Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Portugal
Portugal: Public sector employment as a share of total employment was 26.9% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Portugal, 2007–2020
Source: World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for public sector employment as a share of total employment in Portugal is 26.9%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is up 10.1% on the previous year and up 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employment as a share of total employment in Portugal peaked at 26.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.1%, in 2008.
Portugal ranks 17th of 79 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 24.2% | — |
| 2008 | 19.1% | -21.1% |
| 2009 | 20.3% | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 21.5% | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 22.9% | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 24.3% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 24.6% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 24.4% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 23.4% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 24.0% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 24.5% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 24.4% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 24.5% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 26.9% | +10.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.2% | 19.1% | 24.2% | 3 |
| 2010s | 23.8% | 21.5% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.9% | 26.9% | 26.9% | 1 |
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 public sector employment as a share of total employment in Portugal?
- Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Portugal was 26.9% in 2020, according to World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 26.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.1% in 2008.
- How does Portugal rank for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- Portugal ranks 17th out of 79 countries with data for 2020.
- Is public sector employment as a share of total employment rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of all employed people who are paid employees of the public sector, including government, the armed forces, public services, and state-owned enterprises.