Updated
Overview
Norway and Ireland are nearly matched in population: 5.61 million versus 5.48 million people (2025).
Ireland's economy is about 35% larger than Norway's, at $721.70B versus $530.76B.
Per person, Ireland is the wealthier of the two: $131,592 against $94,594 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Norway | Ireland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $530.76B | Higher: $721.70B | 2025 | $483.73B / $577.39B |
| GDP per capita | $94,594 | Higher: $131,592 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.1% | Higher: 12.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.1% | Lower: 2.2% | 2025 | 3.1% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 91 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $6,440 | $5,697 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | — | $2,579 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $8.05 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 5.61 million | 5.48 million | 2025 | 5.51 million / 5.23 million |
| Population growth | 0.7% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 39.8 yrs | 39.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.42 | 1.60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.2 yrs | 83.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 84% | 65% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 99% | 97% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 323,802 km² | 70,273 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 17.3/km² | 78.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 37 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.7 t | Lower: 6.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $10.44B | $1.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.1% | 0.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 25,000 | 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 1.1%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.1% in Norway and 2.2% in Ireland.
Average monthly earnings favour Norway: $6,440 against $5,697 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 39.8 (Norway) and 39.0 (Ireland).
Norway is considerably more urbanized: 84% of people live in cities, against 65%.
Geography
By land area, Norway is 4.6 times the size of Ireland: 323,802 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
Norway spends 7.8 times as much on defence as Ireland: $10.44B versus $1.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Norway carries the heavier military burden: 2.1% of GDP versus 0.2%.
Norway fields the larger armed forces: 25,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Norway bigger than Ireland?
- Norway is larger by land area. Norway covers 323,802 km² while Ireland covers 70,273 km², so Norway is 4.6 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Norway or Ireland?
- Norway has the larger population: 5.61 million versus 5.48 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Norway richer than Ireland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Ireland is richer: $131,592 against $94,594. Total GDP tells the same story: $530.76B for Norway versus $721.70B for Ireland.
- Who spends more on their military, Norway or Ireland?
- Norway spends more: $10.44B versus $1.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).