Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal

Portugal: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 54.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
54.6%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
117th
of 187 countries
All-time high
59.2%
in 2002
All-time low
49.6%
in 2013
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal, 1991–2025

02040601991200820251991: 58.61992: 56.61993: 55.51994: 54.61995: 54.11996: 54.21997: 55.31998: 57.81999: 57.92000: 58.52001: 59.12002: 59.22003: 58.22004: 57.62005: 57.22006: 57.32007: 57.22008: 57.32009: 55.52010: 54.62011: 52.82012: 50.82013: 49.62014: 50.62015: 51.32016: 522017: 53.72018: 54.82019: 55.22020: 53.62021: 532022: 54.22023: 54.82024: 54.62025: 54.6

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

Portugal recorded 54.6% for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal peaked at 59.2% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 49.6%, in 2013.

Portugal ranks 117th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal, year by year

Annual values for Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) in Portugal, 1991 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1991 58.6%
1992 56.6% -3.4%
1993 55.5% -2.0%
1994 54.6% -1.6%
1995 54.1% -0.8%
1996 54.2% +0.2%
1997 55.3% +1.9%
1998 57.8% +4.5%
1999 57.9% +0.2%
2000 58.5% +1.1%
2001 59.1% +1.0%
2002 59.2% +0.2%
2003 58.2% -1.8%
2004 57.6% -1.0%
2005 57.2% -0.8%
2006 57.3% +0.3%
2007 57.2% -0.1%
2008 57.3% +0.2%
2009 55.5% -3.1%
2010 54.6% -1.6%
2011 52.8% -3.3%
2012 50.8% -3.8%
2013 49.6% -2.3%
2014 50.6% +2.0%
2015 51.3% +1.3%
2016 52.0% +1.3%
2017 53.7% +3.3%
2018 54.8% +2.2%
2019 55.2% +0.6%
2020 53.6% -2.8%
2021 53.0% -1.2%
2022 54.2% +2.3%
2023 54.8% +0.9%
2024 54.6% -0.2%
2025 54.6% -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 56.1% 54.1% 58.6% 9
2000s 57.7% 55.5% 59.2% 10
2010s 52.5% 49.6% 55.2% 10
2020s 54.1% 53.0% 54.8% 6

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 114 Serbia 54.9% compare
  2. 115 Uzbekistan 54.8% compare
  3. 116 Hong Kong, China 54.8% compare
  4. 118 Haiti 54.4% compare
  5. 119 Congo 54.3% compare
  6. 120 Bulgaria 54.1% compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More work & labour data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal?
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal was 54.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 59.2% in 2002.
What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 49.6% in 2013.
How does Portugal rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
Portugal ranks 117th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Portugal data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-to-population-ratio-15-total-percent-modeled-ilo-estimate/portugal/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate)
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
235 places, 8,211 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.