Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Ireland fits inside Ghana 3.4 times.
Ghana: 238,539 km² (2023) · Ireland: 70,280 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Ireland’s coastline is 2.7 times as long as Ghana’s.
Ghana: 539 km (2026 edition) · Ireland: 1,448 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Ireland’s highest peak towers 156 m above Ghana’s.
Ghana: 885 m (2026 edition) · Ireland: 1,041 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Ghana has 6.4 times as many people as Ireland.
Ghana: 35.1 million (2025) · Ireland: 5.48 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Ghana is 94% more densely populated than Ireland.
Ghana: 154 per km² (2025) · Ireland: 80 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Ireland are 8.7 cm taller than in Ghana.
Ghana: 170.3 cm (2019) · Ireland: 179 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Ireland are 5.6 cm taller than in Ghana.
Ghana: 158.9 cm (2019) · Ireland: 164.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Ireland is 17 years older than in Ghana.
Ghana: 20.9 years (2023) · Ireland: 38.4 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Ghana have 1.9 more children on average than in Ireland.
Ghana: 3.34 children per woman (2024) · Ireland: 1.47 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
16% of people in Ireland are 65 or older, versus 3.8% in Ghana.
Ghana: 3.8% (2025) · Ireland: 16.2% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Ireland has produced 9.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Ghana 0.3.
Ghana: 0.3 (2025) · Ireland: 9.1 (2025)
How many official languages?
Ireland has 2 official languages, Ghana 1.
Ghana: 1 (2026) · Ireland: 2 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Ireland’s economy is 6.3 times the size of Ghana’s.
Ghana: $114 billion (2025) · Ireland: $722 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Ireland produces 18 times as much per person as Ghana.
Ghana: Int$8,610 (2025) · Ireland: Int$155,089 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Ghana than in Ireland (Gini 14.5 points higher).
Ghana: 43.5 (2016) · Ireland: 29 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 4.6% in Ireland, versus 3.0% in Ghana.
Ghana: 3% (2025) · Ireland: 4.6% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Ghana and Ireland are practically level.
Ghana: 0.4% (2024) · Ireland: 0.2% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Ireland’s price level (US = 100) is 2.2× Ghana’s.
Ghana: 38% (2025) · Ireland: 85% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Ireland spends 105 times as much on health per person as Ghana.
Ghana: $70 (2023) · Ireland: $7,395 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in Ireland live 17 years longer than in Ghana.
Ghana: 65.7 years (2024) · Ireland: 83 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Ghana is 8.1 times as likely to die before turning one as in Ireland.
Ghana: 27.5 per 1,000 (2024) · Ireland: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Ireland has 15 times as many doctors per person as Ghana.
Ghana: 0.3 per 1,000 (2023) · Ireland: 3.9 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is obesity?
31% of adults in Ireland are obese, versus 14% in Ghana.
Ghana: 13.8% (2024) · Ireland: 30.6% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
18% of adults in Ireland smoke, versus 3.3% in Ghana.
Ghana: 3.3% (2024) · Ireland: 18.2% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Ireland rate their lives 2.37 points higher than in Ghana.
Ghana: 4.55 (2025) · Ireland: 6.93 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Ireland drink 4 times as much alcohol as in Ghana.
Ghana: 2.6 litres (2023) · Ireland: 10.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Ireland has 5.7 times as much meat per person as Ghana.
Ghana: 17.4 kg (2023) · Ireland: 98.4 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Ireland has 796 kcal more food per person per day than Ghana.
Ghana: 3,125 kcal (2023) · Ireland: 3,921 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Ghana and Ireland are practically level.
Ghana: 1,656 hours (2023) · Ireland: 1,654 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Ireland went to school 4.6 years longer than in Ghana.
Ghana: 7.1 years (2023) · Ireland: 11.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Ireland welcomed 80 times as many tourists per resident as Ghana (2019).
Ghana: 0.03 (2022) · Ireland: 2.2 (2019)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
97% of people in Ireland are online, versus 72% in Ghana.
Ghana: 72% (2024) · Ireland: 97% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in Ireland have electricity, versus 92% in Ghana.
Ghana: 91.9% (2024) · Ireland: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
65% of people in Ireland live in cities, versus 59% in Ghana.
Ghana: 59% (2025) · Ireland: 65% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Ghana has 114 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Ireland 113.
Ghana: 114 (2024) · Ireland: 113 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Ireland’s railway network is 74% longer than Ghana’s.
Ghana: 947 km (2022) · Ireland: 1,650 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Ireland fly 2,793 times as many passengers per resident as those from Ghana.
Ghana: 0.01 (2023) · Ireland: 35.11 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 35% of Ghana, but only 12% of Ireland.
Ghana: 35.2% (2023) · Ireland: 11.5% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Ireland emits 10 times as much CO₂ as someone in Ghana.
Ghana: 0.6 t (2024) · Ireland: 6.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
48% of Ireland’s electricity is renewable, versus 36% in Ghana.
Ghana: 36.2% (2024) · Ireland: 48.1% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Ghana carries 3.8 times as much fine dust as in Ireland.
Ghana: 28.2 µg/m³ (2024) · Ireland: 7.4 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 2.8 times as likely to be murdered in Ghana as in Ireland.
Ghana: 1.8 per 100k (2022) · Ireland: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Ghana are 9.3 times as deadly as in Ireland.
Ghana: 25.9 per 100k (2021) · Ireland: 2.8 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Ghana is on average 17.7 °C warmer than Ireland.
Ghana: 27.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · Ireland: 10.3°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Ireland gets 2% more rain than Ghana.
Ghana: 1,118 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Ireland: 1,139 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Ghana bigger than Ireland?
Ghana is larger. Ireland fits inside Ghana 3.4 times.
Which has more people, Ghana or Ireland?
Ghana has 6.4 times as many people as Ireland (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Ghana or Ireland?
People in Ireland live 17 years longer than in Ghana. Life expectancy at birth is 65.7 years in Ghana and 83.0 in Ireland.
Are people taller in Ghana or Ireland?
Men in Ireland are 8.7 cm taller than in Ghana (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
