Updated
Overview
Finland and Ireland are nearly matched in population: 5.65 million versus 5.48 million people (2025).
Ireland's economy is 2.3 times the size of Finland's, at $721.70B versus $317.04B.
Per person, Ireland is the wealthier of the two: $131,592 against $56,149 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Finland | Ireland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $317.04B | Higher: $721.70B | 2025 | $299.84B / $577.39B |
| GDP per capita | $56,149 | Higher: $131,592 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.2% | Higher: 12.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 0.3% | 2.2% | 2025 | 1.6% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | 9.5% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 85 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $5,760 | $5,697 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | — | $2,579 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 5.65 million | 5.48 million | 2025 | 5.55 million / 5.23 million |
| Population growth | 0.5% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 43.2 yrs | 39.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.30 | 1.60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 82.3 yrs | Higher: 83.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 75% | 65% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 94% | Higher: 97% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 338,424 km² | 70,273 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 16.7/km² | 78.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 30 Mt | 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 5.3 t | 6.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $6.99B | $1.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.3% | 0.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 22,000 | 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 0.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 0.3% in Finland and 2.2% in Ireland.
Average monthly earnings favour Finland: $5,760 against $5,697 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Ireland is the younger society: median age 39.0 versus 43.2 years.
Geography
By land area, Finland is 4.8 times the size of Ireland: 338,424 km² versus 70,273 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Ireland is far more densely settled: 78 people per km² against 17.
Military
Finland spends 5.3 times as much on defence as Ireland: $6.99B versus $1.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Finland carries the heavier military burden: 2.3% of GDP versus 0.2%.
Finland fields the larger armed forces: 22,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Finland bigger than Ireland?
- Finland is larger by land area. Finland covers 338,424 km² while Ireland covers 70,273 km², so Finland is 4.8 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Finland or Ireland?
- Finland has the larger population: 5.65 million versus 5.48 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Finland richer than Ireland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Ireland is richer: $131,592 against $56,149. Total GDP tells the same story: $317.04B for Finland versus $721.70B for Ireland.
- Who spends more on their military, Finland or Ireland?
- Finland spends more: $6.99B versus $1.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).