Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) in Ireland
Ireland: Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) was 5.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Fuel imports in Ireland, 1963–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2025, fuel imports in Ireland stood at 5.2%.
The figure is down 17.4% on the previous year and down 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fuel imports in Ireland peaked at 14.8% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1998.
Ireland ranks 176th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 8.9% | — |
| 1964 | 8.5% | -4.7% |
| 1965 | 8.4% | -0.8% |
| 1966 | 8.6% | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 9.6% | +11.2% |
| 1968 | 8.4% | -13.0% |
| 1969 | 7.6% | -9.4% |
| 1970 | 8.1% | +6.8% |
| 1971 | 9.1% | +12.0% |
| 1972 | 7.5% | -16.8% |
| 1973 | 6.8% | -9.8% |
| 1974 | 13.9% | +104.7% |
| 1975 | 14.1% | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 13.4% | -4.9% |
| 1977 | 12.6% | -6.0% |
| 1978 | 10.1% | -19.8% |
| 1979 | 12.0% | +19.2% |
| 1980 | 14.8% | +22.8% |
| 1981 | 14.7% | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 14.8% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 13.5% | -8.8% |
| 1984 | 12.4% | -8.0% |
| 1985 | 11.9% | -4.2% |
| 1986 | 8.5% | -28.6% |
| 1987 | 7.4% | -13.0% |
| 1988 | 5.6% | -23.6% |
| 1989 | 5.5% | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 6.4% | +17.2% |
| 1991 | 5.9% | -8.7% |
| 1992 | 5.2% | -11.6% |
| 1993 | 4.8% | -7.9% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | -19.4% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -14.4% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | +12.0% |
| 1997 | 3.5% | -5.9% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | -26.8% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | +15.0% |
| 2000 | 4.1% | +39.3% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | -16.1% |
| 2003 | 3.8% | +17.2% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | +38.7% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | +30.4% |
| 2006 | 7.8% | +13.1% |
| 2007 | 8.7% | +12.5% |
| 2008 | 11.2% | +28.1% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | -16.9% |
| 2010 | 11.6% | +24.7% |
| 2011 | 13.2% | +13.8% |
| 2012 | 12.8% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 12.4% | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 10.5% | -15.6% |
| 2015 | 7.3% | -30.0% |
| 2016 | 5.2% | -28.5% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | +9.9% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +10.8% |
| 2019 | 6.0% | -6.1% |
| 2020 | 3.8% | -36.0% |
| 2021 | 6.0% | +55.7% |
| 2022 | 9.3% | +55.6% |
| 2023 | 7.2% | -22.1% |
| 2024 | 6.2% | -13.6% |
| 2025 | 5.2% | -17.4% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 5.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.0%, 58% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 5.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.9%, 58% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% | 7 |
| 1970s | 10.8% | 6.8% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.9% | 5.5% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.2% | 2.5% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.4% | 3.2% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.1% | 5.2% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.3% | 3.8% | 9.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 173 Norway 5.3% compare
- 174 Congo 5.2% compare
- 175 Iraq 5.2% compare
- 177 Tajikistan 5.1% compare
- 178 Saudi Arabia 4.5% compare
- 179 United Arab Emirates 4.5% compare
More energy & mining data for Ireland
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 0.9% (2025)
- Fuel exports 0.3% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 0.6% (2025)
- Gas production 11.53 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 2,195 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 11.53 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 2,195 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fuel imports in Ireland?
- Fuel imports in Ireland was 5.2% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest fuel imports recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 14.8% in 1982.
- What is the lowest fuel imports recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1998.
- How does Ireland rank for fuel imports?
- Ireland ranks 176th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fuel imports rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Fuels comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) section 3 (mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.