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Population in Greece compared to Ireland: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Greece was 10,405,134 in 2024 vs 5,395,790 people in Ireland in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Greece's population is 10,181,414 people compared to 5,518,360 in Ireland.

Population statistics:

  • Greece's population is 1.85 times bigger than Ireland's.
  • Greece is ranked the 96th most populous country in the world, while Ireland is the 121st.
  • The countries together account for 0.19% of the world: 0.12% for Greece vs 0.07% for Ireland.
  • For the last 10 years, Greece has had an average growth rate of -0.47% per year vs +1.41% in Ireland.
  • Since 2006, the population of Greece has decreased from 11M people to 10.2M (7.61% decline), while Ireland has grown from 4.27M to 5.52M (29.1% growth).

Greece vs Ireland: population by year and forecast

Greece
Factual

Projection
Ireland
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Greece Ireland
2100 6,463,085 5,468,791
2099 6,505,287 5,493,162
2098 6,547,164 5,516,999
2097 6,589,081 5,540,157
2096 6,630,487 5,562,811
2095 6,671,006 5,583,505
2094 6,710,734 5,603,538
2093 6,749,510 5,623,266
2092 6,787,596 5,642,437
2091 6,824,775 5,661,268
2090 6,862,164 5,680,076
2089 6,900,089 5,697,512
2088 6,937,116 5,714,108
2087 6,973,450 5,729,431
2086 7,010,676 5,743,405
2085 7,048,751 5,757,666
2084 7,086,818 5,771,610
2083 7,124,743 5,785,324
2082 7,164,627 5,798,037
2081 7,205,487 5,809,262
2080 7,248,512 5,821,598
2079 7,292,836 5,836,731
2078 7,338,859 5,851,937
2077 7,387,671 5,867,627
2076 7,437,562 5,883,876
2075 7,489,139 5,900,200
2074 7,543,259 5,917,659
2073 7,600,155 5,934,975
2072 7,659,253 5,952,211
2071 7,719,672 5,969,279
2070 7,782,317 5,986,770
2069 7,847,153 6,003,570
2068 7,913,682 6,019,937
2067 7,980,659 6,035,810
2066 8,047,692 6,051,604
2065 8,114,348 6,066,791
2064 8,181,923 6,081,606
2063 8,250,274 6,094,455
2062 8,318,463 6,106,325
2061 8,386,919 6,118,587
2060 8,454,179 6,131,482
2059 8,522,250 6,143,979
2058 8,589,200 6,153,447
2057 8,655,428 6,161,059
2056 8,720,012 6,164,047
2055 8,783,558 6,168,611
2054 8,844,935 6,169,455
2053 8,903,834 6,169,673
2052 8,961,755 6,167,591
2051 9,018,494 6,164,894
2050 9,072,676 6,159,756
2049 9,126,801 6,151,623
2048 9,177,973 6,140,272
2047 9,228,605 6,128,245
2046 9,275,381 6,115,454
2045 9,321,349 6,099,562
2044 9,367,130 6,081,384
2043 9,411,608 6,062,477
2042 9,454,837 6,041,683
2041 9,499,098 6,017,573
2040 9,543,726 5,992,311
2039 9,588,298 5,967,604
2038 9,633,708 5,940,474
2037 9,679,362 5,912,327
2036 9,724,905 5,884,159
2035 9,771,397 5,855,902
2034 9,817,355 5,825,178
2033 9,863,589 5,792,751
2032 9,911,215 5,757,842
2031 9,956,924 5,721,671
2030 10,002,298 5,684,420
2029 10,047,641 5,644,008
2028 10,092,845 5,600,083
2027 10,137,354 5,553,725
2026 10,181,414 5,505,248
2025 10,223,023 5,452,752
2024 10,405,134 5,395,790
2023 10,407,351 5,311,538
2022 10,436,882 5,212,836
2021 10,569,207 5,110,585
2020 10,698,599 5,039,747
2019 10,721,582 4,976,456
2018 10,732,882 4,898,022
2017 10,754,679 4,827,445
2016 10,775,971 4,762,722
2015 10,820,883 4,701,957
2014 10,892,413 4,657,740
2013 10,965,211 4,623,816
2012 11,045,011 4,599,533
2011 11,104,899 4,580,084
2010 11,121,341 4,560,155
2009 11,107,017 4,535,375
2008 11,077,841 4,489,544
2007 11,048,473 4,398,942
2006 11,020,362 4,273,591
2005 10,987,314 4,159,914
2004 10,955,141 4,070,262
2003 10,928,070 3,996,521
2002 10,902,022 3,931,947
2001 10,862,132 3,866,243
2000 10,805,808 3,805,174
1999 10,761,698 3,754,786
1998 10,720,509 3,712,696
1997 10,661,259 3,674,171
1996 10,608,800 3,637,510
1995 10,562,153 3,608,841
1994 10,512,922 3,590,386
1993 10,460,415 3,576,261
1992 10,399,061 3,558,430
1991 10,319,927 3,534,235
1990 10,196,792 3,513,974
1989 10,089,498 3,511,009
1988 10,036,983 3,524,949
1987 10,000,595 3,540,057
1986 9,967,213 3,539,690
1985 9,934,300 3,538,082
1984 9,895,801 3,532,423
1983 9,846,627 3,510,600
1982 9,789,513 3,485,800
1981 9,729,350 3,453,000
1980 9,642,505 3,412,800
1979 9,548,258 3,373,750
1978 9,429,959 3,329,100
1977 9,308,479 3,282,200
1976 9,188,150 3,238,050
1975 9,046,541 3,189,550
1974 8,962,022 3,137,500
1973 8,929,086 3,085,950
1972 8,888,628 3,036,850
1971 8,831,036 2,992,050
1970 8,792,806 2,957,250
1969 8,772,764 2,932,650
1968 8,740,765 2,915,550
1967 8,684,088 2,902,450
1966 8,613,651 2,888,800
1965 8,550,333 2,877,300
1964 8,510,429 2,866,550
1963 8,479,625 2,852,650
1962 8,448,233 2,836,050
1961 8,398,050 2,824,400
1960 8,331,725 2,828,600

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/greece/ireland | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Greece decreased by 244,391 people (a 2.22% decline), while Ireland gained 489,131 people (a 11.4% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Greece lost 594,557 people (a 5.52% decline), while Ireland's population increased by 755,638 people (a 15.9% growth).

Greece was ranked 74th most populous country in 2006 and is 96th in 2026. Ireland was ranked 121st in 2006 and still ranked 121st now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Greece's population will shrink by 10.9% to 9,072,676 people with a rank change from 96th to 106th. The population of Ireland will increase by 11.6% to 6,159,756 people and rank change from 121st to 119th.

Ireland is projected to reach its peak in 2053 at 6.17M people, while Greece's population already peaked in 2010 at 11.1M people and is projected to decrease to 6.46M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Greece
Factual

Projection
Ireland
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Greece Ireland
2100 -0.65% -0.44%
2099 -0.64% -0.43%
2098 -0.64% -0.42%
2097 -0.62% -0.41%
2096 -0.61% -0.37%
2095 -0.59% -0.36%
2094 -0.57% -0.35%
2093 -0.56% -0.34%
2092 -0.54% -0.33%
2091 -0.54% -0.33%
2090 -0.55% -0.31%
2089 -0.53% -0.29%
2088 -0.52% -0.27%
2087 -0.53% -0.24%
2086 -0.54% -0.25%
2085 -0.54% -0.24%
2084 -0.53% -0.24%
2083 -0.56% -0.22%
2082 -0.57% -0.19%
2081 -0.59% -0.21%
2080 -0.61% -0.26%
2079 -0.63% -0.26%
2078 -0.66% -0.27%
2077 -0.67% -0.28%
2076 -0.69% -0.28%
2075 -0.72% -0.3%
2074 -0.75% -0.29%
2073 -0.77% -0.29%
2072 -0.78% -0.29%
2071 -0.8% -0.29%
2070 -0.83% -0.28%
2069 -0.84% -0.27%
2068 -0.84% -0.26%
2067 -0.83% -0.26%
2066 -0.82% -0.25%
2065 -0.83% -0.24%
2064 -0.83% -0.21%
2063 -0.82% -0.19%
2062 -0.82% -0.2%
2061 -0.8% -0.21%
2060 -0.8% -0.2%
2059 -0.78% -0.15%
2058 -0.77% -0.12%
2057 -0.74% -0.05%
2056 -0.72% -0.07%
2055 -0.69% -0.01%
2054 -0.66% -0.004%
2053 -0.65% 0.03%
2052 -0.63% 0.04%
2051 -0.6% 0.08%
2050 -0.59% 0.13%
2049 -0.56% 0.18%
2048 -0.55% 0.2%
2047 -0.5% 0.21%
2046 -0.49% 0.26%
2045 -0.49% 0.3%
2044 -0.47% 0.31%
2043 -0.46% 0.34%
2042 -0.47% 0.4%
2041 -0.47% 0.42%
2040 -0.46% 0.41%
2039 -0.47% 0.46%
2038 -0.47% 0.48%
2037 -0.47% 0.48%
2036 -0.48% 0.48%
2035 -0.47% 0.53%
2034 -0.47% 0.56%
2033 -0.48% 0.61%
2032 -0.46% 0.63%
2031 -0.45% 0.66%
2030 -0.45% 0.72%
2029 -0.45% 0.78%
2028 -0.44% 0.83%
2027 -0.43% 0.88%
2026 -0.41% 0.96%
2025 -1.75% 1.06%
2024 -0.02% 1.59%
2023 -0.28% 1.89%
2022 -1.25% 2%
2021 -1.21% 1.41%
2020 -0.21% 1.27%
2019 -0.11% 1.6%
2018 -0.2% 1.46%
2017 -0.2% 1.36%
2016 -0.42% 1.29%
2015 -0.66% 0.95%
2014 -0.66% 0.73%
2013 -0.72% 0.53%
2012 -0.54% 0.42%
2011 -0.15% 0.44%
2010 0.13% 0.55%
2009 0.26% 1.02%
2008 0.27% 2.06%
2007 0.26% 2.93%
2006 0.3% 2.73%
2005 0.29% 2.2%
2004 0.25% 1.85%
2003 0.24% 1.64%
2002 0.37% 1.7%
2001 0.52% 1.6%
2000 0.41% 1.34%
1999 0.38% 1.13%
1998 0.56% 1.05%
1997 0.49% 1.01%
1996 0.44% 0.79%
1995 0.47% 0.51%
1994 0.5% 0.39%
1993 0.59% 0.5%
1992 0.77% 0.68%
1991 1.21% 0.58%
1990 1.06% 0.08%
1989 0.52% -0.4%
1988 0.36% -0.43%
1987 0.33% 0.01%
1986 0.33% 0.05%
1985 0.39% 0.16%
1984 0.5% 0.62%
1983 0.58% 0.71%
1982 0.62% 0.95%
1981 0.9% 1.18%
1980 0.99% 1.16%
1979 1.25% 1.34%
1978 1.31% 1.43%
1977 1.31% 1.36%
1976 1.57% 1.52%
1975 0.94% 1.66%
1974 0.37% 1.67%
1973 0.46% 1.62%
1972 0.65% 1.5%
1971 0.43% 1.18%
1970 0.23% 0.84%
1969 0.37% 0.59%
1968 0.65% 0.45%
1967 0.82% 0.47%
1966 0.74% 0.4%
1965 0.47% 0.38%
1964 0.36% 0.49%
1963 0.37% 0.59%
1962 0.6% 0.41%
1961 0.8% -0.15%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/greece/ireland | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Greece declined by 0.02%, while Ireland's population grew by 1.59%.

Live population counters

Greece Ireland
Current population
10181414
5518360
Population rank 96/197 121/197
Percent of world population 0.12% 0.07%
One net population change
3.95 hours
6.24 minutes
One birth every
7.43 minutes
9.61 minutes
One death every
4.14 minutes
15 minutes
Daily growth/decline -6 +231
Annual growth/decline -2,217 +84,252
Annual growth/decline rate -0.02% +1.59%
Population growth rate rank 165/197 68/197
One migration net change every
31.7 minutes
14.9 minutes
Annual migration change +16,636 +35,417
Net migration rank 37/196 27/196
Foreign-born residents 1,423,964 1,216,237
Foreign-born residents rank 46/195 52/195
Foreign-born share of population 14.2% 23.1%
Foreign-born share rank 47/195 25/195

Natural population change vs migration

Greece
Natural

Migration
Ireland
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Greece Ireland
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 16,636 - 35,417
2024 - -122,772 - 39,059
2023 -56,200 -159,430 19,652 43,873
2022 -63,665 -53,997 19,287 93,535
2021 -58,131 -160,277 26,064 27,419
2020 -46,004 6,353 23,687 15,746
2019 -41,814 36,762 28,365 29,663
2018 -33,272 17,938 29,878 33,387
2017 -36,566 10,483 31,379 28,883
2016 -25,862 10,484 33,339 18,967
2015 -29,216 -43,462 35,265 13,376
2014 -20,696 -46,678 37,728 448
2013 -17,545 -59,323 39,302 -12,309
2012 -16,568 -65,364 42,775 -22,411
2011 -4,441 -31,786 45,801 -26,529
2010 5,560 2,001 47,426 -26,974
2009 8,886 18,182 47,168 -18,524
2008 11,077 27,081 46,691 18,979
2007 2,210 25,400 43,109 76,465
2006 6,612 27,621 36,752 94,513
2005 2,197 33,297 33,279 63,983
2004 0 29,039 33,376 49,102
2003 -1,093 25,323 32,372 32,220
2002 0 25,692 31,062 34,286
2001 0 60,387 27,837 39,220
2000 -1,081 54,661 23,592 31,298
1999 -2,153 49,930 21,402 23,592
1998 -2,144 47,856 22,277 16,615
1997 2,133 45,671 21,311 17,425
1996 0 43,444 18,915 9,959
1995 1,056 42,674 16,601 10,019
1994 6,307 42,897 17,234 -3,118
1993 4,185 39,829 17,166 -3,762
1992 6,239 41,000 20,283 1,335
1991 6,192 37,917 21,206 4,944
1990 8,157 26,294 21,787 -8,203
1989 9,080 18,862 20,012 -28,752
1988 15,055 20,557 22,912 -44,020
1987 10,001 19,005 26,904 -38,426
1986 20,931 19,064 27,963 -21,139
1985 22,849 16,093 29,013 -16,178
1984 37,604 19,767 31,791 -15,549
1983 42,341 18,655 34,053 -15,043
1982 50,906 19,675 38,344 -14,464
1981 54,484 25,061 39,364 -10,834
1980 60,748 47,460 40,612 -2,876
1979 65,882 72,184 38,798 1,486
1978 64,124 60,775 36,288 15,543
1977 59,574 19,193 35,448 14,505
1976 65,236 89,601 33,676 14,200
1975 61,516 61,265 34,128 13,828
1974 68,111 -22,590 34,199 13,482
1973 59,824 -42,387 34,562 13,164
1972 64,887 -3,589 34,316 12,858
1971 67,116 -12,747 35,606 5,851
1970 71,222 -54,166 30,756 -8,892
1969 82,464 -118,544 29,326 -10,250
1968 87,408 -429 27,697 -11,132
1967 91,183 -55,853 29,895 -11,708
1966 86,998 21,206 26,866 -11,858
1965 83,793 -81,576 30,500 -14,016
1964 83,402 -76,678 31,532 -15,640
1963 81,404 -77,345 29,667 -16,615
1962 85,327 -74,972 28,077 -17,438
1961 86,500 -61,102 25,137 -22,237
1960 96,648 -15,996 28,286 -38,492

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/greece/ireland | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 51.9% of the population change in Greece is from natural causes (a loss of 411,426 people) and 48.1% is from migration (a loss of 381,824 people). In Ireland 48.2% is from natural causes (a gain of 284,644 people) and 51.8% is from migration (a gain of 305,297 people).

As of 2024, 1,423,964 residents or 14.2% of the population were not native-born in Greece, compared to 1,216,237 people or 23.1% in Ireland.

Biggest cities by population

Greece
City Population
Athens 643K
Crete 623K
Thessaloniki 310K
Patras 174K
Piraeus 168K
Larissa 146K
Heraklion 145K
Peristeri 134K
Kallithea 97.6K
Glyfada 89.6K
Ireland
City Population
Dublin 593K
Cork 222K
Galway 83.5K
Limerick 62.7K
Waterford 48.4K
Drogheda 41K
Swords 40.8K
Dundalk 39K
Tralee 26.1K
Kilkenny 22.2K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/greece/ireland | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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