Dublin is the capital city in the Republic of Ireland, with a population of approximately 500,000 people. Dublin is also the largest city on the Island of Ireland, located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast. Originally founded as a center for the Viking slave trade, Dublin has been Ireland's capital city since medieval times. Dublin's maritime temperate climate creates mild winters, cool summers, and a lack of temperature extremes. Dublin does not experience high rainfall, and the average maximum January temperature is about 8 degrees Celsius (46.4 degrees Fahrenheit). The average temperature for July is 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). The sunniest months have six hours of daily sunlight. December is the wettest month; the driest is February. Dublin is also a major cultural center of Ireland. Many artists and writers have come from Dublin, including James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, etc. Ulysses, by James Joyce, a novel set in Dublin, is full of topographical detail. The National Print Museum of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Ireland, and other galleries, libraries, and museums are located in Dublin.