Updated
Overview
Peru has 6.3 times the population of Ireland: 34.58 million people against 5.48 million (2025).
Ireland's economy is 2.2 times the size of Peru's, at $721.70B versus $334.85B.
Per person, Ireland is the wealthier of the two: $131,592 against $9,684 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Peru | Ireland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $334.85B | Higher: $721.70B | 2025 | $289.22B / $577.39B |
| GDP per capita | $9,684 | Higher: $131,592 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 3.4% | Higher: 12.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 1.5% | 2.2% | 2025 | 2.0% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 51 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $563 | Higher: $5,697 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $273 | Higher: $2,579 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $4.99 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 34.58 million | 5.48 million | 2025 | 32.77 million / 5.23 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 30.2 yrs | 39.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.94 | 1.60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 77.9 yrs | Higher: 83.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 86% | 65% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 82% | Higher: 97% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,285,216 km² | 70,273 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 26.9/km² | 78.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 70 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 2.1 t | 6.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.57B | $1.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 0.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 158,000 | 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 3.4%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 1.5% in Peru and 2.2% in Ireland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Peru: a price level of 51 versus 85 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Ireland: $5,697 against $563 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Peru is the far younger society: median age 30.2 versus 39.0 years.
Life expectancy is 5.1 years longer in Ireland (83.0 vs 77.9).
Peru is considerably more urbanized: 86% of people live in cities, against 65%.
Internet adoption is higher in Ireland (97% vs 82% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Peru is 18 times the size of Ireland: 1,285,216 km² versus 70,273 km².
Ireland is far more densely settled: 78 people per km² against 27.
Military
Peru spends about 95% more on defence than Ireland: $2.57B versus $1.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Peru fields the larger armed forces: 158,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Peru bigger than Ireland?
- Peru is larger by land area. Peru covers 1,285,216 km² while Ireland covers 70,273 km², so Peru is 18 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Peru or Ireland?
- Peru has the larger population: 34.58 million versus 5.48 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Peru richer than Ireland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Ireland is richer: $131,592 against $9,684. Total GDP tells the same story: $334.85B for Peru versus $721.70B for Ireland.
- Who spends more on their military, Peru or Ireland?
- Peru spends more: $2.57B versus $1.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).