Destinations › Europe · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Ireland.
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain. 70,273 sq km and 5,484,367 people, 1,448 km of coastline, temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time.
Region · EuropePopulation · ~5,484,367Languages · English, Irish (Gaeilge, first official language, spoken daily in the Gaeltacht)Eco Index · 68/100 · Passable
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Conservation
Wildlife
Water
Food & farming
Organic & clean
Climate & energy
Waste
Health
Heritage
Ownership
Governance
Future
The History of Ireland.
Ireland's traditional music is vividly alive, from fiddle and flute to the UNESCO-recognised uilleann piping and the informal session culture found across the country. Sean-nos singing and dance, step and set dancing, and the Irish language remain in active use, supported by community and revival movements.
Where the name comes from
Éire in Irish, usually traced to Ériu, a goddess of the land in Irish tradition. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: a flat to rolling interior plain ringed by rugged hills and low mountains, with sea cliffs along the west. Its high point is Carrauntoohil, 1,041 m. Source: Tailte Éireann, the national mapping agency, with the UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names.
Where it starts
Newgrange, and the winter solstice
Mesolithic communities settled Ireland around 10,500 years ago. The passage tomb at Newgrange in the Boyne Valley was built about 3200 BC, predating both Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza. At the winter solstice, light from sunrise enters through a roof box above the entrance and reaches the floor of the chamber. Copper was mined at Ross Island from around 2500 BC, and Irish gold ornaments travelled across Britain and Europe.
How it got here
Law, manuscripts, hunger
An Iron Age society of tuatha and kings developed a body of law later written down as Brehon law. Monasteries became centres of learning and produced manuscripts including the Book of Kells. Norse raids from 795 were followed by the founding of Dublin, Waterford and Limerick, and Norman arrival in 1169 began centuries of English control. Between 1845 and 1852 around a million people died and a million emigrated, and the population has never returned to its pre-famine level. The Irish Free State was established in 1922 and became a republic in 1949.
The timeline
c. 10,500 years ago
The first people.
Mesolithic communities settle after the ice retreats, living along rivers and coasts. ↗
c. 3200 BC
Newgrange.
The passage tomb at Newgrange in the Boyne Valley is built, predating both Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza. At the winter solstice, sunrise light enters a roof box and reaches the chamber floor. ↗
c. 2500 BC onward
Copper and gold.
Copper is mined at Ross Island and Irish gold ornaments travel across Britain and Europe. ↗
c. 500 BC onward
Iron Age and the Gaelic order.
A society of tuatha and kings develops, with law tracts later written down as Brehon law. ↗
5th century onward
Christianity and manuscripts.
Monasteries become centres of learning and produce manuscripts including the Book of Kells. ↗
795 onward
Norse raids and towns.
Norse raids are followed by the founding of Dublin, Waterford and Limerick. ↗
1169 onward
Norman and English conquest.
Norman arrival from 1169 begins centuries of English and then British control, through plantation, penal law and famine, until partition and independence for twenty-six counties in the twentieth century. ↗
1845 to 1852
The Great Hunger.
Around one million people died and one million emigrated. The population has never returned to its pre-famine level. ↗
1922
Independence.
The Irish Free State is established, becoming a republic in 1949. ↗
Protected areas cover about 14% of land and only 2.4% of the sea (World Bank, 2025), across six national parks and a network of designated sites. Management is widely criticised, with the EU taking action over degraded special areas of conservation and drained, overgrazed peatlands, so effective protection is weaker than the coverage suggests.
Is wild Ireland protected? 14.2% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Ireland?
Forest cover11.5%
Terrestrial protected area14.2%
Marine protected area2.4%
62 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
Recorded in Ireland and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Few endemics
Fe
Irish hare
Ir
Pollan fish are notable native forms
Po
The watchlist
ThreatenedOryctolagus cuniculusEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Ireland in GBIF occurrence data (mammal).
ThreatenedBalearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Ireland in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedGulf Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Ireland in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedBluet (Dipturus batis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Ireland in GBIF occurrence data (shark or ray).
ThreatenedGwynne's Mining Bee (Andrena bicolor)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Ireland in GBIF occurrence data (insect).
ThreatenedGiant Herb-Robert (Geranium maderense)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Ireland in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedEchium pininanaEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Ireland in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedAnguilla anguillaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Ireland in GBIF occurrence data (species).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Ireland. GBIF holds 106 verified occurrence records.
Gulf Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Ireland. GBIF holds 2 verified occurrence records.
Bluet (Dipturus batis)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Ireland. GBIF holds 160 verified occurrence records.
Gwynne's Mining Bee (Andrena bicolor)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Ireland. GBIF holds 178 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Ireland filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
National park in County Mayo, mapped and named in the open record for Ireland. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Ireland.
Ireland has a wet maritime climate with abundant rainfall, rivers such as the Shannon and plentiful groundwater, and about 96% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). Recurring boil-water notices and ageing infrastructure under Uisce Éireann keep it below the top band.
Does Ireland have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
96.1% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Tap water is safe for a visitor nearly everywhere.
Cleanest water: Western spring-fed rivers and upland lakes
How much fresh water does Ireland have, per person?
9,400 m³
Ireland
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Ireland withdraws about 1,673 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 8.1% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as no water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 2%, homes and towns 66%, industry 32%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Ireland beaches?
✓Tap water: Drinkable.
✓Plastic rules: Plastic bag levy since 2002; EU single-use plastic ban.
✓Solo travel: rated easy on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 2.4% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Named on the open map: Ballybrassil Beach, Ballyhealy Beach, Bathing Cove, Carne Beach, Coss Strand, Dromina Strand, Glenawilling Beach, Glenmore Strand. That is 17 named beaches in the public record for Ireland, each one a place you can look up before you go. OpenStreetMap.
Where does the sewage go?
81.3%
of people have safely managed sanitation
81.3% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around Ireland doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Mild, wet and green; the west coast weather changes hourly.
Nearshore
Protected water
2.4% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Western spring-fed rivers and upland lakes.
The record
Measured
Ireland has a wet maritime climate with abundant rainfall, rivers such as the Shannon and plentiful groundwater, and about 96% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). Recurring boil-water notices and ageing infrastructure under Uisce Éireann keep it below the top band.
Sea protected
2.4%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
62 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
Western spring-fed rivers and upland lakes.
Is the tap water safe in Ireland?
96.1% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 9,400 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 0 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 3.4% of what Ireland renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Ireland? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Ireland actually have?
Nature renews about 9,400 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Ireland 156 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the wetter half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Ireland is a major food exporter, especially grass-fed beef and dairy, so it is highly self-sufficient in animal products while importing most fruit, vegetables and cereals. Farming remains central to the rural economy.
Where does the food in Ireland come from?
9.4% imported
about US$14,981m a year
On the plate: Potatoes, oats, cabbage and root vegetables
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Potatoes60%
Oats51%
Cabbage33%
Root vegetables24%
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$14,981m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
Food is 9.4% of everything Ireland imports (2024, World Bank). Farming itself is 1.1% of the economy and 60.8% of the land is agricultural, of which 6.4% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Ireland? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined81.7%
Diabetes3.6%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 64.7%.
Can Ireland feed itself?
6.4%
Arable land
60.8%
Agricultural land
112,234
Farmers
1,084,791
Arable acres
1.1%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Autumn, for cereals and potatoes
Feeding itself
Ireland is a major food exporter, especially grass-fed beef and dairy, so it is highly self-sufficient in animal products while importing most fruit, vegetables and cereals. Farming remains central to the rural economy.
Certification
Organic land was about 1.6% of agricultural area (FiBL, 2020 data), historically among the lowest in the EU, though national and CAP schemes have been expanding it since.
Water for crops
Ireland has a wet maritime climate with abundant rainfall, rivers such as the Shannon and plentiful groundwater, and about 96% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). Recurring boil-water notices and ageing infrastructure under Uisce Éireann keep it below the top band.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Ireland, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 60.8% of the country is agricultural land and 6.4% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
What actually grows here
BarleyWheatPotatoesOatsRapeseedBeans
The food that already fits
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Ireland are barley, wheat, potatoes and oats (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: Bantry Market, Blackrock Food Market, Blackrock Market, Blackrock Sunday Market, Books and Browsables Market, Cahir Farmers Market. Each is a mapped, named marketplace, so the money stays with the seller rather than the importer. OpenStreetMap.
Ireland has cut power-sector emissions as wind has grown to about a third of electricity, with renewables reaching 40.7% of supply in 2023 (SEAI) and offshore wind planned to expand further. Its territorial CO2 emissions were around 6.3 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), while agriculture also makes the country's wider greenhouse-gas profile unusually high. The legally binding Climate Act 2021 sets net-zero by 2050 and a 51% cut by 2030. Natural gas still anchors the grid, placing Ireland in the middle band.
What powers Ireland?
Renewable 48.2%Fossil 51.8%
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
6.04 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
9.64 tonnes
The grid
Ireland has cut power-sector emissions as wind has grown to about a third of electricity, with renewables reaching 40.7% of supply in 2023 (SEAI) and offshore wind planned to expand further. Its territorial CO2 emissions were around 6.3 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), while agriculture also makes the country's wider greenhouse-gas profile unusually high.
Pollution
Air is clean by international standards at about 7.5 µg/m³ PM2.5 (World Bank, 2023), and Ireland pioneered the world's first plastic bag levy in 2002, followed by EU single-use plastic rules. Winter solid-fuel burning still causes local smoke, and litter is a persistent problem in places.
Water stress
Ireland has a wet maritime climate with abundant rainfall, rivers such as the Shannon and plentiful groundwater, and about 96% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). Recurring boil-water notices and ageing infrastructure under Uisce Éireann keep it below the top band.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.62.8%
2IndustryPeat and turf extraction and intensive dairy expansion.named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.7.5 µg/m³ (PM2.5)
4On the recordAir is clean by international standards at about 7.5 µg/m³ PM2.5 (World Bank, 2023), and Ireland pioneered the world's first plastic bag levy in 2002, followed by EU single-use plastic rules.
What has Ireland promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today37.2% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target14.2% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target2.4% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in law; in policy document. Measured against it, 37.2% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 62.8% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year6.04 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy3.1 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy2.02 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.7 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy1.5 t CO2e
Dubai return, economy1.07 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Ireland emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Ireland.
Data centres
24
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Share of national electricity
21.0 %
Of all power used in the country.
Grid renewable
48.2 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Ireland?
Most of the power behind a machine here is still burned.
Renewable 48.2%Fossil 51.8%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 37.2% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Ireland has 24 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Dublin (20), Cork City (1), Galway (1), alongside 6 internet exchanges (INEX LAN1, ExWest, INEX LAN2, INEX Cork). Named sites include Equinix DB1 - Dublin, CityWest, Digital Realty Dublin DUB1-2, Equinix DB2 - Dublin, Kilcarbery, Digital Realty Dublin DUB10.
Where the cables land. 14 landing points · Ballinesker, Ballygrangans, Clonshaugh, Cork
33% residents to 67% visitors across a year. 10,951,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 5,484,367 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Ireland
10,951k
Visitors a year
2.0
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Ireland?· for every $100 Ireland earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2012 peak
$ 119The worst year on the IMF record. Ireland owed $119 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2012signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 32What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 28The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $28 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Ireland earns in a year, it owes $32 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Ireland?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 10,951,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 5,484,367 residents, 2.0 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Ireland is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 9.4% of everything Ireland imports (2024, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, barley, wheat, potatoes, oats, rapeseed, beans, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
62.8% of the electricity is fossil (2021, World Bank). Lighting, cooling and hot water are paid for largely in imported fuel.
burns away
5
What actually stays
On the parts that can be measured, the power leaves and the plate stays. It is genuinely a coin toss, decided by what you book.
split
6
Pay the bank first
Ireland owes $32 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$32 per $100
7
No plan B
33.6% of everything Ireland sells abroad is pharmaceuticals (2023, UN Comtrade). One market moving takes the whole board with it.
33.6% one export
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 0.7% of everything Ireland makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
0.7% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Sydney a return economy seat is 3.10 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
3.10 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$779 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$779bn
GDPUS$721.7bn
Agriculture, share of GDP1.1%
Visitors a year10,951,000
Visitors per resident2
Residents~5,484,367
Agriculture
Farming is 1.1% of the economy. Ireland is a major food exporter, especially grass-fed beef and dairy, so it is highly self-sufficient in animal products while importing most fruit, vegetables and cereals.
Natural materials
Living natural-fibre traditions remain strong, above all Aran wool hand-knits and Donegal tweed, alongside Foxford and other woollen mills, with Irish linen now largely historic.
Energy
Ireland has cut power-sector emissions as wind has grown to about a third of electricity, with renewables reaching 40.7% of supply in 2023 (SEAI) and offshore wind planned to expand further. Its territorial CO2 emissions were around 6.3 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), while agriculture also makes the country's wider greenhouse-gas profile unusually high.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Ireland?
By rooms · company records and press.
Slieve Aughty Centre · ~9 roomsIndependentnot published
Atlantic Bay Rest · ~4 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
20148,813k
20159,528k
201610,100k
201710,338k
201810,926k
201910,951k
International tourism receipts run at about US$4.16 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 0.7% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking what the land here grows, barley, wheat, potatoes, oats, rapeseed and beans, over an imported menu. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Trains and intercity buses; a car is useful for the west and coast
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
Ireland is water-rich and famed for its green landscape and living wool, tweed and Gaeltacht traditions, yet it is one of Europe's least forested and least organically farmed countries.
Best time: Late spring to early autumn
Getting around
Trains and intercity buses; a car is useful for the west and coast
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is barley, wheat, potatoes, oats, rapeseed and beans. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cards everywhere; EUR. Pubs are the social network.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Slieve Aughty CentreAtlantic Bay Rest
.
Who owns the places to stay
Slieve Aughty CentreIndependent · 9 rooms
Atlantic Bay RestIndependent · 4 rooms
None of the 2 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Ireland.
How well is Ireland actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Ireland scores 83 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is a state that generally does what it says it will do, which is what makes a climate pledge worth reading.
How well is Ireland run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 80 of 100
Control of corruption scores 79.7 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That puts it in the cleanest quarter of governments measured.
80
Freedom and rights, scored 86 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 85.5 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens here can question their government openly.
86
Government effectiveness, scored 83 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 82.7 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated among the strongest measured.
83
Income equality, scored 29 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 29 (2023, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Below 40 is the level usually treated as manageable, and Ireland sits inside it.
29
LGBTQ+ status: HighSolo female travel: EasyIndustry to avoid: Peat and turf extraction and intensive dairy expansion
What is daily life in Ireland really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Trains and intercity buses; a car is useful for the west and coast
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 7.5 µg/m³ (PM2.5). The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest The Atlantic west coast and uplands
✓Tap water Drinkable
✓What to drink Tap water is safe nationwide.
✓Plastic rules Plastic bag levy since 2002; EU single-use plastic ban
✓Sockets and voltage Type C/F, 230V
Made in Ireland.
Living natural-fibre traditions remain strong, above all Aran wool hand-knits and Donegal tweed, alongside Foxford and other woollen mills, with Irish linen now largely historic. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Ireland actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Ireland sells the world is pharmaceuticals, 33.6% of all exports in 2023 (about US$71.56 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are organic chemicals at 20.9%, optical, medical and precision instruments at 9.3%, essential oils, perfumery and cosmetics at 5.0%, electrical machinery and electronics at 4.9%.
Sells now · 33.6% of exports
Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceuticals is 33.6% of everything Ireland sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$71.56 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 20.9% of exports
Organic chemicals
Organic chemicals is 20.9% of everything Ireland sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$44.59 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 9.3% of exports
Optical, medical and precision instruments
Optical, medical and precision instruments is 9.3% of everything Ireland sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$19.85 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 5.0% of exports
Essential oils, perfumery and cosmetics
Essential oils, perfumery and cosmetics is 5.0% of everything Ireland sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$10.73 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 4.9% of exports
Electrical machinery and electronics
Electrical machinery and electronics is 4.9% of everything Ireland sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$10.53 billion. UN Comtrade.
Could make · grown here already
Potatoes
Grown in Ireland and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Oats
Grown in Ireland and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Dairy
Grown in Ireland and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Ireland produces about US$722 billion a year, which is roughly US$131,592 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 1.1% of that, while food is 9.4% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in. With 6.4% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
Irish traditional music sessions (fiddle, flute, uilleann piping)
A living tradition of Ireland, still practised rather than archived.
Sean-nos singing
A living tradition of Ireland, still practised rather than archived.
Dance
A living tradition of Ireland, still practised rather than archived.
Step
A living tradition of Ireland, still practised rather than archived.
Set dancingA living tradition of Ireland, still practised rather than archived.
Irish languageA living tradition of Ireland, still practised rather than archived.
Does Ireland protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Ireland's traditional music is vividly alive, from fiddle and flute to the UNESCO-recognised uilleann piping and the informal session culture found across the country. Sean-nos singing and dance, step and set dancing, and the Irish language remain in active use, supported by community and revival movements. Ancestral seasonal festivals rooted in the Celtic calendar, including Samhain, Bealtaine and Lughnasa, and holy-well pilgrimages continue to be observed.
Who it belongs to. Ireland retains living rooted communities, including Irish-speaking Gaeltacht areas and a strong traditional music and rural pub culture, and much tourism spend reaches local guesthouses, farms and small operators.
Only here. The Burren, a rare limestone karst where Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants grow side by side.
Three futures for Ireland, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Village Craft Centre (County Dublin), Kells Mill Craft Centre (County Kilkenny), Tregan Craft Centre (Cobh), Blessington Craft Centre (County Wicklow), Billy Murphy Craft Butchers (Waterford). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: Annabel Langrish, Art & Hobby, Art and Hobby Shop, Artmines, Arts & Crafts, Cahills.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
+45%
Forest cover
1995: 7.9 % → 2023: 11.5 %
+810%
Renewable electricity
1995: 4.1 % → 2021: 37.2 %
-37%
CO2 per person
1995: 9.64 t → 2024: 6.04 t
+127%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 4818 k → 2019: 10951 k
-1%
Protected land
2013: 14.3 % → 2025: 14.2 %
-68%
Farm workforce
1995: 12 % → 2025: 3.9 %
+60%
Protected sea
2013: 1.5 % → 2025: 2.4 %
-5%
Agricultural land
1995: 63.7 % → 2023: 60.8 %
+11%
Urban population
1995: 57.9 % → 2025: 64.6 %
-44%
Air pollution
1995: 13.3 µg/m³ → 2023: 7.5 µg/m³
-31%
Fresh water per person
1995: 13577.8 m³ → 2022: 9399.9 m³
+19%
Adult overweight
1995: 54.2 % → 2022: 64.7 %
+0%
Electricity access
1995: 100 % → 2024: 100 %
+587%
GDP per person
1995: 19158 → 2025: 131592
+52%
Population
1995: 3609 k → 2025: 5484 k
+568%
Renewable energy use
1995: 1.9 % → 2021: 12.7 %
-16%
Energy per person
1995: 2952 kg → 2024: 2468 kg
+21%
Protected area, total
2013: 3.3 % → 2025: 4 %
+10%
Life expectancy
1995: 75.5 yrs → 2024: 83 yrs
+11%
Cereal yield
1995: 6579 ha → 2024: 7325 ha
-52%
Fertiliser use
1995: 1886 ha → 2023: 895.9 ha
-16%
Rural population
1995: 42.1 % → 2025: 35.4 %
+237%
Water productivity
1995: 90.6 $/m3 → 2022: 304.7 $/m3
+16%
Health spending
2000: 5.9 % → 2024: 6.85 %
+45%
Forest area
1995: 5460 km2 → 2023: 7940 km2
+39%
Electric power use
1995: 4525 kWh → 2024: 6298 kWh
+2%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 23 e → 2023: 23.3 e
-34%
Emissions: Building
1990: 10 e → 2023: 6.6 e
-27%
Emissions: Electricity/Heat
1990: 10.9 e → 2023: 8 e
-1%
Emissions: Energy
1990: 31 e → 2023: 30.7 e
+68%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 1.82 e → 2023: 3.05 e
-13%
Emissions: Manufacturing/Construction
1990: 4.15 e → 2023: 3.62 e
+133%
Emissions: Transportation
1990: 5 e → 2023: 11.7 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 7.9% to 11.5% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 4.1% to 37.2% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 9.6 t to 6.0 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 4818k to 10951k across 24 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 14.3% to 14.2% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 12.0% to 3.9% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 1.5% to 2.4% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 63.7% to 60.8% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 57.9% to 64.6% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 13.3 µg/m³ to 7.5 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 13577.8 m³ to 9399.9 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 54.2% to 64.7% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 100.0% to 100.0% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 19158 to 131592 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 3609k to 5484k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 1.9% to 12.7% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 2952 kg to 2468 kg across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 3.3% to 4% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 75.47 yrs to 83.01 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 6579 kg/ha to 7325 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 1886 kg/ha to 895.87 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 42.06% to 35.41% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 90.55 $/m3 to 304.71 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 5.9% to 6.85% across 24 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 5460 km2 to 7940 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 4525 kWh to 6298 kWh across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 22.96 to 23.31 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 10.04 to 6.6 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 10.9 to 7.98 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 30.98 to 30.72 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 1.82 to 3.05 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 4.15 to 3.62 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have transportation emissions moved?
Transportation emissions moved from 5.02 to 11.69 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, wildlife at 2/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Ireland already shows it can do this: water scores 4/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift wildlife
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Ireland's record. As a long-isolated island Ireland has low endemism and lost its large mammals, though it holds internationally important seabird colonies, grey seals and salmon rivers. Rewilding and native woodland projects are emerging but small. Lifting it toward the 4/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift conservation
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Ireland's record. Protected areas cover about 14% of land and only 2.4% of the sea (World Bank, 2025), across six national parks and a network of designated sites. Management is widely criticised, with the EU taking action over degraded special areas of conservation and drained, overgrazed peatlands, so effective protection is weaker than the coverage suggests. Lifting it toward the 4/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift energy
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Ireland's record. Ireland has cut power-sector emissions as wind has grown to about a third of electricity, with renewables reaching 40.7% of supply in 2023 (SEAI) and offshore wind planned to expand further. Its territorial CO2 emissions were around 6.3 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), while agriculture also makes the country's wider greenhouse-gas profile unusually high. The legally binding Climate Act 2021 sets net-zero by 2050 and a 51% cut by 2030. Natural gas still anchors the grid, placing Ireland in the middle band. Lifting it toward the 4/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Ireland.
Who is in charge of Ireland now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
(Prime Minister) Michael Martin
Taoiseach
(Prime Minister) Michael Martin is the head of government of Ireland, in office since 23 January 2025. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 85.5 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 79.7 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 78 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 84.4 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 83.2 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
(Prime Minister) Michael MartinTaoiseach
Parliament (Oireachtas)Legislature, bicameral
Last election26 October 2018
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1922
Government typeparliamentary republic
Ireland national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Law<br>In Policy Document
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Law (8/30/2021) In Policy Document (7/23/2024, 5/16/2023, 6/17/2019) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Ireland sustainable?
Ireland scores 68 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Ireland is water-rich and famed for its green landscape and living wool, tweed and Gaeltacht traditions, yet it is one of Europe's least forested and least organically farmed countries.
Is the water in Ireland safe and plentiful?
Ireland has a wet maritime climate with abundant rainfall, rivers such as the Shannon and plentiful groundwater, and about 96% of people have safely managed drinking water (JMP, 2024). Recurring boil-water notices and ageing infrastructure under Uisce Éireann keep it below the top band.
Can Ireland feed itself?
Ireland is a major food exporter, especially grass-fed beef and dairy, so it is highly self-sufficient in animal products while importing most fruit, vegetables and cereals. Farming remains central to the rural economy.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Ireland?
Traditional Irish food is meat, dairy and potato heavy, but oats, root vegetables, brassicas and seafood are local, and plant-based options are now easy to find in towns. An everyday whole-food vegetable culture is modest rather than strong.
How much of Ireland is actually protected?
Protected areas cover about 14% of land and only 2.4% of the sea (World Bank, 2025), across six national parks and a network of designated sites. Management is widely criticised, with the EU taking action over degraded special areas of conservation and drained, overgrazed peatlands, so effective protection is weaker than the coverage suggests.
What wildlife is left in Ireland?
As a long-isolated island Ireland has low endemism and lost its large mammals, though it holds internationally important seabird colonies, grey seals and salmon rivers. Rewilding and native woodland projects are emerging but small.
Is Ireland on clean energy?
Ireland has cut power-sector emissions as wind has grown to about a third of electricity, with renewables reaching 40.7% of supply in 2023 (SEAI) and offshore wind planned to expand further. Its territorial CO2 emissions were around 6.3 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), while agriculture also makes the country's wider greenhouse-gas profile unusually high. The legally binding Climate Act 2021 sets net-zero by 2050 and a 51% cut by 2030.
How polluted is Ireland?
Air is clean by international standards at about 7.5 µg/m³ PM2.5 (World Bank, 2023), and Ireland pioneered the world's first plastic bag levy in 2002, followed by EU single-use plastic rules. Winter solid-fuel burning still causes local smoke, and litter is a persistent problem in places.
Does recycling work in Ireland?
Municipal recycling sits in the upper-middle range, near the EU 50% target under older counting rules (Eurostat, 2023), with kerbside separation widespread.
Is the farming in Ireland organic?
Organic land was about 1.6% of agricultural area (FiBL, 2020 data), historically among the lowest in the EU, though national and CAP schemes have been expanding it since.
Are there natural materials and craft in Ireland?
Living natural-fibre traditions remain strong, above all Aran wool hand-knits and Donegal tweed, alongside Foxford and other woollen mills, with Irish linen now largely historic.
Is there living culture in Ireland?
Ireland retains living rooted communities, including Irish-speaking Gaeltacht areas and a strong traditional music and rural pub culture, and much tourism spend reaches local guesthouses, farms and small operators.
What heritage does Ireland keep alive?
Ireland's traditional music is vividly alive, from fiddle and flute to the UNESCO-recognised uilleann piping and the informal session culture found across the country. Sean-nos singing and dance, step and set dancing, and the Irish language remain in active use, supported by community and revival movements. Ancestral seasonal festivals rooted in the Celtic calendar, including Samhain, Bealtaine and Lughnasa, and holy-well pilgrimages continue to be observed.
So is Ireland actually green? The measured answer
What is working: the record is thin on the headline measures, and the sourced numbers below say why.
What is not: land protected at 14.2% against a 30% mark, sea protected at 2.4% against a 30% mark, renewable electricity at 37.2% against a 100% mark.
Ireland sits 35 of 77 at 68/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking →
What is Ireland particularly good at?
✓Culture, scored 4/5. Ireland retains living rooted communities, including Irish-speaking Gaeltacht areas and a strong traditional music and rural pub culture, and much tourism spend reaches local guesthouses, farms and small operators.
✓Food and farming, scored 4/5. Ireland is a major food exporter, especially grass-fed beef and dairy, so it is highly self-sufficient in animal products while importing most fruit, vegetables and cereals. Farming remains central to the rural economy.
✓Heritage, scored 4/5. Ireland's traditional music is vividly alive, from fiddle and flute to the UNESCO-recognised uilleann piping and the informal session culture found across the country. Sean-nos singing and dance, step and set dancing, and the Irish language remain in active use, supported by community and revival movements. Ancestral seasonal festivals rooted in the Celtic calendar, including Samhain, Bealtaine and Lughnasa, and holy-well pilgrimages continue to be observed. This is strong, everyday living heritage.
Where does Ireland score worst?
✕Organic farming, scored 3/5. Organic land was about 1.6% of agricultural area (FiBL, 2020 data), historically among the lowest in the EU, though national and CAP schemes have been expanding it since.
✕Plant-based eating, scored 3/5. Traditional Irish food is meat, dairy and potato heavy, but oats, root vegetables, brassicas and seafood are local, and plant-based options are now easy to find in towns. An everyday whole-food vegetable culture is modest rather than strong.
✕Wildlife, scored 2/5. As a long-isolated island Ireland has low endemism and lost its large mammals, though it holds internationally important seabird colonies, grey seals and salmon rivers. Rewilding and native woodland projects are emerging but small.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
FranceScored on the same twelve pillars as Ireland.78
SwitzerlandScored on the same twelve pillars as Ireland.75
GermanyScored on the same twelve pillars as Ireland.75
United KingdomScored on the same twelve pillars as Ireland.65
MontenegroScored on the same twelve pillars as Ireland.63
SerbiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Ireland.58
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 3/5
Ireland has cut power-sector emissions as wind has grown to about a third of electricity, with renewables reaching 40.7% of supply in 2023 (SEAI) and offshore wind planned to expand further. Its territorial CO2 emissions were around 6.3 tonnes per person in 2024 (Our World in Data, Global Carbon Project), while agriculture also makes the country's wider greenhouse-gas profile unusually high.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Ireland's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 4/5
Ireland is a major food exporter, especially grass-fed beef and dairy, so it is highly self-sufficient in animal products while importing most fruit, vegetables and cereals. Farming remains central to the rural economy.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Ireland's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 4/5
Ireland's traditional music is vividly alive, from fiddle and flute to the UNESCO-recognised uilleann piping and the informal session culture found across the country. Sean-nos singing and dance, step and set dancing, and the Irish language remain in active use, supported by community and revival movements.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Ireland's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Ireland Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Ireland, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
82.7 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
84.4 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
78 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
85.5 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
65.8 / 100 · 16 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 16 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
66.9 / 100 · 26 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 26 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
62.5 / 100 · 39 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 39 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
87.3 / 100 · 37 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 37 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
47.0 / 100 · 100 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 100 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
60.7 / 100 · 76 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 76 of 131 countries assessed.
How Ireland Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
One index, every destination. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
