Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Portugal
Portugal: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 55.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Portugal, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Portugal is 55.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Portugal peaked at 56.0% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 17.0%, in 1960.
That places Portugal 92nd out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 17.0% | — |
| 1970 | 24.6% | +44.9% |
| 1978 | 44.7% | +81.6% |
| 1979 | 46.9% | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 46.3% | -1.4% |
| 1981 | 47.0% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 46.5% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 47.3% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 46.2% | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 45.5% | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 46.3% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 46.6% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 47.2% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 47.5% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 49.9% | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 49.5% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 49.5% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 49.6% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 49.5% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 49.3% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 49.4% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 51.9% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 52.3% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 52.7% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 53.4% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 54.1% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 54.8% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 54.3% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 55.3% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 55.5% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 56.0% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 55.8% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 55.6% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 55.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 54.5% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 54.6% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 54.1% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 53.7% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 53.6% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 53.4% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 54.0% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 54.3% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 54.5% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 53.1% | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 52.8% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 53.8% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 54.9% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 55.0% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 55.7% | +1.3% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 55.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 97% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 55.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 56.9%, 98% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Portugal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +81.6% | 24.6% | 44.7% |
| 1970 | +44.9% | 17.0% | 24.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.0% | 17.0% | 17.0% | 1 |
| 1970s | 38.7% | 24.6% | 46.9% | 3 |
| 1980s | 46.5% | 45.5% | 47.3% | 9 |
| 1990s | 49.8% | 47.5% | 52.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.8% | 52.7% | 56.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.2% | 53.4% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.2% | 52.8% | 55.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
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 female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Portugal?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Portugal was 55.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 56.0% in 2007.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.0% in 1960.
- How does Portugal rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Portugal ranks 92nd out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.