Eurostat's latest figures reveal that 42% of Irish people still live in rural areas, making us on par with Denmark, and just behind Slovenia (50%), Lithuania (48%), Luxembourg (47%) and Slovakia (46%). On average only 27% of EU citizens now live in rural areas, with a low of 7% in Malta followed by 12% in the United Kingdom.

35% of Ireland's population live in cities compared to an EU average of 41%, while 23% live in towns and suburbs compared to an EU average of 32%.

The figures also show that the employment rate of people living in towns and suburbs in Ireland (66.3%) is lower than that of city dwellers (69.3%) and rural dwellers (69.7%).

Contrary to many other EU countries, people living in towns and suburbs in Ireland are also at a greater risk of poverty or social exclusion (29.3%) than those living in cities (26.3%) and rural areas (27.6%).

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, issues data on population, employment and risk of poverty in EU countries.

Rural Ireland’s fate depends on broadband

Ireland among the most rural countries in Europe

Ireland has one of the highest shares of people living in rural areas of almost any other EU country, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.