Ireland's population in April 2004 is estimated at 4.04 million and is the highest figure since 1871 when the census for that year recorded a population of 4.05 million.
According to population estimates figures released today by the Central Statistics Office, the population increased by 64,900 or 1.6 per cent compared with the previous April.
The natural increase in the population (births less deaths) for the period was 33,300 while net immigration contributed 31,600 to the annual increase.
The estimated number of immigrants in the year to April 2004 was 50,100, while emigrants numbered 18,500 in the same period.
Both flows were down compared with the previous 12-month period.
The main feature of the 2004 figures was a widening gap between the number of births and deaths - which has grown from 17,500 in the 12-month period ending April 1995 to 33,300 in the corresponding period to April 2004.
Immigration, which had peaked at 66,900 in the 12 months to April 2002, has fallen back to 50,100 in 2004.
Nearly a third (30 per cent) of immigrants are nationals of countries other than the EU and United States, while just over a third (34 per cent) of immigrants are returning Irish nationals.
A more detailed breakdown of the immigrant profile finds that 9 per cent of immigrants are Chinese while 8 per cent are nationals from Central/Eastern European countries.
Emigration is at its lowest level (18,500) since the Central Statistics Office began collecting data on migration in 1987.
Around 40 per cent of emigrants went to countries other than the EU and the United States, while 39 per cent of all immigrants originated from outside the EU and United States.
The age profile of emigrants was younger than that for immigrants. Some 54 per cent of emigrants were aged 15-24 years, while half of all immigrants were aged 25-44 years.