Updated
Overview
Spain has 9.0 times the population of Ireland: 49.36 million people against 5.48 million (2025).
Spain's economy is 2.6 times the size of Ireland's, at $1.91T versus $721.70B.
Per person, Ireland is the wealthier of the two: $131,592 against $38,627 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Spain | Ireland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.91T | $721.70B | 2025 | $1.72T / $577.39B |
| GDP per capita | $38,627 | Higher: $131,592 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.8% | Higher: 12.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.7% | Lower: 2.2% | 2025 | 2.8% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | 10.4% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $3,574 | Higher: $5,697 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,561 | Higher: $2,579 | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 49.36 million | 5.48 million | 2025 | 47.28 million / 5.23 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.9 yrs | 39.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 83.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 65% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 96% | Higher: 97% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 505,992 km² | 70,273 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 97.5/km² | 78.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 220 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.6 t | 6.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.62B | $1.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 0.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 199,000 | 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 2.8%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.7% in Spain and 2.2% in Ireland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Spain: a price level of 65 versus 85 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Ireland: $5,697 against $3,574 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Ireland is the younger society: median age 39.0 versus 45.9 years.
Spain is considerably more urbanized: 81% of people live in cities, against 65%.
Geography
By land area, Spain is 7.2 times the size of Ireland: 505,992 km² versus 70,273 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Military
Spain spends 19 times as much on defence as Ireland: $24.62B versus $1.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Spain carries the heavier military burden: 1.4% of GDP versus 0.2%.
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Spain bigger than Ireland?
- Spain is larger by land area. Spain covers 505,992 km² while Ireland covers 70,273 km², so Spain is 7.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Spain or Ireland?
- Spain has the larger population: 49.36 million versus 5.48 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Spain richer than Ireland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Ireland is richer: $131,592 against $38,627. Total GDP tells a different story: $1.91T for Spain versus $721.70B for Ireland.
- Who spends more on their military, Spain or Ireland?
- Spain spends more: $24.62B versus $1.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).