Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Portugal
Portugal: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 5.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Portugal, 1974–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Portugal is 5.6%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.1% on the previous year and down 53.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Portugal peaked at 16.0% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 1974.
Portugal ranks 80th of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 1.4% | — |
| 1975 | 4.1% | +205.2% |
| 1976 | 6.0% | +44.7% |
| 1977 | 5.9% | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 5.4% | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 4.9% | -10.6% |
| 1980 | 4.0% | -17.3% |
| 1981 | 4.3% | +6.5% |
| 1982 | 3.7% | -13.7% |
| 1983 | 4.6% | +24.7% |
| 1984 | 6.2% | +35.5% |
| 1985 | 6.2% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 6.7% | +8.9% |
| 1987 | 5.8% | -13.9% |
| 1988 | 4.3% | -25.7% |
| 1989 | 3.5% | -18.9% |
| 1990 | 3.3% | -6.1% |
| 1991 | 2.6% | -20.6% |
| 1992 | 3.4% | +29.7% |
| 1993 | 4.5% | +34.3% |
| 1994 | 5.9% | +29.4% |
| 1995 | 6.5% | +10.7% |
| 1996 | 6.4% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 5.8% | -8.7% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | -34.5% |
| 1999 | 4.2% | +9.9% |
| 2000 | 3.0% | -27.2% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 3.8% | +31.9% |
| 2003 | 5.2% | +35.4% |
| 2004 | 5.6% | +8.0% |
| 2005 | 6.7% | +19.3% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 6.6% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 6.5% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 8.8% | +36.3% |
| 2010 | 9.8% | +10.5% |
| 2011 | 12.3% | +26.5% |
| 2012 | 15.5% | +25.8% |
| 2013 | 16.0% | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 13.5% | -15.8% |
| 2015 | 12.2% | -10.1% |
| 2016 | 11.0% | -9.5% |
| 2017 | 8.4% | -23.5% |
| 2018 | 6.6% | -22.0% |
| 2019 | 5.8% | -11.6% |
| 2020 | 6.6% | +14.2% |
| 2021 | 6.4% | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 5.7% | -11.1% |
| 2023 | 6.1% | +7.3% |
| 2024 | 6.0% | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 5.6% | -7.1% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 5.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 1.1× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 5.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.4%, 1.0× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +205.2% | 1.4% | 4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.6% | 1.4% | 6.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 4.9% | 3.5% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.6% | 2.6% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.6% | 2.9% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.1% | 5.8% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.1% | 5.6% | 6.6% | 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 unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Portugal?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Portugal was 5.6% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 1974.
- How does Portugal rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Portugal ranks 80th out of 181 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.