Ireland's forest cover rose from 7.7 % in 1994 to 11.5 % in 2023.
Ireland · Environment
Forests, air quality, land, water and protected areas.
10 indicators · 10 with data
Land
Ireland's forest area rose from 5,291 km in 1994 to 7,940 km in 2023.
Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area)
% of land area
130th of 213 · 41st in Europe & C. Asia
Ireland's terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area) fell from 14.3 % in 2013 to 14.2 % in 2025.
Ireland's agricultural land (% of land area) fell from 63.8 % in 1994 to 60.8 % in 2023.
Ireland's arable land (% of land area) rose from 5.8 % in 1994 to 6.4 % in 2023.
Air
Ireland's air pollution (pm2.5) fell from 13.2 in 1994 to 7.5 in 2023.
Water
Ireland's water stress rose from 2.4 % in 1993 to 3.4 % in 2022.
Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita
cubic metres per person
49th of 181 · 11th in Europe & C. Asia
Ireland's renewable internal freshwater resources per capita fell from 13,701 in 1993 to 9,400 in 2022.
Access
Ireland's safe drinking water rose from 75.4 % in 2000 to 96.1 % in 2024.
Ireland's safe sanitation rose from 57.0 % in 2000 to 81.3 % in 2024.