Photo: derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 12 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Ireland: Mobility & Trade
How connected is a country to the rest of the world?
Ireland is placed 33rd of 177 countries on mobility & trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Liner Shipping Connectivity Index 62.68 (2025); Container Import Dwell Time 2.4 (2024).
Share
Mobility & Trade
33rd
of 177 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Ireland on mobility & trade — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
62.68
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)
Higher is better
Ranked 83rd of 177 by UNCTAD
Ireland: 62.68. Across the 168 countries in this edition, values run from 4.13 (Turks and Caicos Islands) to 1,313 (China); the world median is 60.84.
- World median
- 60.84
- Best in Northern Europe
- 388.95 United Kingdom
- Land neighbours
- United Kingdom 388.95
2.4
Median days a full import container waits in port
Lower is better
Ireland: 2.4. Across the 156 countries in this edition, values run from 1 (Gibraltar) to 21.6 (Haiti); the world median is 4.4.
- World median
- 4.4
- Best in Northern Europe
- 2.4 Ireland
- Land neighbours
- United Kingdom 3
3.6
LPI score (1–5)
Higher is better
Ranked 26th of 139 by World Bank Group
Ireland: 3.6. Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 1.9 (Afghanistan) to 4.3 (Singapore); the world median is 2.9.
- World median
- 2.9
- Best in Northern Europe
- 4.2 Finland
- Land neighbours
- United Kingdom 3.7
Key 4 of 4
ICT Goods Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
6.59
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports)
Higher is better
Ireland: 6.59. Across the 120 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 61.45 (Hong Kong); the world median is 0.975.
- World median
- 0.975
- Best in Northern Europe
- 8.38 Estonia
- Land neighbours
- United Kingdom 3.43
02Over time
Which way Ireland is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) · higher is better
IrelandWorld median
Ireland fell from 71.61 in 2006 to 61.48 in 2026; the world median went from 52.25 to 56.21.
Every year’s figures
Year Ireland World median 2026 61.5 56.21 2025 62.7 60.84 2024 66.4 55.22 2023 57.4 54.78 2022 58.4 51.49 2021 55.3 52.64 2020 57.5 47.86 2019 54.6 51.05 2018 56.7 52.03 2017 53.3 49.87 2016 55.4 48.09 2015 60.9 49.13 2014 58.0 48.08 2013 51.0 51.32 2012 57.1 47.44 2011 46.2 50.26 2010 51.1 50.51 2009 58.6 53.04 2008 61.7 51.68 2007 81.1 55.78 2006 71.6 52.25 Logistics Performance Index
LPI score (1–5) · higher is better
IrelandWorld median
Ireland fell from 3.914 in 2007 to 3.6 in 2023; the world median went from 2.529 to 2.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Ireland World median 2023 3.60 2.900 2018 3.51 2.706 2016 3.79 2.734 2014 3.87 2.753 2012 3.52 2.773 2010 3.89 2.746 2007 3.91 2.529 ICT Goods Exports
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) · higher is better
IrelandWorld median
Ireland fell from 36.5 in 2000 to 6.59 in 2024; the world median went from 0.43 to 0.975.
Every year’s figures
Year Ireland World median 2024 6.59 0.975000 2023 5.71 0.690000 2022 8.60 0.565000 2021 9.11 0.550000 2020 8.39 0.680000 2019 8.77 0.625000 2018 6.73 0.480000 2017 7.82 0.630000 2016 8.87 0.865000 2015 5.97 0.790000 2014 5.52 0.760000 2013 5.65 0.645000 2012 5.51 0.630000 2011 5.61 0.535000 2010 6.85 0.560000 2009 10.64 0.780000 2008 15.24 0.595000 2007 18.32 0.660000 2006 21.95 0.445000 2005 21.85 0.570000 2004 22.31 0.535000 2003 24.09 0.530000 2002 31.16 0.510000 2001 36.38 0.490000 2000 36.50 0.430000
03In context
Ireland beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 177 countries on mobility & trade, never a place within the region.
Ireland and the countries it borders
Standing among all 177; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexLSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) | Container Import Dwell TimeMedian days a full import container waits in port | Logistics Performance IndexLPI score (1–5) | ICT Goods ExportsICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United Kingdom | 13th | 388.95 | 3 | 3.7 | 3.43 |
| Ireland | 33rd | 62.68 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 6.59 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Northern Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 177.
Placed either side on mobility & trade
The countries immediately above and below Ireland in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Ireland is ahead of the world, and behind
26 more statistics filed under mobility & trade, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median6
Statistics on which Ireland does better than the middle country measured.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.4287.1525.42▲ Improved since 2014
Ireland: 87.15 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 1st of 170 · derived.
ICT Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 7.47456.257.474▲ Improved since 2014
Ireland: 56.25 · world median 7.474 · ICT services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 56.25; higher is better.
Position 1st of 118 · derived.
FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2024 · world median 0.0790.0070.079No real change since 2018
Ireland: 0.007 · world median 0.079 · FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.567; lower is better.
Position 100th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Freedom of Foreign MovementV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.22.2651.2▲ Improved since 2015
Ireland: 2.265 · world median 1.2 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +2.9); higher = freer movement. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.642 to 2.727; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 176 · derived.
Average Time to Clear Exports Through CustomsWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.4562.4244.456No earlier reading
Ireland: 2.424 · world median 4.456 · Average time to clear exports through customs (days). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 27.46; lower is better.
Position 141st of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2025 · world median 0.2060.0830.206No real change since 2015
Ireland: 0.083 · world median 0.206 · Digital STRI (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.021 to 0.649; lower is better.
Position 101st of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end20
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Creative Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 6.17163.916.171No real change since 2014
Ireland: 63.91 · world median 6.171 · Creative services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.002 to 63.91.
Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 36.34140.0736.34No real change since 2015
Ireland: 140.07 · world median 36.34 · Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.103 to 199.76.
Position 4th of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Trade (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 79.68239.9679.68No real change since 2015
Ireland: 239.96 · world median 79.68 · Exports plus imports (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.382 to 396.65.
Position 4th of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 9.60283.199.602Moved since 2015
Ireland: 83.19 · world median 9.602 · Services exports (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.085 to 166.21.
Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 41.7299.8941.72No real change since 2015
Ireland: 99.89 · world median 41.72 · Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.279 to 196.89.
Position 7th of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Foreign Value Added Share of Gross ExportsOECD · 2022 · world median 27.4141.4527.41Moved since 2012
Ireland: 41.45 · world median 27.41 · Foreign value added (% of gross exports). OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 4.491 to 66.08.
Net Migration RateUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median -0.1338.443-0.133Moved since 2013
Ireland: 8.443 · world median -0.133 · Net migrants per 1,000 population. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -61.68 to 39.62.
Asylum-Seekers by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,83633,7281,836Moved since 2015
Ireland: 33,728 · world median 1,836 · Asylum-seekers awaiting a decision, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 3,718,945.
International Migrants as a Share of PopulationUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 6.08923.146.089No real change since 2015
Ireland: 23.14 · world median 6.089 · International migrants (% of population). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 100.
International MigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 223,3231,216,237223,323No real change since 2015
Ireland: 1,216,237 · world median 223,323 · International migrants living in the country, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 246 to 52,375,047.
Refugee Population by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 12,269137,86912,269Moved since 2015
Ireland: 137,869 · world median 12,269 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate hosted, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,655,191.
Merchant Fleet by Country of OwnershipUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 275.732,949275.73Moved since 2016
Ireland: 2,949 · world median 275.73 · Merchant fleet owned (thousand dead-weight tons). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 397,071.
Cereal Import Dependency RatioFAO · 2022 · world median 42.865.842.8Moved since 2012
Ireland: 65.8 · world median 42.8 · Share of the cereal supply that is imported (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from -1,894 to 100.
EmigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 444,451714,405444,451Moved since 2015
Ireland: 714,405 · world median 444,451 · Migrants from the country living abroad, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 313 to 18,533,845.
Export Concentration IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 0.3060.330.306Moved since 2015
Ireland: 0.33 · world median 0.306 · Export concentration index (0–1, normalised Herfindahl–Hirschman). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.059 to 0.933.
Creative Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1.2351.1531.235No real change since 2014
Ireland: 1.153 · world median 1.235 · Creative goods exports (% of merchandise exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.23.
Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1,827,7881,209,5521,827,788Moved since 2014
Ireland: 1,209,552 · world median 1,827,788 · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 17,263 to 299,703,800.
Position 63rd of 103 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All ProductsWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 3.661.333.66Moved since 2012
Ireland: 1.33 · world median 3.66 · Applied tariff rate, trade-weighted mean (%). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 29.52.
Terms of Trade IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 103.2372.49103.23Moved since 2015
Ireland: 72.49 · world median 103.23 · Terms of trade index (2015 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 38.2 to 1,448.
Commodity Export DependenceUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 67.179.72567.17Moved since 2014
Ireland: 9.725 · world median 67.17 · Commodity exports (% of merchandise exports, three-year average). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4.605 to 99.77.
No current reading for Ireland
Cost of Sending Remittances, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2022) and Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2022). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Mobility & Trade among Ireland’s 16 topics
Mobility & Trade is Ireland’s 12th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Development & Human Capital6th of 1963/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 8th of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 10th of 1944/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality9th of 1593/3 keys
- Peace & Security13th of 1774/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture17th of 1844/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation19th of 1764/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience22nd of 1934/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge23rd of 1983/4 keys
- Gender & Equality22nd of 1834/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 28th of 1984/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade33rd of 1774/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing40th of 2003/4 keys
- Energy41st of 1653/3 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 83rd of 1824/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability101st of 1863/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on mobility & trade
The three countries placed highest of 177, and the leaders Ireland can most readily be measured against.
1
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
1st of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2
MacauEastern Asia
2nd of 177 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
Hong KongEastern Asia
3rd of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Europe
Netherlands4th4/4 keysHighest in Northern Europe
United Kingdom13th4/4 keysThis page
Ireland33rd4/4 keys
Positions out of 177 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Ireland and mobility & trade
On mobility & trade
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On mobility & trade
The World’s Safest Airlines for 2025
The eleven safest airlines of 2025, each beside the country it is based in, and the nine things the grading looks at. Three airlines share third place, and the publisher gives an order but no score.
On mobility & trade
The world’s most powerful passports for 2025
Sixteen passports, their mobility scores, and the visa-free, visa-on-arrival and visa-required split behind each. Fourteen share third place while differing in how they reach it.
08Questions
Ireland on mobility & trade: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Ireland rank on mobility & trade?
Ireland is placed 33rd of 177 countries on Mobility & Trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Liner Shipping Connectivity Index, Container Import Dwell Time, Logistics Performance Index and ICT Goods Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Liner Shipping Connectivity Index figure for Ireland?
62.68 in 2025 (lSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)), according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The world median in the same edition was 60.84.
What is the latest Container Import Dwell Time figure for Ireland?
2.4 in 2024 (median days a full import container waits in port), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 4.4.
How does Ireland compare with United Kingdom on mobility & trade?
United Kingdom is placed 13th of 177, and Ireland 33rd. Liner Shipping Connectivity Index: United Kingdom 388.95, Ireland 62.68; Container Import Dwell Time: United Kingdom 3, Ireland 2.4; Logistics Performance Index: United Kingdom 3.7, Ireland 3.6; ICT Goods Exports: United Kingdom 3.43, Ireland 6.59.
How have Ireland’s mobility & trade figures changed?
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index fell from 71.61 in 2006 to 61.48 in 2026; Logistics Performance Index fell from 3.914 in 2007 to 3.6 in 2023; ICT Goods Exports fell from 36.5 in 2000 to 6.59 in 2024.
Which mobility & trade statistics are missing for Ireland?
No current reading is published for Ireland on Cost of Sending Remittances, Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary and Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Passport strength and freedom of movement for people are not measured with a key, because the data behind passport rankings is not licensed for reuse here. Trade as a share of the economy, remittance costs and student mobility are published here as context.
How the Mobility & Trade standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The mobility & trade method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Liner Shipping Connectivity Index — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Container Import Dwell Time — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Logistics Performance Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- ICT Goods Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 26 statistics on this page come from 7 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Ireland’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Ireland (banner) — derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
- Macau — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hong Kong — Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Ireland: Mobility & Trade — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/ireland/mobility