Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) in Ireland
Ireland: Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) was 0.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Ores and metals imports in Ireland, 1963–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2025, ores and metals imports in Ireland stood at 0.9%. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 6.8% on the previous year and down 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ores and metals imports in Ireland peaked at 3.6% in 1968 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 2025.
Ireland ranks 137th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 2.8% | — |
| 1964 | 2.9% | +6.0% |
| 1965 | 2.8% | -3.9% |
| 1966 | 3.5% | +25.1% |
| 1967 | 3.4% | -3.5% |
| 1968 | 3.6% | +5.6% |
| 1969 | 3.3% | -9.8% |
| 1970 | 3.0% | -8.6% |
| 1971 | 2.4% | -18.7% |
| 1972 | 2.2% | -8.0% |
| 1973 | 2.4% | +8.2% |
| 1974 | 2.9% | +18.4% |
| 1975 | 2.1% | -27.9% |
| 1976 | 2.0% | -4.8% |
| 1977 | 1.8% | -6.7% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 1.7% | -4.2% |
| 1980 | 1.9% | +6.1% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | -16.8% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +7.3% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +29.9% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | +23.5% |
| 1985 | 2.6% | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | -8.5% |
| 1987 | 2.4% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 2.5% | +7.4% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -5.2% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | -6.6% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | -11.2% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | -15.8% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | -6.4% |
| 1998 | 1.6% | -6.3% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | -17.6% |
| 2000 | 1.2% | -7.4% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | +12.1% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | +7.2% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 1.6% | +14.5% |
| 2007 | 1.6% | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 1.3% | -19.5% |
| 2010 | 1.5% | +18.6% |
| 2011 | 1.6% | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | -14.4% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | +13.1% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | -9.8% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -10.1% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | +7.7% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | +12.9% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | -21.5% |
| 2025 | 0.9% | -6.8% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 0.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.2%, 41% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 0.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.5%, 36% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.2% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 7 |
| 1970s | 2.2% | 1.7% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.2% | 1.5% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.3% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 134 Aruba 1.0% compare
- 135 Antigua and Barbuda 1.0% compare
- 136 Cote d'Ivoire 0.9% compare
- 138 Myanmar 0.9% compare
- 139 Papua New Guinea 0.9% compare
- 140 Benin 0.9% compare
More energy & mining data for Ireland
- Fuel imports 5.2% (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)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ores and metals imports in Ireland?
- Ores and metals imports in Ireland was 0.9% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest ores and metals imports recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 1968.
- What is the lowest ores and metals imports recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 2025.
- How does Ireland rank for ores and metals imports?
- Ireland ranks 137th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ores and metals imports rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.9%. 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 Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ores and metals comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 27 (crude fertilizer, minerals nes); 28 (metalliferous ores, scrap); and 68 (non-ferrous metals). Imports of services are services provided by non-residents to residents. 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.