Does anyone know of any projections of the size of the Irish population (Republic, North, or the whole island) without the incredibly high emigration rates it historically sustained?
Population of Ireland without emigration
- Thread starter Minchandre
- Start date
Surely Ireland doesn't have the resources to support such a high population, though?
That was part of the reason they emmigrated.
However, lack of resources does'nt necessarily mean you're population is limited, I mean look at Japan, it's not exactly resource rich and it has 125 million people.
Wow, I was hoping for an upper limit. Looks like that upper limit is pretty arbitrary. That's insane. Irish people must have had kids like crazy.
Thande
Donor
Well...yes, that's the major stereotype of (Catholic) Irish.
As said above, though, the problem is that Ireland can't support that many people. Call it an upper limit of maybe 10 million, barring huge food imports.
however, in an industrialized nation like it currently is, i think 20 million is not a stretch. i mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but Greater London in 10 million. surely the entire island could hold more than that with modern technology and means
and there are over 40 million irish in america, you can bet we have babies like it's our job
and there are over 40 million irish in america, you can bet we have babies like it's our job
I'm definitely not questioning that. What I'm trying to figure out now is how I can have agricultural technology advance in step with natural population growth. Let's handwave the potato blight, or say that the British somehow decide to import food to prevent starvation. Then we have...what? Widespread introduction of mechanization, chemical fertilizers, maybe intensive breeding programs to increase yield. Does Ireland need artificial irrigation? I doubt it, but I don't know.
Introduction of greenhouses? Are Irish winters cold?
Laurentia
Banned
You have to remember, Britain is a larger island, and it imports around half of it's food, as I'm sure Thande could tell you.
And it is not just the size that counts - its the quality. Ireland is no Ukraine or Iowa when it comes to soil quality.
But I would say that Ireland could definitely support more population, with food imports. 20 million seems a little high, probably around 15 million sounds a little better to me.
Yes, we Irish Americans do breed like rabbits. I have 5 aunts and uncles and 6 first cousins on my mother's side alone. I probably have 30-40 cousins total, and that is a fairly meager amount compared some irish Americans!
Scipio
Scipio
Thande
Donor
That's not actually true anymore--or it may be, but that half represents luxury. Britain would actually be a net food exporter if we restrict ourselves to crops that can be grown in the island. This is due to agricultural scientific development by the post-war governments out of paranoia that we'd end up in a blockaded, rationing situation again.
Also, I question the idea that modern Ireland is "industrialised". The Republic basically went straight from agricultural to post-industrial (the Celtic Tiger economy is largely based on tertiary industry) without ever going through the usual intermediate industrial phase.
I'm only 25% Irish, yet I have 5 Grand Uncles who are Irish-American, 12 Great Grand Uncles and Aunts (Each with 5-6 kids each, and 5-6 kids each as well between 1900-1985). I have around 100-150 family members I see at parties, and this is only 25% of my family.
My Italian side is small however. My Grandmother, a cousin of my Mom, and another cousin, outside of my Mother, Father, Aunt, and 1st Cousin (And my brother).
My Italian side is small however. My Grandmother, a cousin of my Mom, and another cousin, outside of my Mother, Father, Aunt, and 1st Cousin (And my brother).
Just adding to the whole Irish breed like rabbits thing both of my parents are the youngest of 8 siblings, and their parents had even larger families.
No, not even close. Even today Ireland's population is lower than it was before the Famine. An Ireland with 25 million people would be FAR poorer.
Singapore has almost the same population in something like 1% of the land area. It isn't what you've got that counts, it's what you do with it - if Ireland could develop sufficiently so as to be able to pay for the imports it needs then it would have no trouble supporting a much higher population. such a level of development would probably require a pre-1840 POD though.