Ireland vs Spain
Ireland vs Spain: Population growth
Population growth in 2023: 1.19% a year in Ireland and 0.02% a year in Spain, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Ireland, by 1.17 percentage points, or 66 times that in Spain.
% a year · UN
What the numbers say
- Ireland has been higher since 2004, when it overtook Spain.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Ireland at -0.46% a year and Spain at -0.54% a year in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 0.87% a year in 2023.
Every year
% a year · UN
| Year | Ireland | Spain | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.19 | 0.02 | 0.87 |
| 2022 | 2.19 | 0.33 | 0.88 |
| 2021 | 1.03 | 0.06 | 0.8 |
| 2020 | 0.81 | 0.18 | 0.9 |
| 2019 | 1.18 | 0.85 | 1.03 |
| 2018 | 1.31 | 0.6 | 1.07 |
| 2017 | 1.27 | 0.36 | 1.13 |
| 2016 | 1.11 | 0.22 | 1.17 |
| 2015 | 1.05 | -0.01 | 1.18 |
| 2014 | 0.84 | -0.14 | 1.22 |
| 2013 | 0.61 | -0.46 | 1.23 |
| 2012 | 0.46 | -0.22 | 1.27 |
| 2011 | 0.44 | 0.31 | 1.26 |
| 2010 | 0.46 | 0.37 | 1.27 |
| 2009 | 0.65 | 0.51 | 1.28 |
| 2008 | 1.47 | 1.21 | 1.28 |
| 2007 | 2.71 | 1.92 | 1.28 |
| 2006 | 3.06 | 1.72 | 1.28 |
| 2005 | 2.32 | 1.61 | 1.27 |
| 2004 | 2.02 | 1.72 | 1.28 |
| 2003 | 1.61 | 1.68 | 1.29 |
| 2002 | 1.65 | 1.89 | 1.3 |
| 2001 | 1.72 | 0.56 | 1.33 |
| 2000 | 1.43 | 0.53 | 1.35 |
| 1999 | 1.19 | 0.48 | 1.35 |
| 1998 | 1.05 | 0.48 | 1.37 |
| 1997 | 1.05 | 0.47 | 1.39 |
| 1996 | 0.8 | 0.45 | 1.42 |
| 1995 | 0.74 | 0.47 | 1.45 |
| 1994 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.47 |
| 1993 | 0.38 | 0.54 | 1.52 |
| 1992 | 0.61 | 0.63 | 1.57 |
| 1991 | 0.75 | 0.48 | 1.63 |
| 1990 | 0.4 | 0.12 | 1.76 |
| 1989 | -0.23 | 0.17 | 1.78 |
| 1988 | -0.57 | 0.23 | 1.79 |
| 1987 | -0.3 | 0.29 | 1.84 |
| 1986 | 0.21 | 0.31 | 1.83 |
| 1985 | 0.39 | 0.38 | 1.8 |
| 1984 | 0.48 | 0.47 | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 1.78 |
| 1982 | 0.7 | 0.59 | 1.86 |
| 1981 | 0.84 | 0.65 | 1.82 |
| 1980 | 1.12 | 0.81 | 1.8 |
| 1979 | 1.21 | 0.83 | 1.79 |
| 1978 | 1.58 | 0.93 | 1.74 |
| 1977 | 1.54 | 1 | 1.75 |
| 1976 | 1.5 | 1.06 | 1.78 |
| 1975 | 1.51 | 1.05 | 1.8 |
| 1974 | 1.52 | 1.39 | 1.88 |
| 1973 | 1.55 | 1.09 | 1.94 |
| 1972 | 1.54 | 1.14 | 1.97 |
| 1971 | 1.38 | 1.09 | 1.97 |
| 1970 | 0.75 | 0.94 | 2.06 |
| 1969 | 0.65 | 0.93 | 2.06 |
| 1968 | 0.57 | 1.03 | 2.09 |
| 1967 | 0.62 | 1.09 | 2 |
| 1966 | 0.52 | 1.08 | 2.04 |
| 1965 | 0.57 | 1.12 | 2.09 |
| 1964 | 0.55 | 1.2 | 2.16 |
| 1963 | 0.45 | 1.1 | 2.28 |
| 1962 | 0.37 | 1.08 | 2.11 |
| 1961 | 0.11 | 1.13 | 1.67 |
| 1960 | -0.33 | 0.8 | 1.58 |
| 1959 | -0.49 | 0.95 | 1.73 |
| 1958 | -0.55 | 1 | 2 |
| 1957 | -0.51 | 0.89 | 2.07 |
| 1956 | -0.51 | 0.79 | 1.98 |
| 1955 | -0.58 | 0.82 | 2.01 |
| 1954 | -0.5 | 0.79 | 1.99 |
| 1953 | -0.45 | 0.78 | 1.9 |
| 1952 | -0.39 | 0.81 | 1.94 |
| 1951 | 0.7 | 0.54 | 1.75 |
| 1950 | 0.95 | 0.44 | 1.74 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Ireland | Spain | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.050.39–1.87 | -0.02-0.5–0.47 | 0.86 |
| 2025 | 0.960.04–2.02 | -0.06-0.73–0.61 | 0.84 |
| 2026 | 0.88-0.29–2.05 | -0.1-0.91–0.66 | 0.83 |
| 2027 | 0.83-0.54–2.23 | -0.1-0.97–0.8 | 0.81 |
| 2028 | 0.78-0.6–2.31 | -0.12-1.1–0.8 | 0.8 |
| 2029 | 0.71-0.83–2.32 | -0.14-1.22–0.86 | 0.78 |
| 2030 | 0.65-0.97–2.34 | -0.17-1.29–0.88 | 0.76 |
| 2031 | 0.63-1.1–2.41 | -0.19-1.3–0.93 | 0.75 |
| 2032 | 0.6-1.21–2.52 | -0.19-1.27–0.96 | 0.73 |
| 2033 | 0.56-1.29–2.54 | -0.19-1.35–1.03 | 0.72 |
| 2034 | 0.53-1.33–2.66 | -0.2-1.42–1.02 | 0.7 |
| 2035 | 0.48-1.45–2.65 | -0.22-1.45–1.03 | 0.69 |
| 2036 | 0.48-1.35–2.69 | -0.23-1.54–1.03 | 0.67 |
| 2037 | 0.48-1.49–2.77 | -0.23-1.56–1.11 | 0.65 |
| 2038 | 0.46-1.58–2.85 | -0.24-1.61–1.16 | 0.64 |
| 2039 | 0.41-1.65–2.75 | -0.26-1.67–1.1 | 0.62 |
| 2040 | 0.42-1.64–2.81 | -0.27-1.74–1.19 | 0.61 |
| 2041 | 0.4-1.72–2.85 | -0.28-1.74–1.14 | 0.59 |
| 2042 | 0.34-1.84–2.79 | -0.3-1.85–1.17 | 0.57 |
| 2043 | 0.31-1.9–3.02 | -0.3-1.83–1.24 | 0.56 |
| 2044 | 0.3-1.95–2.75 | -0.34-1.94–1.13 | 0.54 |
| 2045 | 0.26-2.13–2.71 | -0.37-2.03–1.1 | 0.52 |
| 2046 | 0.21-2.04–2.7 | -0.38-2.01–1.24 | 0.5 |
| 2047 | 0.2-2.04–2.73 | -0.41-2.04–1.15 | 0.48 |
| 2048 | 0.19-2.15–2.75 | -0.42-2.17–1.19 | 0.46 |
| 2049 | 0.13-2.24–2.75 | -0.47-2.21–1.14 | 0.44 |
| 2050 | 0.08-2.44–2.77 | -0.47-2.27–1.2 | 0.42 |
| 2051 | 0.04-2.5–2.67 | -0.49-2.41–1.2 | 0.4 |
| 2052 | 0.03-2.47–2.77 | -0.55-2.51–1.15 | 0.38 |
| 2053 | -0-2.47–2.79 | -0.59-2.57–1.16 | 0.36 |
| 2054 | -0.01-2.77–2.76 | -0.6-2.59–1.17 | 0.34 |
| 2055 | -0.07-2.69–2.81 | -0.62-2.61–1.24 | 0.33 |
| 2056 | -0.05-2.71–2.74 | -0.69-2.8–1.06 | 0.31 |
| 2057 | -0.12-2.83–2.74 | -0.69-2.8–1.19 | 0.3 |
| 2058 | -0.15-2.89–2.72 | -0.69-2.8–1.26 | 0.28 |
| 2059 | -0.2-3.02–2.69 | -0.73-2.94–1.2 | 0.27 |
| 2060 | -0.21-3.07–2.54 | -0.74-2.9–1.25 | 0.25 |
| 2061 | -0.2-3.16–2.76 | -0.78-2.94–1.28 | 0.24 |
| 2062 | -0.2-3.34–2.86 | -0.79-3.08–1.2 | 0.23 |
| 2063 | -0.21-3.21–2.89 | -0.79-3.08–1.32 | 0.22 |
| 2064 | -0.24-3.24–2.77 | -0.8-3.09–1.38 | 0.21 |
| 2065 | -0.25-3.22–2.91 | -0.79-3.13–1.36 | 0.2 |
| 2066 | -0.26-3.27–2.77 | -0.79-3.21–1.3 | 0.19 |
| 2067 | -0.26-3.3–2.92 | -0.78-3.17–1.36 | 0.18 |
| 2068 | -0.27-3.24–2.9 | -0.79-3.31–1.41 | 0.17 |
| 2069 | -0.28-3.38–2.9 | -0.77-3.38–1.43 | 0.16 |
| 2070 | -0.29-3.39–2.9 | -0.77-3.44–1.36 | 0.15 |
| 2071 | -0.29-3.47–2.98 | -0.74-3.46–1.43 | 0.14 |
| 2072 | -0.29-3.39–2.98 | -0.75-3.54–1.4 | 0.13 |
| 2073 | -0.29-3.44–2.93 | -0.72-3.56–1.43 | 0.12 |
| 2074 | -0.3-3.47–3.01 | -0.7-3.66–1.4 | 0.1 |
| 2075 | -0.28-3.49–3.02 | -0.67-3.71–1.54 | 0.09 |
| 2076 | -0.28-3.5–2.93 | -0.65-3.61–1.45 | 0.08 |
| 2077 | -0.27-3.45–3.02 | -0.61-3.64–1.41 | 0.07 |
| 2078 | -0.26-3.43–2.93 | -0.58-3.66–1.63 | 0.06 |
| 2079 | -0.26-3.38–2.97 | -0.57-3.58–1.52 | 0.05 |
| 2080 | -0.21-3.36–2.99 | -0.55-3.6–1.42 | 0.04 |
| 2081 | -0.19-3.28–3.14 | -0.53-3.55–1.61 | 0.03 |
| 2082 | -0.22-3.37–3.07 | -0.51-3.53–1.64 | 0.02 |
| 2083 | -0.24-3.5–2.95 | -0.51-3.45–1.61 | 0.01 |
| 2084 | -0.24-3.53–3 | -0.49-3.43–1.71 | -0 |
| 2085 | -0.25-3.57–3.02 | -0.48-3.45–1.7 | -0.01 |
| 2086 | -0.24-3.54–2.99 | -0.46-3.59–1.66 | -0.02 |
| 2087 | -0.27-3.59–3.15 | -0.46-3.56–1.71 | -0.03 |
| 2088 | -0.29-3.63–3.21 | -0.47-3.62–1.65 | -0.04 |
| 2089 | -0.31-3.66–3.15 | -0.48-3.69–1.73 | -0.05 |
| 2090 | -0.33-3.76–3.1 | -0.48-3.73–1.63 | -0.05 |
| 2091 | -0.33-3.76–3.22 | -0.46-3.87–1.72 | -0.06 |
| 2092 | -0.34-3.9–3.32 | -0.46-3.85–1.69 | -0.07 |
| 2093 | -0.35-4.07–3.12 | -0.46-3.84–1.69 | -0.07 |
| 2094 | -0.36-4.31–3.18 | -0.47-3.86–1.85 | -0.08 |
| 2095 | -0.37-4.22–3.15 | -0.48-3.91–1.75 | -0.09 |
| 2096 | -0.41-4.48–3.28 | -0.48-3.93–1.79 | -0.1 |
| 2097 | -0.42-4.58–3.26 | -0.5-4.02–1.82 | -0.11 |
| 2098 | -0.43-4.77–3.16 | -0.51-4.05–1.83 | -0.11 |
| 2099 | -0.45-4.93–3.07 | -0.52-4.27–1.83 | -0.12 |
| 2100 | -0.46-5.21–3.27 | -0.54-4.31–1.87 | -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 Spain
Health
- Life expectancyIreland: 82.4 years in 2023Spain: 83.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIreland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024Spain: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIreland: 2.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Spain: 2.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIreland: 96% in 2022Spain: 99.6% in 2022
- DepressionIreland: 4.25% in 2017Spain: 3.54% in 2017
- Suicide rateIreland: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017Spain: 5.5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIreland: 5.2 million people in 2023Spain: 47.9 million people in 2023
- Fertility rateIreland: 1.6 births per woman in 2023Spain: 1.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIreland: 64.6% in 2025Spain: 80.5% in 2025
- Median ageIreland: 38.4 years in 2023Spain: 44.9 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIreland: 15.5% in 2023Spain: 20.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateIreland: 8.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Spain: 2.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIreland: 0.22% of GDP in 2025Spain: 2.13% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIreland: $1.46B in 2025Spain: $37.7B in 2025
- Military spending per personIreland: $272 in 2025Spain: $839 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIreland: 0.9% of government spending in 2025Spain: 4.7% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIreland: 9,000 people in 2020Spain: 199,000 people in 2020
- National powerIreland: 0.05% of world capability in 2022Spain: 0.66% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIreland: 0.37% of the labour force in 2020Spain: 0.87% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIreland: 14 million TIV in 2025Spain: 237 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIreland: 24 million TIV in 2025Spain: 341 million TIV in 2025