Ireland is an independent state in Northern Europe, and a member of the United Nations. In formal use it is Republic of Ireland. Dublin is the capital.
Around 5.4 million people live there, placing it 121st of 250 by population — between Slovakia above it and the Central African Republic below. Among the 16 entries in Northern Europe it ranks 6th by area and 6th by population.
By land area it covers 70,273 km², which ranks it 122nd of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Sierra Leone and just ahead of Georgia. That makes it around a fifth smaller than Austria.
Location, borders and position
The coordinates the dataset gives are 53.0° N, 8.0° W, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 5,900 km from the equator, in what geographers would call temperate latitudes.
Belarus sit at almost exactly the same latitude on other parts of the globe.
It borders 1 neighbour: the United Kingdom.
It has both a coastline and land borders, which is the most common arrangement of all.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Population and languages of Ireland
Density comes out at around 77 people per square kilometre, which makes it less crowded than the typical entry on this list. For comparison, the median entry on this list sits near 90 per square kilometre.
Someone from Ireland is an Irish.
2 languages carry official status: English and Irish. Irish is listed for no other entry in this dataset, which makes it effectively unique to Ireland. English, the first listed, is shared with 90 other entries worldwide.
Inside Europe it places 26th of 53 by population, and it accounts for 4.9% of everyone living in Northern Europe.
Currency and codes
The currency is the Euro (€, EUR). That is a shared currency: 37 other entries use it, including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria and Croatia.
If a quiz asks for the capital of Ireland, the answer is Dublin.
Its internet country code is .ie. Calls from overseas start with +353. Standard country codes: ie and IRL.
It holds a seat at the United Nations, one of 193 entries here that do. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.
Neighbouring countries
Ireland shares borders with 1 country:
Fun facts about Ireland
- Ranked by land area, Ireland is 122nd out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
- In land area it is around a fifth smaller than Austria.
- It shares land borders with 1 country: the United Kingdom.
- Websites based there use the .ie domain.
- Irish is listed as an official language for no other entry in this dataset.
- Its full official name is Republic of Ireland.
- Its capital city is Dublin.
Ireland — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Ireland?
- The capital of Ireland is Dublin.
- What is the population of Ireland?
- Ireland has a population of about 5.4 million, which makes it the 121st most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Slovakia sits just above it and the Central African Republic just below.
- Which countries border Ireland?
- Ireland borders 1 country: the United Kingdom.
- What language is spoken in Ireland?
- Ireland lists 2 official languages: English and Irish. Irish does not appear as an official language anywhere else in this dataset.
- What currency does Ireland use?
- Ireland uses the Euro, written € (currency code EUR). It is shared with 37 other entries.
- Is Ireland a country?
- Yes. Ireland is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.
- How big is Ireland?
- Ireland covers 70,273 km², ranking 122nd of 250 by land area. That makes it around a fifth smaller than Austria.
- Where is Ireland located?
- Ireland is in Northern Europe, part of Europe. Its reference coordinates are 53.0° north and 8.0° west, roughly 5,900 km from the equator in temperate latitudes.
