Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Portugal
Portugal: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 54.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Portugal, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Portugal recorded 54.6% for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in 2025.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Portugal peaked at 55.9% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 48.0%, in 1990.
Portugal ranks 85th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 48.0% | — |
| 1991 | 50.1% | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 48.6% | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 48.8% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 49.1% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 49.5% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 50.5% | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 51.9% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 52.3% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 52.7% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 53.5% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 54.1% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 54.8% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 54.3% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 55.3% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 55.5% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 55.9% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 55.8% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 55.6% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 55.8% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 54.6% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 54.7% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 54.2% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 53.8% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 53.7% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 53.5% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 54.0% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 54.3% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 54.5% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 53.2% | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 52.9% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 53.8% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 54.7% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 54.9% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 54.6% | -0.5% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 54.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 55.1%, 99% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 54.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.6%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.8% | 48.0% | 52.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.7% | 52.7% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.3% | 53.5% | 55.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.0% | 52.9% | 54.9% | 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 labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Portugal?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Portugal was 54.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 55.9% in 2007.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.0% in 1990.
- How does Portugal rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Portugal ranks 85th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.