Ireland has a population density of 207 people per square mile compared to 5,493 people in the Vatican. Ireland has 139,236 sq ft of land per person vs 5,274 sq ft in the Vatican. Ireland and the Vatican rank 111th and 3rd by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Ireland has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.05% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.00001% of the population and 0.0000003% of the land area for the Vatican, making the population density in Ireland 96.2% lower than in the Vatican.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Ireland
|
Vatican
|
|
| 2026 | 207 | 5,493 |
| 2025 | 205 | 5,460 |
| 2024 | 202.9 | 5,362 |
| 2023 | 199.7 | 5,460 |
| 2022 | 196 | 5,602 |
| 2021 | 192.1 | 5,723 |
| 2020 | 189.5 | 5,810 |
| 2019 | 187.1 | 5,886 |
| 2018 | 184.1 | - |
| 2017 | 181.5 | 5,886 |
| 2016 | 179.1 | - |
| 2015 | 176.8 | 5,886 |
| 2014 | 175.1 | 4,956 |
| 2013 | 173.8 | 4,939 |
| 2012 | 172.9 | 4,921 |
| 2011 | 172.2 | 4,897 |
| 2010 | 171.4 | 4,880 |
| 2009 | 170.5 | 4,862 |
| 2008 | 168.8 | 4,850 |
| 2007 | 165.4 | 4,833 |
| 2006 | 160.7 | 5,486 |
| 2005 | 156.4 | 5,421 |
| 2004 | 153 | 5,421 |
| 2003 | 150.3 | 5,362 |
| 2002 | 147.8 | 5,298 |
| 2001 | 145.4 | 5,239 |
| 2000 | 143.1 | 5,180 |
| 1999 | 141.2 | 5,180 |
| 1998 | 139.6 | 5,195 |
| 1997 | 138.1 | 5,217 |
| 1996 | 136.8 | 5,254 |
| 1995 | 135.7 | 5,306 |
| 1994 | 135 | 5,373 |
| 1993 | 134.5 | 5,388 |
| 1992 | 133.8 | 5,388 |
| 1991 | 132.9 | 5,395 |
| 1990 | 132.1 | 5,403 |
| 1989 | 132 | 5,418 |
| 1988 | 132.5 | 5,433 |
| 1987 | 133.1 | 5,418 |
| 1986 | 133.1 | 5,455 |
| 1985 | 133 | 5,462 |
| 1984 | 132.8 | 5,492 |
| 1983 | 132 | 5,507 |
| 1982 | 131.1 | 5,522 |
| 1981 | 129.8 | 5,522 |
| 1980 | 128.3 | 5,500 |
| 1979 | 126.8 | 5,492 |
| 1978 | 125.2 | 5,470 |
| 1977 | 123.4 | 5,448 |
| 1976 | 121.7 | 5,448 |
| 1975 | 119.9 | 5,448 |
| 1974 | 118 | 5,470 |
| 1973 | 116 | 5,477 |
| 1972 | 114.2 | 5,507 |
| 1971 | 112.5 | 5,559 |
| 1970 | 111.2 | 5,633 |
| 1969 | 110.3 | 5,797 |
| 1968 | 109.6 | 6,176 |
| 1967 | 109.1 | 6,317 |
| 1966 | 108.6 | 6,867 |
| 1965 | 108.2 | 6,830 |
| 1964 | 107.8 | 6,815 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 6,815 |
| 1962 | 106.6 | 6,808 |
| 1961 | 106.2 | 6,837 |
| 1960 | - | 6,837 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/ireland/vatican | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ireland increased by 28.8%, compared to a 0.13% growth in the Vatican.
In 2006, Ireland ranked 115th by population density and is 111th now. The Vatican was 3rd in 2006 and still ranks 3rd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Ireland
|
Vatican
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 207 ppl/mi² | 5,493 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 111/197 | 3/197 |
| Population |
5518360
|
936
|
| Land area | 26,599 sq mi | 0.17 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 137,427 sq ft | 4,736 sq ft |
| Rural population | 35.7% | n/a |
| Urban population | 64.3% | n/a |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Densely populated cities
|
Ireland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Dublin | 593K |
| Cork | 222K |
| Galway | 83.5K |
| Limerick | 62.7K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/ireland/vatican | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2019–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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