Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal
Portugal: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 55.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
55.8%
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
111th
of 178 countries
All-time high
59.2%
in 2002
All-time low
49.6%
in 2013
Years of data
47
1978–2025
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal, 1978–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal is 55.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 8.9% 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 111th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 47 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 55.8% | — |
| 1979 | 56.9% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 56.4% | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 57.1% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 56.5% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 58.4% | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 54.3% | -7.1% |
| 1986 | 53.5% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 54.3% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 54.9% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 55.9% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 56.1% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 58.2% | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 57.1% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 55.7% | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 54.5% | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 54.0% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 53.5% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 53.9% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 57.8% | +7.1% |
| 1999 | 57.9% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 58.5% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 59.1% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 59.2% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 58.2% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 57.6% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 57.2% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 57.3% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 57.2% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 57.3% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 55.6% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 54.6% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 52.7% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 50.7% | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 49.6% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 50.5% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 51.2% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 51.9% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 53.6% | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 54.8% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 55.1% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 53.6% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 52.9% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 54.2% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 54.9% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 54.9% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 55.8% | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 56.4% | 55.8% | 56.9% | 2 |
| 1980s | 55.7% | 53.5% | 58.4% | 9 |
| 1990s | 55.9% | 53.5% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.7% | 55.6% | 59.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.5% | 49.6% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.4% | 52.9% | 55.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 108 Bangladesh 56.8% compare
- 109 Montenegro 56.4% compare
- 110 Slovenia 56.2% compare
- 112 Zimbabwe 55.7% compare
- 113 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 55.4% compare
- 114 Honduras 55.3% compare
More work & labour data for Portugal
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.055 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0528 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1795 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 7,134 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,861 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,504 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,250 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 8,754 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Portugal was 55.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), 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 111th out of 178 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 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.