Country import demand

Ireland
import demand

A reported view of Ireland's import scale, sector demand, supplier breadth, economy, and trade history.

IRL1995-2024 coverage270 active partner marketsMacro trend resilient
Latest imports$121.7B2024 reported
Import growth-5.4%Year on year
Population5.4MReported population
GDP per capita$112.9KCurrent-dollar GDP
Trade openness83%Exports + imports / GDP

The country import read

What does Ireland import?

In 2024, Ireland recorded $121.7B in reported imports. Imports changed -5.4% year on year and +4% annualized over three years. Pharmaceutical products was the largest displayed import sector.

Import history

A long view of demand

Latest twelve years from the reported country series.

Reported imports by year

2013
$69.9B
2014
$75.1B
2015
$70.6B
2016
$71.7B
2017
$80.0B
2018
$93.6B
2019
$85.1B
2020
$88.6B
2021
$108.3B
2022
$127.4B
2023
$128.6B
2024
$121.7B

Demand drivers

The economy behind import demand

Macro and structural indicators add context to reported imports.

GDP$609.2B2024 macro context
GDP growth8.4%Five-year CAGR
Population growth1.6%Five-year CAGR
Investment rate28.2%National rate
Savings rate45.9%National rate
Trade openness83%Exports + imports / GDP

Import portfolio

The sectors shaping demand

All returned HS2 sectors ranked by latest import value.

Import demand by HS2All returned · 2024
Leading import sectors for Ireland
RankSectorImportsShareImport partnersActive HS6
1Pharmaceutical productsHS2 30$14.7B12%14242
2Organic chemicalsHS2 29$7.1B5.8%124351
3Optical and medical instrumentsHS2 90$5.6B4.6%164142
4Electrical machineryHS2 85$12.8B10.5%187262
5Essential oils and cosmeticsHS2 33$1.8B1.5%17429
6MachineryHS2 84$17.6B14.4%179513
7Miscellaneous chemical productsHS2 38$1.3B1.1%13388
8Dairy produce and eggsHS2 04$1.1B0.9%8432
9Meat and edible meat offalHS2 02$812.1M0.7%5763
10AircraftHS2 88$8.3B6.8%8315

Import values are reported observations. Full rows remain in the downloads.

Supply diversification

Where import exposure is spread

Partner breadth, concentration, access, and distance add supplier context.

Supplier markets270Reported partner count
Partner concentration1,550.8Partner HHI
Top 3 partner share52.5%Reported concentration
FTA partner markets108Reported count
Average distance6,875 kmCalculated average
Macro resilienceMacro trend resilientCountry context
Complete country valuesOpen the full import evidenceFull profile, history, and HS2 sector fields remain available here and in the downloads.

Profile fields

Year2,024
Country Iso3IRL
Exports Usd$256.9B
Imports Usd$121.7B
Trade Balance Usd$135.2B
Yoy Exports Growth Pct10.5%
Yoy Imports Growth Pct-5.4%
Exports Cagr 3y Pct5.2%
Imports Cagr 3y Pct4%
Export Partner Hhi1,550.8
Export Product Hhi429.8
Momentum Score8.9
Risk Score9.9
Gdp Million Usd609,157.5 million USD
Gdp Per Capita Usd$112.9K
Population5,395,790
Labor Force2,479.2
Investment Rate Pct28.2%
Savings Rate Pct45.9%
Secondary Education Pct94%
Tertiary Education Pct45.6%
Total Factor Productivity3,619.7
Trade Openness Pct83%
Exports Gdp Pct56.3%
Num Active Partners270
Num Fta Partners108
Num Wto Partners169
Num Eu Partners28
Num Shared Border Partners1%
Num Shared Language Partners77%
Avg Partner Distance Km6,875 km
Avg Partner Gdp Million Usd533,678,518.3 million USD
Avg Partner Gdp Per Capita Usd$15.8
Avg Buyer Biz Entry DaysNot reported
Avg Buyer Biz Entry Cost PctNot reported
Pct Partners With Fta40
Pct Partners Shared Language28.5%
Pct Partners Shared Border0.4%
Avg Applied Tariff Pct0.1%
Avg Mfn Tariff Pct0.1%
Avg Preferential Tariff Pct0%
Tariff Advantage Pp0.1
Avg Distance All Partners Km6,828 km
Num Border Partners25
Num Colonial Partners25
Avg Substitution Elasticity-10.5
Pct Products High Elasticity75.3
Pct Products Low Elasticity2.8
Real Market Potential183,941.5
Foreign Market Potential22,428.6

Supplier context

Country Iso3IRL
All History Lane Count25,983
Current Lane Count18,162
Critical Lane Count118
High Attention Lane Count2,386
High Volatility Lane Count10,948
Unrecovered Drawdown Lane Count8,951
Declining Demand Lane Count111
Concentrated Market Lane Count5,913
Access Friction Lane Count1,836
Buyer Macro Weakness Lane Count752
Monitored Exports Current Usd$253.9B
Attention Exports Usd$135.0B
Critical Exports Usd$13.5B
High Volatility Exports Usd$134.5B
Unrecovered Drawdown Exports Usd$36.9B
Non Fta Exports Usd$118.6B
Monitored Attention Share Pct53.2%
Monitored Critical Share Pct5.3%
Fta Covered Exports Share Pct53%
Export Weighted Volatility Cv1.2
Export Weighted Below Peak Pct19.1%
Export Weighted Distance Km3,888 km
Export Weighted Tariff Pct0.1%
Latest Data Year2,024
First Data Year1,995
Country Years Count30
Total Exports Latest Usd$256.9B
Total Imports Latest Usd$121.7B
Trade Balance Latest Usd$135.2B
Exports Yoy Latest Pct10.5%
Exports Cagr 3y Latest Pct5.2%
Gdp Latest Million Usd609,157.5 million USD
Gdp Per Capita Latest Usd$112.9K
Population Latest5,395,790
Investment Rate Latest Pct28.2%
Savings Rate Latest Pct45.9%
Trade Openness Latest Pct83%
Exports Gdp Latest Pct56.3%
Active Partners Latest270
Fta Partners Latest108
Foreign Market Potential Latest22,428.6
Gdp 5y Cagr Pct8.4%
Gdp Per Capita 5y Cagr Pct6.6%
Population 5y Cagr Pct1.6%
Partner Hhi Latest1,550.8
Partner Top1 Share Latest Pct35.3%
Partner Top3 Share Latest Pct52.5%
Partner Hhi All Avg1,156.5
Partner Hhi All Max1,550.8
Product Hhi Latest429.8
Product Top1 Share Latest Pct10.8%
Product Top3 Share Latest Pct28.1%
Product Hhi All Avg328.1
Product Hhi All Max441.1
Total Exports Attention Share Pct52.6%
Total Exports Critical Share Pct5.3%
Attention LevelWatch
Primary Risk DriverHigh trade volatility
Macro Resilience LabelMacro trend resilient

Annual import history

YearImportsExportsBalanceImports YoY
1995$32.3B$40.6B$8.3B+0%
1996$34.6B$42.4B$7.8B+6.9%
1997$39.4B$47.5B$8.1B+13.9%
1998$41.9B$56.7B$14.8B+6.5%
1999$46.2B$69.5B$23.3B+10.1%
2000$50.4B$77.8B$27.4B+9.1%
2001$50.0B$83.4B$33.4B-0.8%
2002$52.4B$93.0B$40.6B+4.9%
2003$54.9B$102.0B$47.1B+4.7%
2004$65.2B$115.8B$50.6B+18.8%
2005$74.0B$121.8B$47.8B+13.4%
2006$80.5B$124.9B$44.4B+8.9%
2007$90.3B$140.1B$49.8B+12.1%
2008$87.3B$143.1B$55.8B-3.3%
2009$63.4B$134.6B$71.2B-27.4%
2010$62.2B$130.3B$68.1B-2%
2011$68.8B$143.6B$74.9B+10.6%
2012$66.1B$129.0B$62.9B-3.8%
2013$69.9B$126.7B$56.8B+5.8%
2014$75.1B$129.6B$54.5B+7.3%
2015$70.6B$134.0B$63.4B-5.9%
2016$71.7B$145.5B$73.8B+1.5%
2017$80.0B$152.0B$72.1B+11.5%
2018$93.6B$178.7B$85.1B+17.1%
2019$85.1B$184.3B$99.2B-9.1%
2020$88.6B$196.8B$108.3B+4.1%
2021$108.3B$220.5B$112.2B+22.3%
2022$127.4B$233.8B$106.5B+17.6%
2023$128.6B$232.6B$103.9B+1%
2024$121.7B$256.9B$135.2B-5.4%

Import sectors

RankHS2SectorImportsShareImport partnersActive HS6
130Pharmaceutical products$14.7B12%14242
229Organic chemicals$7.1B5.8%124351
390Optical and medical instruments$5.6B4.6%164142
485Electrical machinery$12.8B10.5%187262
533Essential oils and cosmetics$1.8B1.5%17429
684Machinery$17.6B14.4%179513
738Miscellaneous chemical products$1.3B1.1%13388
804Dairy produce and eggs$1.1B0.9%8432
902Meat and edible meat offal$812.1M0.7%5763
1088Aircraft$8.3B6.8%8315

Questions about this profile

Ireland import demand, in context

Short answers for import and supplier research.

What does the Ireland import profile measure?

It combines reported imports, annual history, HS2 sectors, supplier breadth, economy context, and calculated indicators for Ireland.

What is the latest reported import value for Ireland?

Ireland recorded $121.7B in reported imports in 2024.

Which sectors lead Ireland's imports?

Pharmaceutical products leads by reported import value at $14.7B.

How many years of Ireland import history are available?

This profile contains 30 annual rows covering 1995 through 2024.

What drives import demand?

GDP, population, investment, savings, and trade openness provide demand context.

Are the growth and concentration values forecasts?

No. They are calculated or classified from reported observations, not forecasts or guarantees.

Continue your research

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Compare countries, products, sectors, and suppliers using reported trade data.

Data source

OECD trade statistics with CEPII context

OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-29). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.