Ireland — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Ireland, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Ireland was 1.63% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.89% in 2007. The lowest was -0.43% in 1988 (about -3.8× the low point).
Ireland ranks 65 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 30%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 0.30%, so Ireland sits above it. It peaked in 2007 and has fallen 44% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 72%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 9 of 58 economies; Iceland (1.51%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 4225% in 1988. That is 10% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 211th of 216 in 1961 → 176th of 216 in 1970 → 149th of 216 in 1980 → 195th of 216 in 1990 → 110th of 217 in 2000 → 146th of 217 in 2010 → 91st of 217 in 2020 → 65th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.63% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 1.57% | -0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 1.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 1.98% | +0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 1.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 1.26% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 1.59% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 1.45% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 1.35% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 1.28% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 0.94% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 0.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 0.53% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 0.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 0.44% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 0.54% | -0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 1.02% | -1.0 pp |
| 2008 | 2.04% | -0.9 pp |
| 2007 | 2.89% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 2.7% | +0.5 pp |
| 2005 | 2.18% | +0.4 pp |
| 2004 | 1.83% | +0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 1.63% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 1.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 1.59% | +0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 1.33% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 1.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 1.04% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 1% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 0.79% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 0.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 0.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 0.5% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 0.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 0.57% | +0.5 pp |
| 1990 | 0.08% | +0.5 pp |
| 1989 | -0.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1988 | -0.43% | -0.4 pp |
| 1987 | 0.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 0.05% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 0.16% | -0.5 pp |
| 1984 | 0.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 0.71% | -0.2 pp |
| 1982 | 0.95% | -0.2 pp |
| 1981 | 1.17% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 1.15% | -0.2 pp |
| 1979 | 1.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 1.42% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 1.35% | -0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 1.51% | -0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 1.65% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 1.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 1.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 1.49% | +0.3 pp |
| 1971 | 1.17% | +0.3 pp |
| 1970 | 0.84% | +0.3 pp |
| 1969 | 0.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 0.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 0.47% | +0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 0.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 0.37% | -0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 0.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 0.58% | +0.2 pp |
| 1962 | 0.41% | +0.6 pp |
| 1961 | -0.15% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Ireland’s Population growth in 1962?
0.41% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Ireland’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +1195.8% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.63%; 2024: 1.57%; 2023: 1.88%; 2022: 1.98%; 2021: 1.4%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.