a member of the European Union and the United Nations. The Irish Republic is a parliamentary democracy with a president as head of state. Its capital is Dublin and its official languages are English and Irish.