Ireland was only one of six countries in the EU to experience a natural increase in population last year, irrespective of the impact of migration, according to a new report by the European Commission.
New figures on the bloc’s demographics reveal that Ireland’s population increased at a rate eight times faster than the EU’s overall population in 2025.
The figures also show that the combined number of deaths across all 27 member states exceeded the number of births by the widest margin in years.
However, the total population of the EU still increased in 2025 due entirely to the impact of net immigration with an estimated population of 452 million at the end of the year – an annual increase of almost 705,800.
Ireland’s population increased from 5.44 million to 5.51 million during 2025.
It equated to a population increase rate of 12.8 per 1,000 individuals compared to the EU rate of just 1.6 per 1,000.
The latest figures show Ireland’s natural population, which excludes the impact of migration, increased by 18,600 last year – the highest increase of any country in the EU.
Ireland recorded 54,300 live births compared to 35,600 deaths.
The rate of natural population change in Ireland was 3.4 per 1,000 persons compared to -3.0 for the EU.
The only other EU member states to have a natural increase in population were Denmark, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, and Sweden.
When the impact of migration is included, a total of 16 countries experienced an increase in population last year.
The report shows that Ireland’s overall population in 2025 increased by 70,300 with 51,600 attributed to the effect of net migration.
Ireland’s net migration rate of 9.4 per 1,000 population last year was the 4th highest in the EU after Malta, Spain and Cyprus and just over twice the EU average of 4.6 per 1,000.
The population of the EU has now grown by 97.5 million since 1960, but the rate of population growth has slowed down gradually in recent decades.
The natural change in the EU’s population has been negative since 2012, when the number of deaths exceeded the number of births for the first time.
However, the gap reached its widest level last year with 4.81 million deaths – a difference of 1.35 million.
The 3.46 million live births recorded in the EU last year were the lowest annual total in decades and down from a peak of 6.8 million in 1964.
The report said the annual number of deaths in the EU is expected to increase further because of the ageing population.
Ireland
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It claimed negative natural change was also likely to continue on the basis that fertility rates remain at a relatively low level.
It added: “Should this be the case, the EU’s overall population decline or growth in the future is likely to depend largely on the contribution made by net migration.”
Among the 11 EU countries experiencing falling populations were Germany, Italy, Hungary, and Poland.
Estonia and Latvia were the only two countries to experience both a negative natural change and negative net migration.
