Capital

Irland

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

Citizenship

Irland

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

Legal system

Irland

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

Suffrage

Irland

18 years of age; universal

Area

Irland

total: 70,273 sq km

land: 68,883 sq km

water: 1,390 sq km

Land use

Irland

agricultural land: 66.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 15.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 50.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.9% (2018 est.)

other: 23% (2018 est.)

Location

Irland

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

Age structure

Irland

0-14 years: 20.39% (male 556,057/female 529,454)

15-64 years: 65.04% (male 1,741,527/female 1,720,989)

65 years and over: 14.57% (2023 est.) (male 360,476/female 415,488)

Birth rate

Irland

11.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Irland

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Irland

English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 39.8% of the population as of 2016; mainly spoken in areas along Ireland's western coast known as gaeltachtai, which are officially recognized regions where Irish is the predominant language)

Life expectancy at birth

Irland

total population: 82.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 80.5 years

female: 84.1 years

Major urban areas - population

Irland

1.270 million DUBLIN (capital) (2023)

Median age

Irland

total: 39.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 39.4 years

female: 40.2 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Irland

30.9 years (2020 est.)

Net migration rate

Irland

6.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Irland

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

Population growth rate

Irland

1.09% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Irland

1.72 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Irland

urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023)

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

Education expenditures

Irland

3.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Irland

total: 19 years

male: 18 years

female: 19 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Irland

-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Irland

20.33% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Irland

2.518 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Irland

13.1% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Irland

6.63% (2021 est.)

5.62% (2020 est.)

4.95% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Irland

71.58% of GDP (2020 est.)

69.7% of GDP (2019 est.)

75.19% of GDP (2018 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Irland

2.36% (2021 est.)

-0.33% (2020 est.)

0.94% (2019 est.)

Exports

Irland

$677.028 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$569.061 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$502.313 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Irland

United States 28%, Belgium 10%, Germany 10%, UK 9%, China 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019)

Imports

Irland

$477.544 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$486.946 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$452.979 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Irland

United Kingdom 31%, United States 16%, Germany 10%, Netherlands 5%, France 5% (2019)

Airports

Irland

40 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Irland

total: 1,516,473 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Irland

total: 4.75 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 95% (2021 est.)

Railways

Irland

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

Roadways

Irland

total: 99,830 km (2018)

paved: 99,830 km (2018) (includes 2,717 km of expressways)

Telephones - fixed lines

Irland

total subscriptions: 1,595,061 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Irland

total subscriptions: 5,373,865 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Irland

956 km (2010) (pleasure craft only)

Disputes - international

Irland

Ireland-Denmark: Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Iceland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands signed an agreement in 2019 extending the Faroe Islands’ northern continental shelf area