Female share of the labor force in Portugal
Portugal: Female share of the labor force was 49.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female share of the labor force in Portugal, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female share of the labor force in Portugal is 49.7%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in Portugal peaked at 49.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 42.3%, in 1990.
Portugal ranks 12th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female share of the labor force in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 42.3% | — |
| 1991 | 43.2% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 43.3% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 43.8% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 44.1% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 44.2% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 44.4% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 44.8% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 44.9% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 45.2% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 45.4% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 45.5% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 45.7% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 46.3% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 46.3% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 46.9% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 47.0% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 47.3% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 47.3% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 47.8% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 48.1% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 47.7% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 48.1% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 48.5% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 48.6% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 48.8% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 48.8% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 49.0% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 49.1% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 49.0% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 49.3% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 49.4% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 49.7% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.0% | 42.3% | 45.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.5% | 45.4% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.5% | 47.7% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.4% | 49.0% | 49.7% | 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 share of the labor force in Portugal?
- Female share of the labor force in Portugal was 49.7% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female share of the labor force recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 49.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.3% in 1990.
- How does Portugal rank for female share of the labor force?
- Portugal ranks 12th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female share of the labor force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.