Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Portugal
Portugal: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 6.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Portugal, 1974–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Portugal recorded 6.0% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and down 51.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Portugal peaked at 16.2% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1974.
Portugal ranks 79th of 187 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, total (% of total labor force) in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 1.8% | — |
| 1975 | 4.5% | +157.2% |
| 1976 | 6.4% | +41.1% |
| 1977 | 7.5% | +17.4% |
| 1978 | 8.1% | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 8.1% | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 7.7% | -5.7% |
| 1981 | 8.3% | +8.6% |
| 1982 | 7.4% | -11.5% |
| 1983 | 7.8% | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 8.9% | +15.5% |
| 1985 | 8.3% | -7.6% |
| 1986 | 8.7% | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 7.4% | -15.2% |
| 1988 | 6.0% | -18.6% |
| 1989 | 5.1% | -14.6% |
| 1990 | 4.6% | -9.5% |
| 1991 | 3.9% | -15.6% |
| 1992 | 4.0% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 5.3% | +33.0% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | +26.6% |
| 1995 | 7.1% | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 7.3% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 6.6% | -10.0% |
| 1998 | 4.6% | -29.4% |
| 1999 | 4.6% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | -16.9% |
| 2001 | 3.8% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 4.5% | +17.4% |
| 2003 | 6.1% | +36.4% |
| 2004 | 6.3% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 7.6% | +20.0% |
| 2006 | 7.6% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | +24.9% |
| 2010 | 10.8% | +14.2% |
| 2011 | 12.7% | +18.0% |
| 2012 | 15.5% | +22.0% |
| 2013 | 16.2% | +4.7% |
| 2014 | 13.9% | -14.5% |
| 2015 | 12.4% | -10.6% |
| 2016 | 11.1% | -10.9% |
| 2017 | 8.9% | -19.7% |
| 2018 | 7.0% | -21.5% |
| 2019 | 6.4% | -7.8% |
| 2020 | 6.8% | +6.7% |
| 2021 | 6.7% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 6.1% | -8.6% |
| 2023 | 6.5% | +5.9% |
| 2024 | 6.4% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 6.0% | -6.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.1% | 1.8% | 8.1% | 6 |
| 1980s | 7.6% | 5.1% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.5% | 3.9% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.5% | 3.8% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.5% | 6.4% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.8% | 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, total (% of total labor force) in Portugal?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Portugal was 6.0% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1974.
- How does Portugal rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Portugal ranks 79th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.6%. 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, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.