Map of Portugal | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: A global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A revolution deposed the monarchy in 1910, and for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup ushered in broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 92,090 km²
Land: 91,470 km²
Water: 620 km²
Note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Comparative: slightly smaller than Virginia

Land boundaries
Total: 1,224 km
Border countries (1): (1) Spain 1,224 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Terrain
The west-flowing Tagus River divides the country: the north is mountainous toward the interior, while the south is characterized by rolling plains

Elevation
Highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 372 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 43.3% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 10.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 9.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 23.6% (2023 est.)
Forest: 36.6% (2023 est.)
Other: 5.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,662 km² (2019)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes
Volcanism: limited volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (1,043 m) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira

Geography
Note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; they are two of the four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are the Canary Islands (Spain) and Cabo Verde


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Population
Total: 10,207,177 (2024 est.)
Male: 4,835,763
Female: 5,371,414
Distribution: concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities
Growth rate: -0.14% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used)

Religions: Roman Catholic 79.7%, Protestant 2.2%, other Christian 2.5%, other non-Christian, 1.1%, none 14.5% (2021 est.)
Note: data represent population 15 years of age and older

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 12.7% (male 662,419/female 631,284)
15-64 years: 65% (male 3,264,766/female 3,371,087)
65 years and over: 22.3% (2024 est.) (male 908,578/female 1,369,043)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 53.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 19.5 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 34.3 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 2.9 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 46.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 44.3 years
Female: 48.3 years

Population growth rate: -0.14% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

Population distribution: concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities

Urbanization
Urban population: 67.9% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 3.001 million LISBON (capital), 1.325 million Porto (2023)

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.8 years
Female: 85.2 years

Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 2.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 0.9% (2016 est.)

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.4% (2024 est.); 6.6% (2023 est.); 6.1% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

Capital
Name: Lisbon
Geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Time zone note: Portugal has two time zones, including the Azores (UTC-1)
Etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; some trace it back to the legendary Greek hero Ulysses; others claim a derivation from the Phoenician alis-ubbo, or 'joyful bay'

Administrative divisions: 18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (since 9 March 2016)
Head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Luis MONTENEGRO (since 2 April 2024)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister
Most recent election date: 24 January 2021
2021: Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (PSD) 60.7%, Ana GOMES (ran as an independent but is a member of PS) 13%, Andre VENTURA (CH) 11.9%, João FERREIRA (PCP-PEV) 4.3%, other 10.1%
2016: Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (PSD) 52%, António SAMPAIO DA NOVOA (independent) 22.9%, Marisa MATIAS (BE) 10.1%, Maria DE BELEM ROSEIRA (PS) 4.2%, other 10.8%
Expected date of next election: January 2026
Note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 230 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 5/18/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD) - Democratic and Social Centre - People's Party (CDS-PP) (88); Chega (CH) (60); Socialist Party (PS) (58); Other (24)
Percentage of women in chamber: 35.7%
Expected date of next election: September 2,029

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: two vertical bands of green (left side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths), with the national coat of arms (armillary sphere and national shield) centered on the dividing line

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'A Portugesa' (The Song of the Portuguese)
Lyrics/music: Henrique LOPES DE MENDOCA/Alfredo KEIL
History: adopted 1911; originally written to protest the Portuguese monarchy's acquiescence to the 1890 British ultimatum forcing Portugal to give up areas of Africa

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 17 (16 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.9% (2024 est.); 2.6% (2023 est.); 7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 1.9% (2024 est.); 2.6% (2023 est.); 7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 62% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 16.8% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 47.5% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -46.4% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2% (2024 est.)
Industry: 18.4% (2024 est.)
Services: 66.4% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

Industries: textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper and pulp, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, automobiles and auto parts, base metals, minerals, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; dairy products, wine, other foodstuffs; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism, plastics, financial services, optics

Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 5.464 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 6.4% (2024 est.); 6.6% (2023 est.); 6.1% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.4% (2024 est.); 6.6% (2023 est.); 6.1% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $112.802 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $109.044 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 22.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $144.237 billion (2024 est.); $137.934 billion (2023 est.); $126.953 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, unpackaged medicine, refined petroleum (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $136.976 billion (2024 est.); $133.617 billion (2023 est.); $132.193 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, crude petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, garments (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 25.409 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 50.317 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 3.422 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 13.656 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 5.129 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 25.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 29% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 24.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 7.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 6,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 3 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 204,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Consumption: 4.325 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 4.251 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 38.272 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 20,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 29.525 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 8.727 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 73.285 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 5.505 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 12.8 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 86% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 4.6 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)


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Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2025 est.); 1.6% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 128 (2025)

Heliports: 65 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 2,526 km (2020) 1,696 km electrified

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 888 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 110, container ship 299, general cargo 191, oil tanker 29, other 259

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs