Updated
Overview
Germany has 15 times the population of Ireland: 83.49 million people against 5.48 million (2025).
Germany's economy is 7.0 times the size of Ireland's, at $5.05T versus $721.70B.
Per person, Ireland is the wealthier of the two: $131,592 against $60,496 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Germany | Ireland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $5.05T | $721.70B | 2025 | $4.66T / $577.39B |
| GDP per capita | $60,496 | Higher: $131,592 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 0.2% | Higher: 12.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.2% | 2.2% | 2025 | 2.3% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.7% | 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 80 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $4,647 | Higher: $5,697 | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,442 | Higher: $2,579 | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 83.49 million | 5.48 million | 2025 | 84.01 million / 5.23 million |
| Population growth | 0.0% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.5 yrs | 39.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.46 | 1.60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 80.8 yrs | Higher: 83.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 82% | 65% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 93% | Higher: 97% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 357,114 km² | 70,273 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 233.8/km² | 78.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 572 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.8 t | Lower: 6.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $88.46B | $1.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 0.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 183,000 | 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: 2.2% in Germany and 2.2% in Ireland.
Average monthly earnings favour Ireland: $5,697 against $4,647 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Ireland is the younger society: median age 39.0 versus 45.5 years.
Life expectancy is 2.2 years longer in Ireland (83.0 vs 80.8).
Germany is considerably more urbanized: 82% of people live in cities, against 65%.
Geography
By land area, Germany is 5.1 times the size of Ireland: 357,114 km² versus 70,273 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Germany is far more densely settled: 234 people per km² against 78.
Military
Germany spends 66 times as much on defence as Ireland: $88.46B versus $1.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Germany carries the heavier military burden: 1.9% of GDP versus 0.2%.
Germany fields the larger armed forces: 183,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Germany bigger than Ireland?
- Germany is larger by land area. Germany covers 357,114 km² while Ireland covers 70,273 km², so Germany is 5.1 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Germany or Ireland?
- Germany has the larger population: 83.49 million versus 5.48 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Germany richer than Ireland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Ireland is richer: $131,592 against $60,496. Total GDP tells a different story: $5.05T for Germany versus $721.70B for Ireland.
- Who spends more on their military, Germany or Ireland?
- Germany spends more: $88.46B versus $1.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).