MigrantoIrish Diaspora
710.3K Irish live abroad — 13% of the population of Ireland
Irish diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 81% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 360446 |
| USA | 125844 |
| Australia | 90203 |
| Poland | 34300 |
| Canada | 28912 |
| Spain | 19990 |
| New Zealand | 8989 |
| Italy | 4101 |
| Belgium | 3823 |
| Denmark | 2603 |
| South Africa | 2575 |
| Romania | 2476 |
| Hungary | 2413 |
| Portugal | 2013 |
| Lithuania | 1886 |
| Luxembourg | 1651 |
| Slovakia | 1624 |
| Isle of Man | 1591 |
| Malta | 1424 |
| Japan | 1295 |
| Norway | 1289 |
| Czech Republic | 1149 |
| China | 1102 |
| Latvia | 862 |
| Cyprus | 817 |
| Finland | 786 |
| Hong Kong | 749 |
| Botswana | 661 |
| Greece | 637 |
| Bulgaria | 529 |
| Bermuda | 385 |
| Mexico | 370 |
| Argentina | 340 |
| Estonia | 336 |
| Cayman Islands | 281 |
| Peru | 253 |
| Iceland | 227 |
| Brazil | 208 |
| Panama | 166 |
| Moldova | 163 |
| India | 155 |
| Bolivia | 95 |
| Slovenia | 66 |
| Namibia | 65 |
| Bahamas | 65 |
| Venezuela | 54 |
| Mauritius | 49 |
| Croatia | 46 |
| Costa Rica | 42 |
| Papua New Guinea | 41 |
| Dominican Republic | 36 |
| Nicaragua | 25 |
| Belarus | 22 |
| Liechtenstein | 19 |
| Saint Lucia | 15 |
| Central African Republic | 11 |
| El Salvador | 11 |
| Mongolia | 7 |
By region
63% of the diaspora lives in Europe
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Key facts
The Irish diaspora in numbers
The community in Poland is growing fastest
The number of Irish living in Poland has grown 237% since 2015, from 10.2K to 34.3K.
Most Irish abroad live in the UK
51% of the diaspora lives in the UK, while the next country accounts for just 18%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
7 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Poland, Romania, Hungary. Poland climbed from outside the top 20 to #4.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 69% to 51%.
1 in 8 people born in Ireland lives abroad
710.3K people born in Ireland now live in other countries — 13.2% of a population of 5.4M.
Irish diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 925341 |
| 1995 | 903610 |
| 2000 | 808095 |
| 2005 | 761270 |
| 2010 | 761731 |
| 2015 | 758366 |
| 2020 | 725594 |
| 2024 | 710293 |
Largest communities over time
Irish living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | United Kingdom | USA | Australia | Poland | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 635576 | 182968 | 51489 | 0 | 28551 |
| 1995 | 586223 | 207773 | 53596 | 0 | 27326 |
| 2000 | 540309 | 156207 | 53566 | 0 | 26072 |
| 2005 | 504766 | 136251 | 55768 | 794 | 22634 |
| 2010 | 472667 | 133578 | 71858 | 3850 | 29436 |
| 2015 | 431716 | 134235 | 90665 | 10185 | 33605 |
| 2020 | 392620 | 128284 | 87726 | 21601 | 29975 |
| 2024 | 360446 | 125844 | 90203 | 34300 | 28912 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Irish in each country has changed since the selected year
Irish among immigrants in other countries
Where Irish make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Irish live outside Ireland?
Around 710.3K Irish live abroad, the world's #86 largest diaspora.
Where do most Irish abroad live?
Most Irish live in United Kingdom, USA and Australia — these three countries account for about 81% of all Irish living abroad.
Which country has the largest Irish population outside Ireland?
United Kingdom is home to the largest Irish community abroad — 360.4K people, about 51% of all Irish living abroad.
What share of the population of Ireland lives abroad?
About 13% of the population of Ireland lives abroad — that's 710.3K out of a total population of 5.4M.
Is the Irish diaspora growing?
No — over the past decade, the number of Irish living abroad has fallen from 758.4K to 710.3K, about 6%.
Where does the data on the Irish diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Ireland who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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