Norway is 5.52 times bigger by total area compared to Ireland: 148,729 sq mi vs 26,949 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Norway is 140,645 sq mi vs 26,599 sq mi for Ireland — a 5.29 times difference in territory size.
- Ireland ranks 118/197 by total surface area vs 61/197 for Norway.
- Ireland occupies 0.05% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.24% for Norway.
- 60.8% of Ireland's area is agricultural land vs 2.7% in Norway.
- Ireland has 0.09% of the world's agricultural land area — Norway has 0.02%.
- 11.5% of Ireland is covered by forests, compared to 33.5% in Norway.
- 0.02% of the world's forests are in Ireland, and 0.3% are in Norway.
Total size and land area comparison
Ireland
|
Norway
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
26,949 sq mi |
148,729 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 5.52 |
| Total area rank | 118/197 | 61/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.01% | 0.08% |
| Land area |
26,599 sq mi |
140,645 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 5.29 |
| Land area rank | 119/197 | 62/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.05% | 0.24% |
| Population | 5,395,790 | 5,572,279 |
| Population density | 207 ppl/mi² | 40.3 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Ireland
|
Norway
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
3,066 sq mi |
47,118 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 11.5% | 33.5% |
| Forest area rank | 130/196 | 50/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.02% | 0.3% |
Agricultural land area
|
16,174 sq mi |
3,792 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 60.8% | 2.7% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 93/194 | 141/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.09% | 0.02% |
|
Arable land
|
1,695 sq mi |
3,100 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 6.37% | 2.2% |
| Arable land area rank | 128/191 | 114/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
3.86 sq mi |
11.6 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.01% | 0.008% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 183/192 | 169/192 |
|
Water area
|
350 sq mi |
8,084 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.3% | 5.44% |
| Water area rank | 109/197 | 27/197 |
| Roads length |
62,031 mi |
60,737 mi |
| Land borders length |
304 mi |
1,594 mi |
| Coastline length |
900 mi |
15,626 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 2.4% | 1% |
Ireland vs Norway size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/ireland/norway | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Ireland and Norway but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.