Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Portugal
Portugal: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 63.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
63.5%
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
155th
of 196 countries
All-time high
91.0%
in 1960
All-time low
61.2%
in 2021
Years of data
49
1960–2025
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Portugal, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Portugal recorded 63.5% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Portugal peaked at 91.0% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 61.2%, in 2021.
Portugal ranks 155th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 91.0% | — |
| 1970 | 86.8% | -4.5% |
| 1978 | 80.3% | -7.5% |
| 1979 | 80.5% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 79.6% | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 78.6% | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 78.1% | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 74.1% | -5.2% |
| 1985 | 72.5% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 73.4% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 72.4% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 71.9% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 72.3% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 71.7% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 72.6% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 70.8% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 69.3% | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 68.5% | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 67.8% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 67.1% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 67.1% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 70.2% | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 69.9% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 69.7% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 70.2% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 70.8% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 70.0% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 69.5% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 69.1% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 69.3% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 69.1% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 68.9% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 67.7% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 67.2% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 66.9% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 66.2% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 65.0% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 64.4% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 64.0% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 64.0% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 64.4% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 64.2% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 64.0% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 62.5% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 61.2% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 62.2% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 62.9% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 62.8% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 63.5% | +1.1% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 63.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 69.5%, 91% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 63.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68.2%, 93% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 91.0% | 91.0% | 91.0% | 1 |
| 1970s | 82.5% | 80.3% | 86.8% | 3 |
| 1980s | 74.8% | 71.9% | 79.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 69.5% | 67.1% | 72.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.4% | 67.7% | 70.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.0% | 64.0% | 67.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.5% | 61.2% | 63.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 152 Finland 64.2% compare
- 153 Mauritania 64.1% compare
- 154 Comoros 63.5% compare
- 156 French Polynesia 63.4% compare
- 157 Kiribati 63.1% compare
- 158 Bosnia and Herzegovina 62.9% 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 labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Portugal?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Portugal was 63.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 91.0% in 1960.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.2% in 2021.
- How does Portugal rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Portugal ranks 155th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. 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 Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.