Economy of Northern Ireland

Economy of Northern Ireland
Belfast City Hall
CurrencyPound sterling (£)
1 April to 31 March[a]
Statistics
Population1,910,543 (2022)[1]
GDP£56.7 billion (2022)[2]
GDP per capita
£29,674 (2022)[2]
Labour force
879,000 / 71.8% in employment (Jan–Mar 2024)[b][3]
Labour force by occupation
List
  • 23.9% Professional
  • 12.0% Administrative and secretarial
  • 11.9% Skilled trades
  • 10.8% Associate professional
  • 10.3% Caring, leisure and other service
  • 9.3% Elementary occupations
  • 7.9% Sales and customer service
  • 7.0% Managers, directors and senior officials
  • 6.1% Process plant and machine operatives
  • (Jan–Dec 2023)[c][3]
Unemployment19,000 / 2.1% (Jan–Mar 2024)[d][3]
Average gross salary
£643.30 per week (2023)[e][3]
External
Exports£13.2 billion (2021)[f][4]
Export goods
List
  • £2.6bn Machinery and transport
  • £1.4bn Food and live animals
  • £1.1bn Chemicals
  • £0.9bn Miscellaneous manufactures
  • £0.9bn Manufactured goods
  • £0.4bn Beverages and tobacco
  • £0.4bn Mineral fuels
  • £0.3bn Crude materials
  • £0.1bn Animal and vegetable oils
  • £0.0bn Other commodities
  • £8.0bn Total
  • (2021)[g][5]
Main export partners
List
  • £5.1bn European Union
  • £1.3bn North America
  • £0.9bn Asia & Oceania
  • £0.2bn Middle East and North Africa (excl. EU)
  • £0.1bn Western Europe (excl. EU)
  • £0.1bn Sub-Saharan Africa
  • £0.1bn Latin America and Caribbean
  • £0.1bn Eastern Europe (excl. EU)
  • — Undefined country group
  • £8.0bn Total
  • (2021)[g][5]
Imports£11.0 billion (2021)[f][4]
Import goods
List
  • £1.8bn Machinery and transport
  • £1.4bn Food and live animals
  • £1.4bn Manufactured goods
  • £1.3bn Chemicals
  • £1.1bn Miscellaneous manufactures
  • £0.4bn Crude materials
  • £0.3bn Mineral fuels
  • £0.2bn Beverages and tobacco
  • £0.1bn Animal and vegetable oils
  • £0.0bn Other commodities
  • £7.9bn Total
  • (2021)[g][5]
Main import partners
List
  • £5.3bn European Union
  • £1.4bn Asia & Oceania
  • £0.6bn North America
  • £0.3bn Western Europe (excl. EU)
  • £0.1bn Latin America and Caribbean
  • £0.1bn Eastern Europe (excl. EU)
  • £0.1bn Middle East and North Africa (excl. EU)
  • £0.0bn Sub-Saharan Africa
  • — Undefined country group
  • £7.9bn Total
  • (2021)[g][5]

The economy of Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four constituents of the United Kingdom and the smaller of the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland. At the time of the Partition of Ireland in 1922, and for a period afterwards, Northern Ireland had a predominantly industrial economy, most notably in shipbuilding, rope manufacture and textiles, but most heavy industry has since been replaced by services.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Northern Ireland's economy has strong links to the economies of the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.


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  1. ^ "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Regional gross domestic product: all ITL regions". Office for National Statistics. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Labour Market Profile - Northern Ireland". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b Tuck, Helen (28 June 2023). "International trade in UK nations, regions and cities: 2021". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d "UK Regional Trade in Goods Statistics". UK Trade Info. HM Revenue and Customs. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Trade increases between Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, figures show, as firms avoid GB checks". export.org.uk. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Northern Ireland Broad Economy Sales and Exports Statistics: Purchases and Imports Results 2018" (PDF). nisra.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Broad Economy Sales and Exports Statistics". nisra.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Gross domestic product of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2019". statista.com. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Statistics on UK trade with Ireland" (PDF). parliament.uk. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Northern Ireland trade in goods, 2018" (PDF). Northern Ireland Assembly. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Trade increases between Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, figures show, as firms avoid GB checks". www.economy-ni.gov.uk. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.