Population density - Regions in Ireland
Ireland: Population density - Regions was 5.44 million Persons in 2025. β² Rising
Population density - Regions in Ireland, 1990β2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population density - regions in Ireland is 5.44 million Persons, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density - regions in Ireland peaked at 5.44 million Persons in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.51 million Persons, in 1990.
That places Ireland 38th out of 51 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.60 million Persons | 3.51 million Persons | 3.73 million Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.11 million Persons | 3.78 million Persons | 4.52 million Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.70 million Persons | 4.55 million Persons | 4.94 million Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.22 million Persons | 5.01 million Persons | 5.44 million Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More population data for Ireland
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.455 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 217,052 (2100)
- Population density 76.73 (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.455 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1844 % change on previous year (2100)
- Fertility and wanted fertility 1.47 (2024)
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum 124,730 (2024)
- Fertility vs unmet contraception 1.47 (2024)
- Fertility vs contraception 1.47 (2024)
- Natural population growth 0.3409 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density - regions in Ireland?
- Population density - regions in Ireland was 5.44 million Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest population density - regions recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 5.44 million Persons in 2025.
- What is the lowest population density - regions recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.51 million Persons in 1990.
- How does Ireland rank for population density - regions?
- Ireland ranks 38th out of 51 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population density - regions rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Population density - Regions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV Β· JSON β 36 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
<p>This dataset provides indicators on population density and land areas, in large (TL2) regions and small (TL3) regions.</p> <p><strong>Data definition and source</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Population density per land area excludes inland water bodies. This indicator measures the number of people residing in small TL3 and large TL2 regions per square kilometers. Data is collected from Eurostat (reg_dem) for EU countries and via delegates of the OECD Working Party on Territorial Indicators (WPTI), as well as from national statistical offices' websites.</p> <p><strong>Definition of regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD_territorial-grid_TL2024.pdf">(pdf)</a> and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a>. </p> <p><strong>Use of data on small regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">When demographic data are analysed along with economic data using the TL3 level, it is advisable to aggregate data at the metropolitan region level when several TL3 regions are associated to the same metropolitan region. Metropolitan regions combine TL3 regions when 50% or more of the regional population live in a functionnal urban areas above 250 000 inhabitants. This approach corrects the distortions created by commuting, see the list of OECD metropolitan regions <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a> and the EU methodology <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/metropolitan-regions/background">(link)</a>.</p> <p><strong>Territorial typologies</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Small TL3 regions are categorized based on shared characteristics into regional typologies. See the demographic indicators aggregated by territorial typology at country level on the access to City typology <a href="https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_REG_DEMO%40DF_REGION_TYPE_METRO&df[ag]=OECD.CFE.EDS&df[vs]=1.0">(link)</a> and by urban-rural typology <a href="https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_REG_DEMO%40DF_REGION_TYPE_RURB&df[ag]=OECD.CFE.EDS&df[vs]=1.0">(link)</a>. </p> <p><strong>Cite this dataset</strong></p> <p>OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database <a href="http://oe.cd/geostats">http://oe.cd/geostats</a>.</p> <p><strong>Further information</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://regions-cities-atlas.oecd.org/">OECD Regions and Cities Statistical Atlas</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-regions-and-cities-at-a-glance-2024_f42db3bf-en.html">OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance</a></li> </ul> <p>For questions and/or comments, please email <a href="mailto:RegionStat@oecd.org">RegionStat@oecd.org</a>.</p>