Population growth in Ireland
Ireland: Population growth was 1.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Ireland, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, population growth in Ireland stood at 1.6%.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 72.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Ireland peaked at 2.9% in 2007 and was at its lowest, -0.4%, in 1988.
Ireland ranks 65th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.4% | -0.1% | 0.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.4% | 0.8% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | -0.4% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.9% | 1.0% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.4% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.3% | 2.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More climate change data for Ireland
- Population, total 5.48 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 2.0% (2025)
- Urban population 3.54 million (2025)
- Urban population 64.6% (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 23.7% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 1.67 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total 3.4% (2022)
- Terrestrial protected areas 14.2% (2025)
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas 4.0% (2025)
- Marine protected areas 2.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Ireland?
- Population growth in Ireland was 1.6% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.9% in 2007.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.4% in 1988.
- How does Ireland rank for population growth?
- Ireland ranks 65th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 72.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.