Population (International Monetary) in Ireland
Ireland: Population (International Monetary) was 5.38 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
5.38 million
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
117th
of 186 countries
All-time high
5.38 million
in 2024
All-time low
2.82 million
in 1961
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Population in Ireland, 1960–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in Ireland is 5.38 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Ireland peaked at 5.38 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.82 million, in 1961.
Ireland ranks 117th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Population (International Monetary) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.83 million | — |
| 1961 | 2.82 million | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 2.84 million | +0.4% |
| 1963 | 2.85 million | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 2.87 million | +0.5% |
| 1965 | 2.88 million | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 2.89 million | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 2.90 million | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 2.92 million | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 2.93 million | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 2.96 million | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 2.99 million | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 3.04 million | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 3.09 million | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 3.14 million | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 3.19 million | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 3.24 million | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 3.28 million | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 3.33 million | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 3.37 million | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 3.41 million | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 3.45 million | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 3.49 million | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 3.51 million | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 3.53 million | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 3.54 million | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 3.54 million | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3.54 million | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3.52 million | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 3.51 million | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 3.51 million | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 3.53 million | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 3.56 million | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 3.58 million | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 3.59 million | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 3.61 million | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 3.64 million | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 3.67 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 3.71 million | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 3.75 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 3.81 million | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 3.87 million | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 3.93 million | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 4.00 million | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 4.07 million | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 4.16 million | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 4.27 million | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 4.40 million | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 4.49 million | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 4.54 million | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 4.56 million | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 4.58 million | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 4.60 million | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 4.62 million | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 4.66 million | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 4.70 million | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 4.76 million | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 4.83 million | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 4.90 million | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 4.98 million | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 5.04 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 5.11 million | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 5.21 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 5.31 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 5.38 million | +1.4% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 5.38 million is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.64 million, 95% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 5.38 million is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.49 million, 72% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.87 million | 2.82 million | 2.93 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.16 million | 2.96 million | 3.37 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.50 million | 3.41 million | 3.54 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.62 million | 3.51 million | 3.75 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.15 million | 3.81 million | 4.54 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.72 million | 4.56 million | 4.98 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.21 million | 5.04 million | 5.38 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More gender data for Ireland
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 899.27 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.9809 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 4,626 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 4,626 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 26,039 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 27,455 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 26,494 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 27,919 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 26,943 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Ireland?
- Population in Ireland was 5.38 million in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest population recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 5.38 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.82 million in 1961.
- How does Ireland rank for population?
- Ireland ranks 117th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Data on Gender-disaggregated on selected population characteristics.