Ireland: Population distribution by age group, 2004-2013
- The population of Ireland increased by 13.5% to 4.59 million persons over the period 2004-2013.
- The proportion of the population aged 45-64 increased from 21.7% in 2004 to 23.3% in 2013 while the proportion aged 65 and over increased from 11.1% to 12.4%.
- Conversely, there was a decrease in the 15-24 age group from 15.7% of the population in 2004 to 11.6% in 2013.
EU: Population 2002 and 2012
EU: Population change 2002 and 2012
- Ireland had the third highest percentage increase in population between 2002 and 2012 in the EU, behind Cyprus and Luxembourg.
- Seven EU countries, including Germany, experienced population decline over the same period.
Ireland: Migration and natural increase, 2004-2013
- Net migration was positive between 2004 and 2009 and increased from 32,000 in 2004 to 104,800 in 2007 before decreasing sharply to just 1,600 in 2009.
- However net migration turned negative between 2010 and 2013, i.e., more people left the country than arrived. Net migration fell to minus 27,500 in 2010 and fell further to minus 33,100 in 2013.
- Annual immigration into Ireland rose steeply from 58,500 persons in 2003 to peak at 151,100 in 2007 before falling back sharply to 41,800 persons in 2010 and then rising slightly to stand at 55,900 in 2013.
- The level of annual emigration from Ireland was 26,500 in 2004 and it has increased nearly every year since then to 89,000 persons in 2013.
Ireland: Immigration by country of origin, 2004-2013
Ireland: Immigration by country of origin, 2004-2013
- In 2005 about 33,700 persons moved to Ireland from the 12 new EU countries (i.e., those who joined in 2004 and 2007). This number rose to 72,600 in 2007, falling back sharply to just 8,700 in 2010 and staying fairly close to this level over the following three years.
- Immigration from the United Kingdom rose from 14,600 persons in 2004 to 19,400 in 2008 before falling back to just 9,700 in 2013.
- In 2004 about 15,200 persons moved to Ireland from EU15 countries (excluding the United Kingdom and Ireland), i.e., the 15 EU countries before enlargement in 2004. This number rose to 20,300 in 2007 but has since fallen to stand at 10,300 in 2013.
- In 2004, 23,300 immigrants came to Ireland from countries outside the EU, rising to 34,700 in 2007. By 2013 this number had fallen to 20,500.
EU: Young and old as proportion of population aged 15-64, 2012
- Expressed as a percentage of those aged 15-64, Ireland had the highest proportion of persons aged under 15 in the EU (32.5%) and the second lowest proportion of persons aged 65 and over (17.9%).
- This resulted in a combined age dependency ratio of 50.4% in Ireland in 2012 which was similar to the average for other EU member states although markedly different in composition.
- In 2012 France had the highest combined age dependency ratio in the EU at 55.5% while Slovakia had the lowest at 39.2%.
- Italy, Germany, Greece, Portugal and Bulgaria had far higher proportions of their population in the 65 and over category (around 30%) in comparison with the 0-14 age group (around 20%). For the EU as a whole, these categories were broadly in balance.
EU: Total fertility rate, 2001-2011
EU: Total fertility rate 2011
- Ireland had the highest fertility rate in the EU in 2011 at 2.04, ahead of France and the United Kingdom.
- The lowest fertility rate in 2011 was in Hungary at 1.23.
- Eastern member states, along with the Mediterranean countries, have the lowest fertility rates.
- The average EU fertility rate has risen from 1.46 in 2001 to 1.57 in 2011. Over the same time period, the fertility rate in Ireland has risen from 1.96 to 2.04.
EU: Divorce rates, 2001, 2006 and 2011
- In 2011 the divorce rate in Ireland, at 0.7 divorces per 1,000 population, was the second lowest in the EU.
- The lowest rate of divorce was in Malta, at 0.1 divorces per 1,000 population, while the highest was in Latvia at 4. The EU average was 1.9.
- The divorce rate in Ireland remained stable over the period 2001 to 2011.
