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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Ireland was 5,395,790 in 2024 vs 56,432,944 people in Kenya in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Ireland's population is 5,518,360 people compared to 58,955,623 in Kenya.

Population statistics:

  • Kenya's population is 10.7 times bigger than Ireland's.
  • Ireland is ranked the 121st most populous country in the world, while Kenya is the 25th.
  • The countries together account for 0.78% of the world: 0.07% for Ireland vs 0.71% for Kenya.
  • For the last 10 years, Ireland has had an average growth rate of +1.41% per year vs +2.08% in Kenya.
  • Since 2006, the population of Ireland has increased from 4.27M people to 5.52M (29.1% growth), while Kenya has grown from 36.9M to 59M (59.8% growth).

Ireland vs Kenya: population by year and forecast

Ireland
Factual

Projection
Kenya
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Ireland Kenya
2100 5,468,791 105,238,162
2099 5,493,162 105,257,438
2098 5,516,999 105,257,489
2097 5,540,157 105,250,948
2096 5,562,811 105,220,085
2095 5,583,505 105,175,623
2094 5,603,538 105,118,372
2093 5,623,266 105,046,907
2092 5,642,437 104,955,024
2091 5,661,268 104,846,805
2090 5,680,076 104,718,130
2089 5,697,512 104,573,271
2088 5,714,108 104,414,197
2087 5,729,431 104,243,505
2086 5,743,405 104,056,143
2085 5,757,666 103,854,891
2084 5,771,610 103,640,244
2083 5,785,324 103,407,124
2082 5,798,037 103,158,580
2081 5,809,262 102,889,291
2080 5,821,598 102,594,978
2079 5,836,731 102,286,967
2078 5,851,937 101,961,280
2077 5,867,627 101,613,181
2076 5,883,876 101,239,843
2075 5,900,200 100,849,423
2074 5,917,659 100,436,632
2073 5,934,975 100,001,277
2072 5,952,211 99,533,234
2071 5,969,279 99,042,264
2070 5,986,770 98,529,166
2069 6,003,570 97,992,232
2068 6,019,937 97,428,138
2067 6,035,810 96,842,744
2066 6,051,604 96,230,345
2065 6,066,791 95,598,937
2064 6,081,606 94,942,874
2063 6,094,455 94,266,124
2062 6,106,325 93,561,519
2061 6,118,587 92,837,768
2060 6,131,482 92,098,717
2059 6,143,979 91,343,602
2058 6,153,447 90,569,828
2057 6,161,059 89,783,087
2056 6,164,047 88,994,126
2055 6,168,611 88,192,182
2054 6,169,455 87,379,992
2053 6,169,673 86,552,281
2052 6,167,591 85,710,403
2051 6,164,894 84,850,558
2050 6,159,756 83,976,685
2049 6,151,623 83,090,517
2048 6,140,272 82,191,119
2047 6,128,245 81,274,836
2046 6,115,454 80,340,592
2045 6,099,562 79,389,433
2044 6,081,384 78,414,158
2043 6,062,477 77,418,567
2042 6,041,683 76,399,781
2041 6,017,573 75,363,853
2040 5,992,311 74,308,480
2039 5,967,604 73,241,028
2038 5,940,474 72,153,876
2037 5,912,327 71,058,753
2036 5,884,159 69,949,421
2035 5,855,902 68,831,151
2034 5,825,178 67,705,051
2033 5,792,751 66,569,532
2032 5,757,842 65,431,402
2031 5,721,671 64,289,540
2030 5,684,420 63,153,520
2029 5,644,008 62,021,378
2028 5,600,083 60,894,078
2027 5,553,725 59,770,115
2026 5,505,248 58,653,621
2025 5,452,752 57,540,609
2024 5,395,790 56,432,944
2023 5,311,538 55,339,003
2022 5,212,836 54,252,461
2021 5,110,585 53,219,166
2020 5,039,747 52,217,334
2019 4,976,456 51,202,827
2018 4,898,022 50,207,107
2017 4,827,445 49,197,766
2016 4,762,722 48,139,687
2015 4,701,957 47,088,526
2014 4,657,740 46,051,440
2013 4,623,816 44,986,791
2012 4,599,533 43,888,303
2011 4,580,084 42,758,461
2010 4,560,155 41,598,567
2009 4,535,375 40,408,891
2008 4,489,544 39,206,351
2007 4,398,942 38,036,349
2006 4,273,591 36,904,008
2005 4,159,914 35,796,484
2004 4,070,262 34,713,455
2003 3,996,521 33,652,223
2002 3,931,947 32,629,808
2001 3,866,243 31,619,170
2000 3,805,174 30,642,890
1999 3,754,786 29,733,408
1998 3,712,696 28,888,057
1997 3,674,171 28,101,768
1996 3,637,510 27,344,211
1995 3,608,841 26,601,751
1994 3,590,386 25,857,130
1993 3,576,261 25,117,188
1992 3,558,430 24,382,460
1991 3,534,235 23,646,514
1990 3,513,974 22,892,651
1989 3,511,009 22,118,434
1988 3,524,949 21,356,219
1987 3,540,057 20,616,096
1986 3,539,690 19,901,646
1985 3,538,082 19,201,768
1984 3,532,423 18,514,906
1983 3,510,600 17,846,374
1982 3,485,800 17,206,175
1981 3,453,000 16,601,507
1980 3,412,800 16,018,459
1979 3,373,750 15,460,666
1978 3,329,100 14,934,126
1977 3,282,200 14,428,819
1976 3,238,050 13,957,623
1975 3,189,550 13,511,671
1974 3,137,500 13,070,078
1973 3,085,950 12,634,835
1972 3,036,850 12,206,060
1971 2,992,050 11,788,904
1970 2,957,250 11,368,791
1969 2,932,650 10,939,695
1968 2,915,550 10,518,823
1967 2,902,450 10,111,057
1966 2,888,800 9,717,816
1965 2,877,300 9,338,078
1964 2,866,550 8,973,535
1963 2,852,650 8,627,971
1962 2,836,050 8,299,308
1961 2,824,400 7,987,770
1960 2,828,600 7,695,307

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/ireland/kenya | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Ireland increased by 489,131 people (a 11.4% growth), while Kenya gained 11,235,679 people (a 30.4% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Ireland gained 755,638 people (a 15.9% growth), while Kenya's population increased by 10,815,936 people (a 22.5% growth).

Ireland was ranked 121st most populous country in 2006 and is still 121st in 2026. Kenya was ranked 33rd in 2006 and ranked 25th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Ireland's population will grow by 11.6% to 6,159,756 people with a rank change from 121st to 119th. The population of Kenya will increase by 42.4% to 83,976,685 people and rank change from 25th to 22nd.

Ireland is projected to reach its peak in 2053 at 6.17M people compared to the peak of 105M people in 2098 for Kenya.

Population growth rate by year

Ireland
Factual

Projection
Kenya
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Ireland Kenya
2100 -0.44% -0.02%
2099 -0.43% -0%
2098 -0.42% 0.006%
2097 -0.41% 0.03%
2096 -0.37% 0.04%
2095 -0.36% 0.05%
2094 -0.35% 0.07%
2093 -0.34% 0.09%
2092 -0.33% 0.1%
2091 -0.33% 0.12%
2090 -0.31% 0.14%
2089 -0.29% 0.15%
2088 -0.27% 0.16%
2087 -0.24% 0.18%
2086 -0.25% 0.19%
2085 -0.24% 0.21%
2084 -0.24% 0.23%
2083 -0.22% 0.24%
2082 -0.19% 0.26%
2081 -0.21% 0.29%
2080 -0.26% 0.3%
2079 -0.26% 0.32%
2078 -0.27% 0.34%
2077 -0.28% 0.37%
2076 -0.28% 0.39%
2075 -0.3% 0.41%
2074 -0.29% 0.44%
2073 -0.29% 0.47%
2072 -0.29% 0.5%
2071 -0.29% 0.52%
2070 -0.28% 0.55%
2069 -0.27% 0.58%
2068 -0.26% 0.6%
2067 -0.26% 0.64%
2066 -0.25% 0.66%
2065 -0.24% 0.69%
2064 -0.21% 0.72%
2063 -0.19% 0.75%
2062 -0.2% 0.78%
2061 -0.21% 0.8%
2060 -0.2% 0.83%
2059 -0.15% 0.85%
2058 -0.12% 0.88%
2057 -0.05% 0.89%
2056 -0.07% 0.91%
2055 -0.01% 0.93%
2054 -0.004% 0.96%
2053 0.03% 0.98%
2052 0.04% 1.01%
2051 0.08% 1.04%
2050 0.13% 1.07%
2049 0.18% 1.09%
2048 0.2% 1.13%
2047 0.21% 1.16%
2046 0.26% 1.2%
2045 0.3% 1.24%
2044 0.31% 1.29%
2043 0.34% 1.33%
2042 0.4% 1.37%
2041 0.42% 1.42%
2040 0.41% 1.46%
2039 0.46% 1.51%
2038 0.48% 1.54%
2037 0.48% 1.59%
2036 0.48% 1.62%
2035 0.53% 1.66%
2034 0.56% 1.71%
2033 0.61% 1.74%
2032 0.63% 1.78%
2031 0.66% 1.8%
2030 0.72% 1.83%
2029 0.78% 1.85%
2028 0.83% 1.88%
2027 0.88% 1.9%
2026 0.96% 1.93%
2025 1.06% 1.96%
2024 1.59% 1.98%
2023 1.89% 2%
2022 2% 1.94%
2021 1.41% 1.92%
2020 1.27% 1.98%
2019 1.6% 1.98%
2018 1.46% 2.05%
2017 1.36% 2.2%
2016 1.29% 2.23%
2015 0.95% 2.25%
2014 0.73% 2.37%
2013 0.53% 2.5%
2012 0.42% 2.64%
2011 0.44% 2.79%
2010 0.55% 2.94%
2009 1.02% 3.07%
2008 2.06% 3.08%
2007 2.93% 3.07%
2006 2.73% 3.09%
2005 2.2% 3.12%
2004 1.85% 3.15%
2003 1.64% 3.13%
2002 1.7% 3.2%
2001 1.6% 3.19%
2000 1.34% 3.06%
1999 1.13% 2.93%
1998 1.05% 2.8%
1997 1.01% 2.77%
1996 0.79% 2.79%
1995 0.51% 2.88%
1994 0.39% 2.95%
1993 0.5% 3.01%
1992 0.68% 3.11%
1991 0.58% 3.29%
1990 0.08% 3.5%
1989 -0.4% 3.57%
1988 -0.43% 3.59%
1987 0.01% 3.59%
1986 0.05% 3.64%
1985 0.16% 3.71%
1984 0.62% 3.75%
1983 0.71% 3.72%
1982 0.95% 3.64%
1981 1.18% 3.64%
1980 1.16% 3.61%
1979 1.34% 3.53%
1978 1.43% 3.5%
1977 1.36% 3.38%
1976 1.52% 3.3%
1975 1.66% 3.38%
1974 1.67% 3.44%
1973 1.62% 3.51%
1972 1.5% 3.54%
1971 1.18% 3.7%
1970 0.84% 3.92%
1969 0.59% 4%
1968 0.45% 4.03%
1967 0.47% 4.05%
1966 0.4% 4.07%
1965 0.38% 4.06%
1964 0.49% 4.01%
1963 0.59% 3.96%
1962 0.41% 3.9%
1961 -0.15% 3.8%

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/ireland/kenya | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Ireland grew by 1.59%, while Kenya's population grew by 1.98%.

Live population counters

Ireland Kenya
Current population
5518360
58955623
Population rank 121/197 25/197
Percent of world population 0.07% 0.71%
One net population change
6.24 minutes
28.8 seconds
One birth every
9.61 minutes
21 seconds
One death every
15 minutes
1.32 minutes
Daily growth/decline +231 +2,997
Annual growth/decline +84,252 +1,093,941
Annual growth/decline rate +1.59% +1.98%
Population growth rate rank 68/197 53/197
One migration net change every
14.9 minutes
19.3 minutes
Annual migration change +35,417 -27,330
Net migration rank 27/196 160/196
Foreign-born residents 1,216,237 992,536
Foreign-born residents rank 52/195 61/195
Foreign-born share of population 23.1% 1.8%
Foreign-born share rank 25/195 136/195

Natural population change vs migration

Ireland
Natural

Migration
Kenya
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Ireland Kenya
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 35,417 - -27,330
2024 - 39,059 - -19,781
2023 19,652 43,873 1,100,970 -10,003
2022 19,287 93,535 1,092,102 -10,003
2021 26,064 27,419 1,037,082 -52,552
2020 23,687 15,746 1,036,253 -17,111
2019 28,365 29,663 1,071,777 -61,949
2018 29,878 33,387 1,097,075 -115,436
2017 31,379 28,883 1,105,769 -68,702
2016 33,339 18,967 1,108,801 -29,728
2015 35,265 13,376 1,119,200 -95,977
2014 37,728 448 1,123,333 -72,415
2013 39,302 -12,309 1,136,006 -57,634
2012 42,775 -22,411 1,161,548 -42,928
2011 45,801 -26,529 1,185,863 -44,795
2010 47,426 -26,974 1,199,786 -21,069
2009 47,168 -18,524 1,193,598 7,096
2008 46,691 18,979 1,174,818 29,612
2007 43,109 76,465 1,147,063 -11,495
2006 36,752 94,513 1,113,357 15,767
2005 33,279 63,983 1,080,446 5,501
2004 33,376 49,102 1,048,590 31,525
2003 32,372 32,220 1,018,182 24,175
2002 31,062 34,286 992,044 10,431
2001 27,837 39,220 963,721 55,052
2000 23,592 31,298 928,357 5,407
1999 21,402 23,592 898,484 -13,257
1998 22,277 16,615 875,511 -70,023
1997 21,311 17,425 847,493 -80,443
1996 18,915 9,959 827,326 -79,276
1995 16,601 10,019 812,391 -75,506
1994 17,234 -3,118 792,702 -40,367
1993 17,166 -3,762 788,579 -61,054
1992 20,283 1,335 785,018 -43,085
1991 21,206 4,944 790,030 -60,087
1990 21,787 -8,203 789,087 -11,338
1989 20,012 -28,752 795,622 -24,949
1988 22,912 -44,020 785,652 -31,894
1987 26,904 -38,426 775,124 -48,633
1986 27,963 -21,139 755,606 -53,183
1985 29,013 -16,178 732,739 -35,400
1984 31,791 -15,549 709,639 -33,253
1983 34,053 -15,043 684,587 -23,905
1982 38,344 -14,464 663,109 -43,382
1981 39,364 -10,834 642,379 -52,761
1980 40,612 -2,876 616,390 -39,920
1979 38,798 1,486 595,390 -56,280
1978 36,288 15,543 574,695 -60,718
1977 35,448 14,505 554,124 -57,493
1976 33,676 14,200 536,740 -90,990
1975 34,128 13,828 517,579 -71,421
1974 34,199 13,482 500,008 -62,973
1973 34,562 13,164 485,556 -52,102
1972 34,316 12,858 472,557 -48,466
1971 35,606 5,851 459,897 -49,671
1970 30,756 -8,892 443,065 -13,064
1969 29,326 -10,250 427,819 369
1968 27,697 -11,132 411,948 1,611
1967 29,895 -11,708 396,920 5,060
1966 26,866 -11,858 382,891 1,616
1965 30,500 -14,016 366,444 8,524
1964 31,532 -15,640 349,322 4,788
1963 29,667 -16,615 332,763 4,246
1962 28,077 -17,438 315,797 4,521
1961 25,137 -22,237 298,463 4,296
1960 28,286 -38,492 280,032 2,134

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

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

Over the last 10 years, 48.2% of the population change in Ireland is from natural causes (a gain of 284,644 people) and 51.8% is from migration (a gain of 305,297 people). In Kenya 95.3% is from natural causes (a gain of 10,892,362 people) and 4.67% is from migration (a loss of 533,876 people).

As of 2024, 1,216,237 residents or 23.1% of the population were not native-born in Ireland, compared to 992,536 people or 1.8% in Kenya.

Biggest cities by population

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
Kenya
City Population
Nairobi 5.54M
Mombasa 1.21M
Kisumu 398K
Nakuru 308K
Eldoret 289K
Thika 279K
Malindi 120K
Machakos 114K
Mumias 100K
Meru 42.7K

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/ireland/kenya | 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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