Updated
Overview
Chile has 3.6 times the population of Ireland: 19.86 million people against 5.48 million (2025).
Ireland's economy is 2.0 times the size of Chile's, at $721.70B versus $357.37B.
Per person, Ireland is the wealthier of the two: $131,592 against $17,995 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Chile | Ireland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $357.37B | Higher: $721.70B | 2025 | $330.27B / $577.39B |
| GDP per capita | $17,995 | Higher: $131,592 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.5% | Higher: 12.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 4.2% | Lower: 2.2% | 2025 | 4.3% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | 9.0% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 48 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $1,024 | Higher: $5,697 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $530 | Higher: $2,579 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.41 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 19.86 million | 5.48 million | 2025 | 19.09 million / 5.23 million |
| Population growth | 0.5% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 36.9 yrs | 39.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.13 | 1.60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 81.4 yrs | Higher: 83.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 65% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 96% | Higher: 97% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 756,102 km² | 70,273 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 26.3/km² | 78.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 79 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.0 t | 6.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.11B | $1.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.6% | 0.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 114,000 | 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 2.5%.
Chile runs the hotter price environment: 4.2% inflation versus 2.2%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Chile: a price level of 48 versus 85 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Ireland: $5,697 against $1,024 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Chile is the younger society: median age 36.9 versus 39.0 years.
Life expectancy is 1.7 years longer in Ireland (83.0 vs 81.4).
Chile is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 65%.
Geography
By land area, Chile is 11 times the size of Ireland: 756,102 km² versus 70,273 km².
Ireland is far more densely settled: 78 people per km² against 26.
Military
Chile spends 3.8 times as much on defence as Ireland: $5.11B versus $1.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Chile carries the heavier military burden: 1.6% of GDP versus 0.2%.
Chile fields the larger armed forces: 114,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Chile bigger than Ireland?
- Chile is larger by land area. Chile covers 756,102 km² while Ireland covers 70,273 km², so Chile is 11 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Chile or Ireland?
- Chile has the larger population: 19.86 million versus 5.48 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Chile richer than Ireland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Ireland is richer: $131,592 against $17,995. Total GDP tells the same story: $357.37B for Chile versus $721.70B for Ireland.
- Who spends more on their military, Chile or Ireland?
- Chile spends more: $5.11B versus $1.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).