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Ireland is interesting. It's long been the sick man in terms of population growth since 1845 up until the late 1980s and now is the odd man out in Europe as bei
by s_dev 11y ago
Ireland is interesting. It's long been the sick man in terms of population growth since 1845 up until the late 1980s and now is the odd man out in Europe as being one of the few countries that can grow its population.
Ireland has had a recession since 2008 but ended last year with a return to slow growth and during this time had high unemployment and high emigration. It's expected to be the fastest growing European economy by far over the next 12 months. Still Irelands prosperity, high minimum wage and generous welfare benefits are attracting immigration from Eastern Europe and North Africa in particular. This compounded with Irelands high fertility rate accentuates her population growth above her neighbours.
These trends are expected to continue even as Europe exits recession and returns to growth.
The images surprised me though - it suggests all of Ireland is growing somewhat evenly when the truth is that while most if is growing Dublin and her surrounding area and Cork are growing much faster than the rest and the picture doesn't indicate that though I'm sure the data will.
- Terr_ 11y ago> It's long been the sick man in terms of population growth since 1845 That reminds me of a section from the book "1493", discussing the introduction of the potato to Europe and later the potato-famine: > Today Ireland has the melancholy distinction of being the only nation in Europe, and perhaps the world, to have fewer people within the same boundaries than it did more than 150 years ago.
- s_dev 11y agoThe Famine made Ireland "Irish" in the sense that we understand it today. The famine caused people to become more pious in their Catholicism, even more impoverished and detest the British even more than what they previously did. It probably was the single most important factor in shaping modern Ireland. Many here are probably aware that Ireland had in 1845 a population of 9 Million but only 6 Million today (all Island pop). The entirety of the UK at the time had a population of 22 Million people. This means the Britain (Scotland, England and Wales) was only 25% bigger than Ireland at that time which is completely different today with the UK having >60 Million people and Ireland (Republic) having 4.5 Million. Ireland had a similar agricultural output compared to Britain which is at least three time larger. If the famine didn't happen Ireland could easily have a population of over 30 Million. However it did happen and alternate realities are hard to predict.
- kryptiskt 11y ago> If the famine didn't happen Ireland could easily have a population of over 30 Million. However it did happen and alternate realities are hard to predict. In a way it has, there are that many with Irish ancestry in America, not strange as emigration there cost Ireland much more people than the famine.
- pyre 11y agoWasn't one of the forces dictating this migration the famine itself?
- guard-of-terra 11y ago"If the famine didn't happen Ireland could easily have a population of over 30 Million" Would you really want to become Bangladesh? 30 Million seems an awfully high number for a country of such size and latitude.
- jameshart 11y agoIf Ireland had similar population density to Southeast England, it would have a population of around 39 million.
- guard-of-terra 11y agoEngland has forests, nature reserves, fjords elsewhere. That's why this region can be so dense? Why would you want to build up everything? Where's the gain I wonder?
- pyre 11y ago> t suggests all of Ireland is growing somewhat evenly when the truth is that while most if is growing Dublin and her surrounding area and Cork are growing much faster than the rest and the picture doesn't indicate that though I'm sure the data will. As far as I could tell, the darkest red colour represents '> 2% population growth,' so that graphic is not much good at breaking down areas that are all experiencing more than 2% growth.
- seanalltogether 11y agoNorthern Ireland has had a negative migration trend ever since the 90's. http://www.nisra.gov.uk/archive/demography/population/midyear/historical/mye_report_2011.pdf http://www.nisra.gov.uk/archive/demography/population/midyea... However the birthrate is far outstripping any emmigration losses so they continue to have a largely positive population growth.