irlande

This country will be the richest in Europe by 2030, and nobody saw it coming!

undefined undefined undefined 12h00

The Editor

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ireland could surpass Luxembourg, currently in the lead, in terms of GDP per capita, and that could happen in just 4 years. In terms of purchasing power, both countries are expected to be neck and neck, still well ahead of the rest of the European Union.

Yes, you read that right! Ireland is ahead of Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the rest! Who would have thought? But hold on, as always with these kinds of announcements, these estimates should be taken with a grain of salt. The presence of many multinationals in Ireland could seriously inflate these numbers.  


Let’s all congratulate the Irish!

Today, Ireland's GDP per capita is $152,632, just below Luxembourg at $152,966. But in the coming years, these figures, like those of all European countries, should (finally) increase. The study predicts it will reach $181,953 if there are no major changes in the global economy.

The GDP per capita is one of the most commonly used indicators to compare economies and make estimates, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s very important to contextualize it with other values like...

Gross national product, to truly understand a country's economy. We know it's complicated, which is why we've done the heavy lifting for you. Here, the GDP per capita is somewhat distorted by the weight of the many multinationals based in Ireland (Apple, Microsoft, Meta…). But why specifically Ireland? Because the corporate tax rate is very (very) competitive: it's two times lower than in France and 10% lower than the European average. 

Another nuance to consider : let’s remind you that an increase in GDP per capita doesn’t mean the country is pulling ahead of its neighbors. The economy is evolving everywhere, and at the same time. If Ireland is rising, so are its neighbors. The race is not over !


And what about us in all this?

Well, to be honest, France isn't really the star of this ranking... with $66,276 today and an estimated $76,234 by 2030, we find ourselves in the second half of the ranking. But this 15th position shouldn’t make us blush. We are still ahead of great powers like Italy, Spain, or the United Kingdom, which we’re sure would love to be in our place.