b'4.3 Profile of the Eastern and Midlands The region offers an extensive and crucially important Climate Action Regionnetwork of critical infrastructure. The road network in the region typically radiates from the metropolitan With 17 local authority areas, the Eastern and Dublin Region. The Rail Network is significant with the Midlands region is the largest of the four Climate Dublin-Cork, Dublin-Limerick, Dublin-Waterford and Action Regions which, exclusive of the Dublin Dublin-Galway/Mayo lines.Rosslare Europort in Wex-Metropolitan Area, occupies the eastern and centralford is a gateway to Wales and greater Europe through aspects of the country. It borders Northern Ireland toFrance. Electricity and communications infrastructure the north with counties Louth, Cavan, Monaghan andis widespread throughout the region. Leitrim. The River Shannon flanks the western aspect bounding along its course, counties Leitrim, The Irelands Ancient East proposition best represents Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, Offaly and the vast array of tourism products on offer in theTipperary.The Irish Sea bounds the region to the east.region as a cultural and tourist destination. Counties Louth, Wicklow, Wexford and Waterford are located to the east and south east of the region all with extensive coastlines along the Irish Sea.The region with its extensive pattern of settlement areas and rural areas has a population of almost 1.8 million people accounting for 37.7% of the totalpopulation of the state 6and at 32,542 sq.kmoccupies 46.3% of the area of the state. 7The region plays a significant role economically to the country hosting a range of sectors inclusive of multinationals, public service, private and small-medium enterprises. Agriculture remains the prevailing sectoral landuse in the region. There is a rich variety of landscapes and topographies across the region.A mostly flat low lying landscape sweeps through the midland counties. Significant areas of raised bogs occupy this central location in the country extending towards the Curragh Plains in County Kildare.The Drumlin Belt across the northern aspect of the region, the Wicklow Mountains, Galtee Mountains and Slieve Bloom Mountains offer variation and punctuation in the landscape. 21 prominent rivers rise and flow (with tributaries) through the region.The most prominent of these include the RiverShannon, River Barrow, River Suir, River Nore,River Liffey and River Boyne. Counties Louth, Meath,Wicklow, Wexford and Waterford occupy coastallocations to the east and south east of this regionwhile County Leitrim extends to occupy a distanceof 4.6km along the western coast of the country.6 Total population of E&M Region is 1,796, 927Total area of state is 70,282 sq.km27'