Trade as a share of GDP in Ireland
Ireland: Trade as a share of GDP was 240.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
240.0%
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
5th
of 191 countries
All-time high
258.8%
in 2020
All-time low
67.6%
in 1972
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Trade as a share of GDP in Ireland, 1970–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for trade as a share of gdp in Ireland is 240.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade as a share of gdp in Ireland peaked at 258.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 67.6%, in 1972.
Ireland ranks 5th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Trade as a share of GDP in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 74.4% | — |
| 1971 | 72.2% | -3.0% |
| 1972 | 67.6% | -6.3% |
| 1973 | 75.2% | +11.2% |
| 1974 | 90.7% | +20.5% |
| 1975 | 83.0% | -8.4% |
| 1976 | 91.2% | +9.9% |
| 1977 | 98.0% | +7.4% |
| 1978 | 99.7% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 105.3% | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 102.3% | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 101.0% | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 94.0% | -6.9% |
| 1983 | 97.7% | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 108.3% | +10.8% |
| 1985 | 107.8% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 97.1% | -9.9% |
| 1987 | 100.7% | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 105.2% | +4.4% |
| 1989 | 112.5% | +6.9% |
| 1990 | 105.0% | -6.6% |
| 1991 | 106.4% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 109.5% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 116.6% | +6.4% |
| 1994 | 126.5% | +8.5% |
| 1995 | 136.1% | +7.6% |
| 1996 | 138.9% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 142.3% | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 157.8% | +10.9% |
| 1999 | 159.9% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 175.0% | +9.4% |
| 2001 | 174.8% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 163.7% | -6.4% |
| 2003 | 146.5% | -10.5% |
| 2004 | 146.6% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 148.2% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 150.0% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 153.4% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 160.0% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 173.6% | +8.5% |
| 2010 | 190.1% | +9.5% |
| 2011 | 186.3% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 190.4% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 199.7% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 211.2% | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 223.7% | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 239.7% | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 233.3% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 222.5% | -4.7% |
| 2019 | 257.7% | +15.8% |
| 2020 | 258.8% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 231.0% | -10.7% |
| 2022 | 237.8% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 239.7% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 246.2% | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 240.0% | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 85.7% | 67.6% | 105.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 102.7% | 94.0% | 112.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 129.9% | 105.0% | 159.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 159.2% | 146.5% | 175.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 215.4% | 186.3% | 257.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 242.2% | 231.0% | 258.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 2 Luxembourg 349.9% compare
- 3 San Marino 341.0% compare
- 4 Singapore 320.3% compare
- 6 Malta 219.0% compare
- 7 Djibouti 206.3% compare
- 8 United States Virgin Islands 205.6% compare
More economy & growth data for Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.96 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 18.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9555 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 125,736 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 13.88 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.8456 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 111,273 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 12.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.7548 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade as a share of gdp in Ireland?
- Trade as a share of gdp in Ireland was 240.0% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest trade as a share of gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 258.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest trade as a share of gdp recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.6% in 1972.
- How does Ireland rank for trade as a share of gdp?
- Ireland ranks 5th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade as a share of gdp rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Trade as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Trade in goods and services as a share of GDP, shown as a percentage.