Ireland - IE - IRL - IRL - Europe

Last updated: April 23, 2025

Ireland Images

Ireland’s Skellig Michael, named for the Archangel Michael, is an island located 11.6 km (7.2 mi) off the coast of County Kerry. The island served as a Gaelic monastery between the sixth and eighth centuries because of its isolation and the abundance of rock for building. “Skellig” is Gaelic for a splinter of stone, probably referring to the island’s rocky terrain that includes twin peaks.
Constructed in 1729, the Bank of Ireland building in Dublin was the original home of the Irish Parliament. After the 1801 Act of Union abolished the Irish Parliament and placed Ireland under London's direct rule, the building was sold to the Bank of Ireland in 1803.
Leinster House in Dublin, Ireland, was built by the Duke of Leinster in 1745. The building now houses the Irish bicameral Parliament -- the Seanad Eireann (Senate) and the Dail Eireann (House of Representatives).
Dublin Castle was the seat of British rule in Ireland for seven centuries until 1922; it is now used mainly for Irish and EU governmental purposes. The Record Tower dates to A.D. 1208.
City Hall in Dublin was built between 1769 and 1779 and used as the Royal Exchange during British rule. It is currently the seat of the Dublin Corporation, the elected body that governs the city.
Christ Church in Dublin, Ireland, was built on the site of a Viking church that dated back to A.D. 1038. Strongbow, a Norman baron and conqueror of Dublin for the English crown, began construction of the current church in 1172. It is now the seat of the Protestant Church of Ireland.
The General Post Office in Dublin, Ireland, was constructed between 1814 and 1818 by the British. It was the scene of the Irish Easter Uprising against British occupation from 24 to 30 April 1916.
The entrance to the massive Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) in Dublin, Ireland. Built in 1796, it was the site of numerous hangings and deportations in the early 19th century. Leaders of the Easter Uprising of 1916 were held there before being executed.
A statue of Charles Stewart Parnell in upper O'Connell Street near Parnell Square. Parnell was a 19th-century member of Parliament and a champion of home rule for Ireland.
The River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, divides the city into the Northside and the Southside. It flows 125 km (78 mi) from the Wicklow Mountains to the Irish Sea.
The Spire on O'Connell Street in Dublin, Ireland, was erected near the General Post Office in 2003. The 120 m- (394 ft-) high structure is also known as The Tower of Light. It replaced a pillar with a statue of England's Lord Nelson that was destroyed in 1966 and that was seen as a relic of English colonialism. The Spire consists of eight hollow stainless steel cone sections and contains a tuned mass damper to ensure aerodynamic stability during a wind storm.
Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.
The Rock of Cashel (also known as Cashel of the Kings and Saint Patrick's Rock) in County Tipperary, Ireland, where tradition has it that Saint Patrick converted the King of Munster to Christianity.
Built in the 15th century by Irish chieftain Cormac MacCarthy, Blarney Castle is a tower-house fortification near Cork, Ireland. The castle houses the famed limestone Blarney Stone (also known as the Stone of Eloquence or Cloch na Blarnan in Irish), which legend says was a gift to MacCarthy from Robert the Bruce. Visitors can climb to the top of the castle, lean backward on the parapet with the help of an assistant, and kiss the stone to try to acquire the gift of flattery.
Muckross Abbey near Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland, was built in 1448 as a Franciscan friary; Oliver Cromwell's army drove out the monks in 1652.
Built in 1843, Muckross House is an Elizabethan-style manor house 6 km (4 mi) from the town of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. The grounds of the estate formed the core of Killarney National Park in 1932.
Ross Castle, near Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, is a fully restored 14th-century stronghold.
Bunratty Castle in County Clare, Ireland. The area was first settled as a Viking village in the 10th century; several castles and fortifications were subsequently built there. The MacNamara family completed the present structure around 1425.
The main tower and keep of Leap Castle in County Offaly, Ireland, were constructed around A.D. 1250. The stronghold has a bloody history, claims a number of ghosts, and bills itself as "the world's most haunted castle."
An ancient stone circle near Kinnity Castle in County Offaly, Ireland. Most stone circles of this type are found in Northwestern Europe, especially in Britain, Ireland, and Brittany. Most were built after 3000 B.C., and no consensus exists as to their intended function. There are 187 stone circles in Ireland, with the majority in southern County Cork, which has 103 circles.
Ireland’s Skellig Michael, named for the Archangel Michael, is an island located 11.6 km (7.2 mi) off the coast of County Kerry. The island served as a Gaelic monastery between the sixth and eighth centuries because of its isolation and the abundance of rock for building. “Skellig” is Gaelic for a splinter of stone, probably referring to the island’s rocky terrain that includes twin peaks.
Constructed in 1729, the Bank of Ireland building in Dublin was the original home of the Irish Parliament. After the 1801 Act of Union abolished the Irish Parliament and placed Ireland under London's direct rule, the building was sold to the Bank of Ireland in 1803.

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Ireland Factbook Data

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Michael CLAUSEN (since January 2025)

embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

mailing address: 5290 Dublin Place, Washington DC 20521-5290

telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777

FAX: [353] (1) 688-8056

email address and website:
ACSDublin@state.gov

https://ie.usembassy.gov/

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.6% (male 498,124/female 477,848)

15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,701,680/female 1,728,041)

65 years and over: 15.8% (2024 est.) (male 390,738/female 437,030)

This is the population pyramid for Ireland. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.

Geographic coordinates

53 00 N, 8 00 W

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Natural hazards

rare extreme weather events

Area - comparative

slightly larger than West Virginia

slightly larger than West Virginia

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; 12-year service (5 active, 7 reserves) (2024)

note 1: as of 2024, women made up about 7.5% of the military's full-time personnel

note 2: the Defense Forces are open to refugees under the Refugee Act of 1996 and nationals of the European Economic Area, which include EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway

Background

Celtic tribes arrived in Ireland between 600 and 150 B.C. Norse invasions that began in the late 8th century finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century caused an almost 25-percent decline in the island's population through starvation, disease, and emigration. The population of the island continued to fall until the 1960s, but over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU.

The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that galvanized nationalist sentiment. The ensuing guerrilla war led to independence from the UK in 1921 with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the creation of the Irish Free State. The treaty was deeply controversial in Ireland, in part because it helped solidify the country's partition, with six of the 32 counties remaining in the UK as Northern Ireland. The split between pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty partisans led to the Irish Civil War (1922-23). The traditionally dominant political parties in Ireland, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, are de facto descendants of the opposing sides of the treaty debate. Ireland declared itself a republic in 1949 and formally left the British Dominion.

Beginning in the 1960s, deep sectarian divides between the Catholic and Protestant populations and systemic discrimination in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the Troubles. In 1998, the governments of Ireland and the UK, along with most political parties in Northern Ireland, reached the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement with the support of the US. This agreement helped end the Troubles and initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments.

Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth that came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. As a small, open economy, Ireland has excelled at courting foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals, which has helped the economy recover from the financial crisis and insulated it somewhat from the economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Environment - current issues

water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff; acid rain kills plants, destroys soil fertility, and contributes to deforestation

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Military expenditures

0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2022)
0.3% of GDP (2021)
0.3% of GDP (2020)
0.3% of GDP (2019)

Population below poverty line

14% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.6% (2021 est.)

highest 10%: 24.8% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Exports - commodities

vaccines, packaged medicine, nitrogen compounds, integrated circuits, hormones (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

USA 28%, Germany 11%, UK 8%, Belgium 8%, China 7% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Administrative divisions

28 counties and 3 cities*; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Cork*, Donegal, Dublin*, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Galway*, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Agricultural products

milk, barley, beef, wheat, potatoes, pork, oats, chicken, rapeseed, beans (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Military and security forces

Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireannn): Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, Reserve Defense Forces (2025)

note: An Garda Siochana (or Garda) is the national police force and maintains internal security under the auspices of the Department of Justice

Budget

revenues: $118.278 billion (2022 est.)

expenditures: $105.516 billion (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Capital

name: Dublin

geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: derived from Irish dubh and lind meaning respectively "black, dark" and "pool" and which referred to the dark tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the River Liffey; today the area is the site of the castle gardens behind Dublin Castle

Imports - commodities

aircraft, nitrogen compounds, vaccines, packaged medicine, integrated circuits (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Climate

temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time

Coastline

1,448 km

Constitution

history: previous 1922; latest drafted 14 June 1937, adopted by plebiscite 1 July 1937, effective 29 December 1937

amendment process: proposed as bills by Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both the Senate and House of Representatives, majority vote in a referendum, and presidential signature

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Michael D. HIGGINS (since 11 November 2011)

head of government: Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Michael MARTIN (since 23 January 2025)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president, approved by the Dali Eireann (lower house of Parliament)

elections/appointments: president directly elected by majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 October 2018 (next to be held no later than November 2025); taoiseach (prime minister) nominated by the House of Representatives (Dail Eireann), appointed by the president

election results: 2025: Michael MARTIN is elected taoiseach by parliament, 95 votes to 76, and is appointed taoiseach by the president

2024: Simon HARRIS is elected taoiseach by parliament, 88 votes to 69, and is appointed taoiseach by the president

2018: Michael D. HIGGINS reelected president in first round; percent of vote in first round - Michael D. HIGGINS (independent) 55.8%, Peter CASEY (independent) 23.3%, Sean GALLAGHER (independent) 6.4%, Liadh NI RIADA (Sinn Fein) 6.4%, Joan FREEMAN (independent) 6%, Gavin DUFFY (independent) 2.2%

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; officially the flag colors have no meaning, but a common interpretation is that the green represents the Irish nationalist (Gaelic) tradition of Ireland; orange represents the Orange tradition (minority supporters of William of Orange); white symbolizes peace (or a lasting truce) between the green and the orange

note: similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red

Roadways

total: 102,227 km (2022)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern

Independence

6 December 1921 (from the UK by the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which ended British rule); 6 December 1922 (Irish Free State established); 18 April 1949 (Republic of Ireland Act enabled)

Industries

pharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer hardware and software, food products, beverages and brewing; medical devices

Waterways

956 km (2010) (pleasure craft only)

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Ireland (consists of the chief justice, 9 judges, 2 ex-officio members -- the presidents of the High Court and Court of Appeal -- and organized in 3-, 5-, or 7-judge panels, depending on the importance or complexity of an issue of law)

judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the prime minister and Cabinet and appointed by the president; chief justice serves in the position for 7 years; judges can serve until age 70

subordinate courts: High Court, Court of Appeal; circuit and district courts; criminal courts

Land boundaries

total: 490 km

border countries (1): UK 499 km

Land use

agricultural land: 63.1% (2022 est.)

arable land: 6.5% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 56.6% (2022 est.)

forest: 11.5% (2022 est.)

other: 25.4% (2022 est.)

Legal system

common law system based on the English model but substantially modified by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts by Supreme Court

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament (Oireachtas)

legislative structure: bicameral

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

National holiday

Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March; note - marks the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, during the latter half of the fifth century A.D. (most commonly cited years are c. 461 and c. 493); although Saint Patrick's feast day was celebrated in Ireland as early as the ninth century, it only became an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903

Nationality

noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)

adjective: Irish

Natural resources

natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite

Geography - note

strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin

Economic overview

high-income, export-oriented EU economy; large multinational business sector contributes to growth and tax revenues but poses volatility risks; high living standards; strong labor market challenged by skill shortages and aging workforce

Pipelines

2,427 km gas (2017)

Political parties

Aontu
Solidarity-People Before Profit or PBP-S
Fianna Fail
Fine Gael
Green Party
Human Dignity Alliance
Independent Ireland
Labor (Labour) Party
100% Redress
Right to Change or RTC
Sinn Fein
Social Democrats
Socialist Party
The Workers' Party

Railways

total: 1,688 km (2020) 53 km electrified

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Ireland’s telecom market has rebounded from a long period in which fiscal constraints inhibited investment in the sector; significant infrastructure projects are underway, including the NBN which aims to deliver a fiber-based service of at least 150Mb/s nationally by the end of 2022; the renewed optimism has been seen in company investment in extending fiber-based networks providing 1Gb/s services; the mobile sector is preparing for a multi-frequency availability later in 2021 which will greatly increase the amount of frequencies available, and provide a boost for 5G services; the MNOs are rapidly expanding the reach of 5G (2021)

domestic: fixed-line 32 per 100 and mobile-cellular 108 per 100 subscriptions. (2021)

international: country code - 353; landing point for the AEConnect -1, Celtic-Norse, Havfrue/AEC-2, GTT Express, Celtic, ESAT-1, IFC-1, Solas, Pan European Crossing, ESAT-2, CeltixConnect -1 & 2, GTT Atlantic, Sirius South, Emerald Bridge Fibres and Geo Eirgrid submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, Norway, Isle of Man and UK; satellite earth stations - 81 (2019)

Terrain

mostly flat to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Government type

parliamentary republic

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ireland

local long form: none

local short form: Eire

etymology: the Irish name Eire evolved from the Gaelic name Eriu, which is possibly derived from the Old Celtic iveriu, meaning "good land;" the English name, Ireland, is a direct translation

Location

Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Map references

Europe

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Geraldine BYRNE NASON (since 16 September 2022)

chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993

email address and website:
https://www.ireland.ie/en/usa/washington/

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin (TX), Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Internet users

percent of population: 96% (2022 est.)

Internet country code

.ie

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 105,210 (Ukraine) (as of 8 March 2024)

stateless persons: 7 (2022)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$551.395 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Credit ratings

Fitch rating: A+ (2017)

Moody's rating: A2 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: AA- (2019)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Total renewable water resources

52 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 19 years

male: 18 years

female: 19 years (2020)

Urbanization

urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.15% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Broadcast media

publicly owned broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) operates 4 TV stations; commercial TV stations are available; about 75% of households utilize multi-channel satellite and TV services that provide access to a wide range of stations; RTE operates 4 national radio stations and has launched digital audio broadcasts on several stations; a number of commercial broadcast stations operate at the national, regional, and local levels (2019)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 97% of population

rural: 98.1% of population

total: 97.4% of population

unimproved:

urban: 3% of population

rural: 1.9% of population

total: 2.6% of population (2020 est.)

National anthem

name: "Amhran na bhFiann" (The Soldier's Song)

lyrics/music: Peadar KEARNEY [English], Liam O RINN [Irish]/Patrick HEENEY and Peadar KEARNEY

note: adopted 1926; instead of "Amhran na bhFiann," the song "Ireland's Call" is often used at athletic events where citizens of Ireland and Northern Ireland compete as a unified team

This is an audio of the National Anthem for Ireland. The national anthem is generally a patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.

Major urban areas - population

1.270 million DUBLIN (capital) (2023)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Physician density

3.88 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Hospital bed density

3 beds/1,000 population (2018)

National symbol(s)

harp, shamrock (trefoil); national colors: blue, green

Mother's mean age at first birth

30.9 years (2020 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 26.8% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 12.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 23.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 3.1% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 135.1% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -102.2% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 53.2

youth dependency ratio: 30.5

elderly dependency ratio: 22.7

potential support ratio: 4.4 (2021 est.)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no, unless a parent of a child born in Ireland has been legally resident in Ireland for at least three of the four years prior to the birth of the child

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 4 of the previous 8 years

Population distribution

population distribution is weighted to the eastern side of the island, with the largest concentration being in and around Dublin; populations in the west are small due to mountainous land, poorer soil, lack of good transport routes, and fewer job opportunities

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 9 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 450

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1.676 million (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 168.71 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 97.8% of population

rural: 99.1% of population

total: 98.3% of population

unimproved:

urban: 2.2% of population

rural: 0.9% of population

total: 1.7% of population (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Irish 76.6%, Irish travelers 0.6%, other White 9.9%, Asian 3.3%, Black 1.5%, other (includes Arab, Roma, and persons of mixed backgrounds) 2%, unspecified 2.6% (2022 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 69.2% (includes lapsed), Protestant 3.7% (Church of Ireland/England/Anglican/Episcopalian 2.5%, other Protestant 1.2%), Orthodox 2%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 1.6%, other 1.4%, agnostic/atheist 0.1%, none 14.5%, unspecified 6.7% (2022 est.)

Languages

English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 37.7% of the population)

Imports - partners

UK 20%, USA 17%, France 10%, China 7%, Germany 7% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Elevation

highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 118 m

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Current health expenditure

6.1% of GDP (2022)

Military - note

Ireland has a long-standing policy of military neutrality; however, it participates in multinational peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, as well as crisis management; Ireland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and has committed a battalion of troops to the EU’s Rapid Reaction Force; Ireland is not a member of NATO but has a relationship with it going back to 1997, when it deployed personnel in support of the NATO-led peacekeeping operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ireland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1999; it has been active in UN peacekeeping operations since the 1950s

the Irish Defense Forces trace their origins back to the Irish Volunteers, a unit established in 1913 which took part in the 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) (2024)

Literacy

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 7,500 active-duty personnel (authorized establishment of 9,500) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Irish Defense Forces have a small inventory of imported weapons systems from a variety of mostly European countries, particularly the UK (2024)

Military deployments

130 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 325 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2024)

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA); Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 990 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 520 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,692,537 tons (2012 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 888,537 tons (2012 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 33% (2012 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 8.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 8.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 37.71 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 13.67 megatons (2020 est.)

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne; Sceilg Mhichíl

Coal

consumption: 1.341 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 76,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 1.711 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 40 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 55.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 37% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Natural gas

production: 1.165 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 4.919 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports: 3.707 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 9.911 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 600 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 159,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.84 (2024 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.1% (2023 est.)

Remittances

0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.03% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 3

global geoparks and regional networks: Burren & Cliffs of Moher; Copper Coast; Marble Arch Caves (includes United Kingdom) (2023)

Ports

total ports: 21 (2024)

large: 1

medium: 3

small: 3

very small: 14

ports with oil terminals: 8

key ports: Cobh, Cork, Dublin, Foynes

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name: House of Representatives (Dáil Éireann)

number of seats: 174 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 11/29/2024

parties elected and seats per party: Fianna Fáil (48); Sinn Féin (39); Fine Gael (38); Social Democratic Party (11); Labour Party (11); Independents (16); Other (11)

percentage of women in chamber: 25.3%

expected date of next election: November 2029

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name: Senate (Seanad Éireann - Senate)

number of seats: 60 (49 indirectly elected; 11 appointed)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 1/29/2025 to 1/30/2025

percentage of women in chamber: 45%

expected date of next election: January 2030

Labor force

2.796 million (2023 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 10.5% (2023 est.)

male: 10.5% (2023 est.)

female: 10.6% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Net migration rate

5.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 40.2 years (2024 est.)

male: 39.7 years

female: 40.6 years

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$12.905 billion (2023 est.)
$13.039 billion (2022 est.)
$13.247 billion (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Public debt

45.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Total fertility rate

1.72 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.34% (2023 est.)
4.48% (2022 est.)
6.19% (2021 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population

total: 5,233,461 (2024 est.)

male: 2,590,542

female: 2,642,919

Carbon dioxide emissions

35.486 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 3.029 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 22.635 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 9.822 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Area

total : 70,273 sq km

land: 68,883 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km

Taxes and other revenues

16.79% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$609.962 billion (2023 est.)
$645.668 billion (2022 est.)
$594.431 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Airports

100 (2025)

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 5.76 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 113 (2022 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

30.1 (2021 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.3% (2023 est.)
7.83% (2022 est.)
2.34% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance

$44.744 billion (2023 est.)
$48.427 billion (2022 est.)
$65.118 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Real GDP per capita

$114,900 (2023 est.)
$125,000 (2022 est.)
$118,100 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 1.65 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 20.8% (2020 est.)

male: 22.5% (2020 est.)

female: 19% (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25.3% (2016)

Energy consumption per capita

113.837 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Birth rate

11.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 12.321 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 32.282 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 441.615 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 3.89 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 2.489 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 94 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 12, general cargo 32, oil tanker 1, other 49

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Imports

$580.399 billion (2023 est.)
$536.882 billion (2022 est.)
$500.334 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports

$761.876 billion (2023 est.)
$763.233 billion (2022 est.)
$722.655 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Heliports

10 (2025)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1.176 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2023 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 10.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 4.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 2.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82 years (2024 est.)

male: 80.3 years

female: 83.9 years

Real GDP growth rate

-5.53% (2023 est.)
8.62% (2022 est.)
15.13% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Industrial production growth rate

-21.06% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.9% (2023 est.)

industry: 33.2% (2023 est.)

services: 60.9% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

0.93% (2024 est.)

Sources: