3 days ago
Population of the Republic grew by nearly a third in 20 years, study finds
The population of the Republic of Ireland grew by nearly a third in 20 years, while the population of
Northern Ireland
grew by 13 per cent, according to a joint study carried out by statisticians.
Between 2002-2022, the population in the Republic increased by 31 per cent and by 13 per cent in Northern Ireland, according to the
Central Statistics Office
(CSO) and Northern Ireland's Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
In 2022, the population of the island of Ireland stood at 7.1 million people, an increase of 26 per cent, or 1.5 million people, over the 20 years since 2002 – the first time the island's population has exceeded seven million since 1851.
The population of the Republic stands at 5.15 million, accounting for 73 per cent of the all-island population, while the 1.91 million people living in Northern Ireland accounted for 27 per cent of the total.
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However, Northern Ireland's population density is significantly higher than south of the Border, with 141 people living per km², which is almost twice that found in the Republic where just 73 people are found per km².
There are differences, too, in the age profile of both parts of island. Half of the population in the Republic are now younger than 38, and half older, while half in Northern Ireland are younger than 40 – compared to a European Union average of 44.
In Census 2021/2022, just under half of the population aged 15 and over in each jurisdiction (49 per cent) were either married or separated, with close to two-fifths single in the Republic and 39 per cent in Northern Ireland.
However, Northern Ireland has twice the number of people who are divorced, compared to the Republic – 6 per cent compared to 3 per cent, the joint CSO/NISRA survey found.
The number of singles in the Republic has remained relatively stable – 43 per cent in 2002, falling slightly to 42 per cent in 2011, and returning to 43 per cent in 2022. The number jumped in 20 years in Northern Ireland, from 34 per cent in 2001 to 39 per cent in 2021.
