Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Ireland fits inside Norway 8.9 times.
Ireland: 70,280 km² (2023) · Norway: 624,500 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Norway’s coastline is 17 times as long as Ireland’s.
Ireland: 1,448 km (2026 edition) · Norway: 25,148 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Norway’s highest peak towers 1,428 m above Ireland’s.
Ireland: 1,041 m (2026 edition) · Norway: 2,469 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Norway has 2% more people than Ireland.
Ireland: 5.48 million (2025) · Norway: 5.61 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Ireland is 5.2 times as densely populated as Norway.
Ireland: 80 per km² (2025) · Norway: 15 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Norway are 1.4 cm taller than in Ireland.
Ireland: 179 cm (2019) · Norway: 180.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Norway are 1.9 cm taller than in Ireland.
Ireland: 164.5 cm (2019) · Norway: 166.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Norway is 1.1 years older than in Ireland.
Ireland: 38.4 years (2023) · Norway: 39.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Ireland and Norway are practically level.
Ireland: 1.47 children per woman (2024) · Norway: 1.45 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
19% of people in Norway are 65 or older, versus 16% in Ireland.
Ireland: 16.2% (2025) · Norway: 19.1% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Norway has produced 23.2 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Ireland 9.1.
Ireland: 9.1 (2025) · Norway: 23.2 (2025)
How many official languages?
Norway has 3 official languages, Ireland 2.
Ireland: 2 (2026) · Norway: 3 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Ireland’s economy is 36% larger than Norway’s.
Ireland: $722 billion (2025) · Norway: $531 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Ireland produces 49% more per person than Norway.
Ireland: Int$155,089 (2025) · Norway: Int$104,044 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Ireland than in Norway (Gini 2.5 points higher).
Ireland: 29 (2023) · Norway: 26.5 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Norway and Ireland are practically level.
Ireland: 4.6% (2025) · Norway: 4.6% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Norway spends 2.1% of its GDP on the military, Ireland 0.2%.
Ireland: 0.2% (2024) · Norway: 2.1% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Norway’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× Ireland’s.
Ireland: 85% (2025) · Norway: 91% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Norway spends 12% more on health per person than Ireland.
Ireland: $7,395 (2024) · Norway: $8,296 (2023)
How long do people live?
Norway and Ireland are practically level.
Ireland: 83 years (2024) · Norway: 83.2 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Ireland is 70% more likely to die before turning one than in Norway.
Ireland: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024) · Norway: 2 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Norway has 28% more doctors per person than Ireland.
Ireland: 3.9 per 1,000 (2023) · Norway: 5 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is obesity?
31% of adults in Ireland are obese, versus 21% in Norway.
Ireland: 30.6% (2024) · Norway: 20.7% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
18% of adults in Ireland smoke, versus 13% in Norway.
Ireland: 18.2% (2024) · Norway: 12.9% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Norway rate their lives 0.31 points higher than in Ireland.
Ireland: 6.93 (2025) · Norway: 7.24 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Ireland drink 48% more alcohol than in Norway.
Ireland: 10.3 litres (2023) · Norway: 7 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Ireland has 40% more meat per person than Norway.
Ireland: 98.4 kg (2023) · Norway: 70.4 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Ireland has 445 kcal more food per person per day than Norway.
Ireland: 3,921 kcal (2023) · Norway: 3,476 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Ireland put in 242 more hours a year than in Norway.
Ireland: 1,654 hours (2023) · Norway: 1,412 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Norway went to school 1.4 years longer than in Ireland.
Ireland: 11.7 years (2023) · Norway: 13.1 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Ireland welcomed 2.4 times as many tourists per resident as Norway (2019).
Ireland: 2.2 (2019) · Norway: 0.91 (2022)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
99% of people in Norway are online, versus 97% in Ireland.
Ireland: 97% (2024) · Norway: 99% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Ireland and Norway are practically level.
Ireland: 100% (2024) · Norway: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
84% of people in Norway live in cities, versus 65% in Ireland.
Ireland: 65% (2025) · Norway: 84% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Ireland has 113 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Norway 109.
Ireland: 113 (2024) · Norway: 109 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Norway’s railway network is 2.4 times as long as Ireland’s.
Ireland: 1,650 km (2021) · Norway: 3,885 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Ireland: 35.11 (2023) · Norway: no data
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 34% of Norway, but only 12% of Ireland.
Ireland: 11.5% (2023) · Norway: 33.5% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Norway emits 5% more CO₂ than someone in Ireland.
Ireland: 6.3 t (2024) · Norway: 6.7 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
99% of Norway’s electricity is renewable, versus 48% in Ireland.
Ireland: 48.1% (2025) · Norway: 99% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Ireland carries 10% more fine dust than in Norway.
Ireland: 7.4 µg/m³ (2024) · Norway: 6.7 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 11% more likely to be murdered in Norway than in Ireland.
Ireland: 0.7 per 100k (2023) · Norway: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Ireland are 87% deadlier than in Norway.
Ireland: 2.8 per 100k (2021) · Norway: 1.5 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Ireland is on average 8.7 °C warmer than Norway.
Ireland: 10.3°C (2016–2025 avg) · Norway: 1.6°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Norway gets 10% more rain than Ireland.
Ireland: 1,139 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Norway: 1,259 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Ireland bigger than Norway?
Norway is larger. Ireland fits inside Norway 8.9 times.
Which has more people, Ireland or Norway?
Norway has 2% more people than Ireland (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Ireland or Norway?
Norway and Ireland are practically level. Life expectancy at birth is 83.0 years in Ireland and 83.2 in Norway.
Are people taller in Ireland or Norway?
Men in Norway are 1.4 cm taller than in Ireland (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
