Updated
Overview
Austria has about 70% more people than Ireland: 9.21 million against 5.48 million (2025).
Ireland's economy is 25% larger than Austria's, at $721.70B versus $579.47B.
Per person, Ireland is the wealthier of the two: $131,592 against $62,930 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Austria | Ireland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $579.47B | Higher: $721.70B | 2025 | $521.64B / $577.39B |
| GDP per capita | $62,930 | Higher: $131,592 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.6% | Higher: 12.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.5% | Lower: 2.2% | 2025 | 2.9% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 82 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $6,155 | $5,697 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | — | $2,579 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 9.21 million | 5.48 million | 2025 | 9.17 million / 5.23 million |
| Population growth | 0.3% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 43.6 yrs | 39.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.33 | 1.60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 82.0 yrs | Higher: 83.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 70% | 65% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 92% | Higher: 97% | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 83,871 km² | 70,273 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 109.8/km² | 78.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 56 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 6.2 t | 6.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.26B | $1.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.0% | 0.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 23,000 | 9,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Ireland is growing much faster: 12.3% annual GDP growth versus 0.6%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.5% in Austria and 2.2% in Ireland.
Average monthly earnings favour Austria: $6,155 against $5,697 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Ireland is the younger society: median age 39.0 versus 43.6 years.
Life expectancy is 1.0 years longer in Ireland (83.0 vs 82.0).
Geography
By land area, Austria is 19% larger than Ireland: 83,871 km² versus 70,273 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Military
Austria spends 4.0 times as much on defence as Ireland: $5.26B versus $1.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Austria fields the larger armed forces: 23,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Austria bigger than Ireland?
- Austria is larger by land area. Austria covers 83,871 km² while Ireland covers 70,273 km², so Austria is 19% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Austria or Ireland?
- Austria has the larger population: 9.21 million versus 5.48 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Austria richer than Ireland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Ireland is richer: $131,592 against $62,930. Total GDP tells the same story: $579.47B for Austria versus $721.70B for Ireland.
- Who spends more on their military, Austria or Ireland?
- Austria spends more: $5.26B versus $1.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).