Ireland — Population
Population, Total for Ireland, 1960–2025.
Population for Ireland was 5.48 million in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 2.82 million in 1961 (about 1.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.02% per year.
Ireland ranks 121 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 56%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 6.01 million, so Ireland sits below it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 17%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 32 of 58 economies; Slovak Republic (5.41 million) is just below it. That is 8% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 68 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 101st of 216 in 1960 → 108th of 216 in 1970 → 111th of 216 in 1980 → 122nd of 217 in 1990 → 124th of 217 in 2000 → 118th of 217 in 2010 → 121st of 217 in 2020 → 121st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,484,367 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 5,395,790 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 5,311,538 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 5,212,836 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 5,110,585 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 5,039,747 | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 4,976,456 | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 4,898,022 | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 4,827,445 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 4,762,722 | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 4,701,957 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 4,657,740 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 4,623,816 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 4,599,533 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 4,580,084 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 4,560,155 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 4,535,375 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 4,489,544 | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 4,398,942 | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 4,273,591 | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 4,159,914 | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 4,070,262 | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 3,996,521 | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 3,931,947 | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 3,866,243 | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 3,805,174 | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 3,754,786 | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 3,712,696 | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 3,674,171 | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 3,637,510 | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 3,608,841 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 3,590,386 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 3,576,261 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 3,558,430 | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 3,534,235 | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 3,513,974 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 3,511,009 | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 3,524,949 | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 3,540,057 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 3,539,690 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 3,538,082 | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 3,532,423 | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 3,510,600 | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 3,485,800 | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 3,453,000 | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 3,412,800 | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 3,373,750 | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 3,329,100 | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 3,282,200 | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 3,238,050 | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 3,189,550 | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 3,137,500 | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 3,085,950 | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 3,036,850 | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 2,992,050 | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 2,957,250 | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 2,932,650 | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 2,915,550 | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 2,902,450 | +0.5% |
| 1966 | 2,888,800 | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 2,877,300 | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 2,866,550 | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 2,852,650 | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 2,836,050 | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 2,824,400 | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 2,828,600 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Ireland’s Population in 1961?
2,824,400 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Ireland’s Population figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — people — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Ireland’s Population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +93.9% in total — about 1.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.TOTL. 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: 5,484,367; 2024: 5,395,790; 2023: 5,311,538; 2022: 5,212,836; 2021: 5,110,585. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.TOTL — Population, Total. 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.