Ireland vs South Africa
Ireland vs South Africa: Population growth
Population growth in 2023: 1.19% a year in Ireland and 1.32% a year in South Africa, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Africa, by 0.13 percentage points, or 1.11 times that in Ireland.
% a year · UN
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2023, when it overtook Ireland.
- In 2023, Ireland ranked 97 and South Africa ranked 87 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Ireland at -0.46% a year and South Africa at 0.23% a year in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 0.87% a year in 2023.
Every year
% a year · UN
| Year | Ireland | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.19 | 1.32 | 0.87 |
| 2022 | 2.19 | 1.34 | 0.88 |
| 2021 | 1.03 | 1.49 | 0.8 |
| 2020 | 0.81 | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| 2019 | 1.18 | 1.65 | 1.03 |
| 2018 | 1.31 | 1.65 | 1.07 |
| 2017 | 1.27 | 1.72 | 1.13 |
| 2016 | 1.11 | -0.42 | 1.17 |
| 2015 | 1.05 | 2.31 | 1.18 |
| 2014 | 0.84 | 1.7 | 1.22 |
| 2013 | 0.61 | 1.62 | 1.23 |
| 2012 | 0.46 | 1.69 | 1.27 |
| 2011 | 0.44 | 1.26 | 1.26 |
| 2010 | 0.46 | 1.21 | 1.27 |
| 2009 | 0.65 | 1.15 | 1.28 |
| 2008 | 1.47 | 1.24 | 1.28 |
| 2007 | 2.71 | 1.07 | 1.28 |
| 2006 | 3.06 | 1.04 | 1.28 |
| 2005 | 2.32 | 1 | 1.27 |
| 2004 | 2.02 | 1.02 | 1.28 |
| 2003 | 1.61 | 0.99 | 1.29 |
| 2002 | 1.65 | 1 | 1.3 |
| 2001 | 1.72 | 0.89 | 1.33 |
| 2000 | 1.43 | 0.83 | 1.35 |
| 1999 | 1.19 | 1 | 1.35 |
| 1998 | 1.05 | 1.18 | 1.37 |
| 1997 | 1.05 | 1.25 | 1.39 |
| 1996 | 0.8 | 1.15 | 1.42 |
| 1995 | 0.74 | 1.45 | 1.45 |
| 1994 | 0.4 | 0.98 | 1.47 |
| 1993 | 0.38 | 2.27 | 1.52 |
| 1992 | 0.61 | 1.7 | 1.57 |
| 1991 | 0.75 | 1.89 | 1.63 |
| 1990 | 0.4 | 2.69 | 1.76 |
| 1989 | -0.23 | 2.88 | 1.78 |
| 1988 | -0.57 | 3 | 1.79 |
| 1987 | -0.3 | 3.09 | 1.84 |
| 1986 | 0.21 | 3.15 | 1.83 |
| 1985 | 0.39 | 3.25 | 1.8 |
| 1984 | 0.48 | 3.42 | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 0.56 | 3.5 | 1.78 |
| 1982 | 0.7 | 3.48 | 1.86 |
| 1981 | 0.84 | 3.43 | 1.82 |
| 1980 | 1.12 | 3.38 | 1.8 |
| 1979 | 1.21 | 2.7 | 1.79 |
| 1978 | 1.58 | 2.71 | 1.74 |
| 1977 | 1.54 | 2.75 | 1.75 |
| 1976 | 1.5 | 2.66 | 1.78 |
| 1975 | 1.51 | 2.75 | 1.8 |
| 1974 | 1.52 | 2.79 | 1.88 |
| 1973 | 1.55 | 2.85 | 1.94 |
| 1972 | 1.54 | 2.87 | 1.97 |
| 1971 | 1.38 | 2.87 | 1.97 |
| 1970 | 0.75 | 2.99 | 2.06 |
| 1969 | 0.65 | 3.07 | 2.06 |
| 1968 | 0.57 | 3.11 | 2.09 |
| 1967 | 0.62 | 3.13 | 2 |
| 1966 | 0.52 | 3.11 | 2.04 |
| 1965 | 0.57 | 3.09 | 2.09 |
| 1964 | 0.55 | 3.06 | 2.16 |
| 1963 | 0.45 | 3.05 | 2.28 |
| 1962 | 0.37 | 3.02 | 2.11 |
| 1961 | 0.11 | 2.93 | 1.67 |
| 1960 | -0.33 | 2.68 | 1.58 |
| 1959 | -0.49 | 2.56 | 1.73 |
| 1958 | -0.55 | 2.43 | 2 |
| 1957 | -0.51 | 2.44 | 2.07 |
| 1956 | -0.51 | 2.39 | 1.98 |
| 1955 | -0.58 | 2.33 | 2.01 |
| 1954 | -0.5 | 2.26 | 1.99 |
| 1953 | -0.45 | 2.17 | 1.9 |
| 1952 | -0.39 | 2.16 | 1.94 |
| 1951 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 1.75 |
| 1950 | 0.95 | 2.01 | 1.74 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Ireland | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.050.39–1.87 | 1.190.34–1.98 | 0.86 |
| 2025 | 0.960.04–2.02 | 1.120.23–2.01 | 0.84 |
| 2026 | 0.88-0.29–2.05 | 1.050.1–1.94 | 0.83 |
| 2027 | 0.83-0.54–2.23 | 1.040.12–1.97 | 0.81 |
| 2028 | 0.78-0.6–2.31 | 1.030.07–2.02 | 0.8 |
| 2029 | 0.71-0.83–2.32 | 0.990.04–1.9 | 0.78 |
| 2030 | 0.65-0.97–2.34 | 0.94-0.03–1.93 | 0.76 |
| 2031 | 0.63-1.1–2.41 | 0.920–1.95 | 0.75 |
| 2032 | 0.6-1.21–2.52 | 0.9-0.06–1.9 | 0.73 |
| 2033 | 0.56-1.29–2.54 | 0.87-0.12–1.84 | 0.72 |
| 2034 | 0.53-1.33–2.66 | 0.84-0.19–1.83 | 0.7 |
| 2035 | 0.48-1.45–2.65 | 0.83-0.15–1.82 | 0.69 |
| 2036 | 0.48-1.35–2.69 | 0.8-0.19–1.74 | 0.67 |
| 2037 | 0.48-1.49–2.77 | 0.79-0.26–1.8 | 0.65 |
| 2038 | 0.46-1.58–2.85 | 0.76-0.27–1.73 | 0.64 |
| 2039 | 0.41-1.65–2.75 | 0.73-0.31–1.74 | 0.62 |
| 2040 | 0.42-1.64–2.81 | 0.73-0.37–1.71 | 0.61 |
| 2041 | 0.4-1.72–2.85 | 0.72-0.33–1.73 | 0.59 |
| 2042 | 0.34-1.84–2.79 | 0.71-0.31–1.81 | 0.57 |
| 2043 | 0.31-1.9–3.02 | 0.7-0.31–1.75 | 0.56 |
| 2044 | 0.3-1.95–2.75 | 0.68-0.34–1.72 | 0.54 |
| 2045 | 0.26-2.13–2.71 | 0.67-0.35–1.76 | 0.52 |
| 2046 | 0.21-2.04–2.7 | 0.68-0.29–1.74 | 0.5 |
| 2047 | 0.2-2.04–2.73 | 0.66-0.38–1.71 | 0.48 |
| 2048 | 0.19-2.15–2.75 | 0.62-0.43–1.66 | 0.46 |
| 2049 | 0.13-2.24–2.75 | 0.61-0.42–1.71 | 0.44 |
| 2050 | 0.08-2.44–2.77 | 0.6-0.46–1.66 | 0.42 |
| 2051 | 0.04-2.5–2.67 | 0.6-0.43–1.72 | 0.4 |
| 2052 | 0.03-2.47–2.77 | 0.56-0.46–1.69 | 0.38 |
| 2053 | -0-2.47–2.79 | 0.54-0.51–1.6 | 0.36 |
| 2054 | -0.01-2.77–2.76 | 0.54-0.55–1.62 | 0.34 |
| 2055 | -0.07-2.69–2.81 | 0.52-0.56–1.6 | 0.33 |
| 2056 | -0.05-2.71–2.74 | 0.5-0.6–1.6 | 0.31 |
| 2057 | -0.12-2.83–2.74 | 0.5-0.66–1.66 | 0.3 |
| 2058 | -0.15-2.89–2.72 | 0.49-0.58–1.71 | 0.28 |
| 2059 | -0.2-3.02–2.69 | 0.47-0.66–1.64 | 0.27 |
| 2060 | -0.21-3.07–2.54 | 0.46-0.65–1.62 | 0.25 |
| 2061 | -0.2-3.16–2.76 | 0.44-0.69–1.57 | 0.24 |
| 2062 | -0.2-3.34–2.86 | 0.44-0.73–1.59 | 0.23 |
| 2063 | -0.21-3.21–2.89 | 0.43-0.75–1.56 | 0.22 |
| 2064 | -0.24-3.24–2.77 | 0.42-0.74–1.6 | 0.21 |
| 2065 | -0.25-3.22–2.91 | 0.39-0.74–1.52 | 0.2 |
| 2066 | -0.26-3.27–2.77 | 0.39-0.76–1.53 | 0.19 |
| 2067 | -0.26-3.3–2.92 | 0.37-0.8–1.52 | 0.18 |
| 2068 | -0.27-3.24–2.9 | 0.36-0.86–1.53 | 0.17 |
| 2069 | -0.28-3.38–2.9 | 0.35-0.89–1.54 | 0.16 |
| 2070 | -0.29-3.39–2.9 | 0.38-0.87–1.6 | 0.15 |
| 2071 | -0.29-3.47–2.98 | 0.37-0.83–1.6 | 0.14 |
| 2072 | -0.29-3.39–2.98 | 0.32-0.85–1.52 | 0.13 |
| 2073 | -0.29-3.44–2.93 | 0.32-0.88–1.45 | 0.12 |
| 2074 | -0.3-3.47–3.01 | 0.32-0.92–1.58 | 0.1 |
| 2075 | -0.28-3.49–3.02 | 0.31-0.94–1.44 | 0.09 |
| 2076 | -0.28-3.5–2.93 | 0.3-0.96–1.37 | 0.08 |
| 2077 | -0.27-3.45–3.02 | 0.31-0.93–1.51 | 0.07 |
| 2078 | -0.26-3.43–2.93 | 0.31-0.93–1.53 | 0.06 |
| 2079 | -0.26-3.38–2.97 | 0.3-1.05–1.53 | 0.05 |
| 2080 | -0.21-3.36–2.99 | 0.3-1.01–1.52 | 0.04 |
| 2081 | -0.19-3.28–3.14 | 0.3-0.99–1.52 | 0.03 |
| 2082 | -0.22-3.37–3.07 | 0.29-1.04–1.49 | 0.02 |
| 2083 | -0.24-3.5–2.95 | 0.29-1.04–1.51 | 0.01 |
| 2084 | -0.24-3.53–3 | 0.27-1.01–1.55 | -0 |
| 2085 | -0.25-3.57–3.02 | 0.25-1.1–1.51 | -0.01 |
| 2086 | -0.24-3.54–2.99 | 0.28-1.09–1.53 | -0.02 |
| 2087 | -0.27-3.59–3.15 | 0.27-1.06–1.54 | -0.03 |
| 2088 | -0.29-3.63–3.21 | 0.26-1.13–1.51 | -0.04 |
| 2089 | -0.31-3.66–3.15 | 0.26-1.11–1.51 | -0.05 |
| 2090 | -0.33-3.76–3.1 | 0.25-1.16–1.52 | -0.05 |
| 2091 | -0.33-3.76–3.22 | 0.27-1.09–1.45 | -0.06 |
| 2092 | -0.34-3.9–3.32 | 0.24-1.17–1.46 | -0.07 |
| 2093 | -0.35-4.07–3.12 | 0.24-1.19–1.54 | -0.07 |
| 2094 | -0.36-4.31–3.18 | 0.24-1.21–1.48 | -0.08 |
| 2095 | -0.37-4.22–3.15 | 0.22-1.12–1.52 | -0.09 |
| 2096 | -0.41-4.48–3.28 | 0.21-1.14–1.48 | -0.1 |
| 2097 | -0.42-4.58–3.26 | 0.2-1.23–1.49 | -0.11 |
| 2098 | -0.43-4.77–3.16 | 0.22-1.19–1.5 | -0.11 |
| 2099 | -0.45-4.93–3.07 | 0.22-1.1–1.46 | -0.12 |
| 2100 | -0.46-5.21–3.27 | 0.23-1.2–1.45 | -0.13 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How fast the population grew or shrank in a year: births minus deaths, plus people moving in minus people moving out.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Ireland vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyIreland: 82.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIreland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIreland: 2.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionIreland: 4.25% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- Suicide rateIreland: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIreland: 5.2 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Fertility rateIreland: 1.6 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIreland: 64.6% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageIreland: 38.4 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIreland: 15.5% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateIreland: 8.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIreland: 0.22% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIreland: $1.46B in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personIreland: $272 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIreland: 0.9% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIreland: 9,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerIreland: 0.05% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIreland: 0.37% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIreland: 14 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIreland: 24 million TIV in 2025South Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025