Portugal

A global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of Brazil, its wealthiest colony, in 1822. A revolution deposed the monarchy in 1910, and for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup ushered in broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Geographic coordinates

39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references

Europe

Area

total : 92,090 sq km

land: 91,470 sq km

water: 620 sq km

note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

comparison ranking: total 111

Area – comparative

slightly smaller than Virginia

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 1,224 km

border countries (1): Spain 1,224 km

Coastline

1,793 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Terrain

the west-flowing Tagus River divides the country: the north is mountainous toward the interior, while the south is characterized by rolling plains

Elevation

highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 372 m

Natural resources

fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use

agricultural land: 42.8% (2022 est.)

arable land: 10.2% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 9.5% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 23.1% (2022 est.)

forest: 36.2% (2022 est.)

other: 21.1% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

5,662 sq km (2019)

Population distribution

concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities

Natural hazards

Azores subject to severe earthquakes

volcanism: limited volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (1,043 m) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira

Geography – note

Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; they are two of the four North Atlantic archipelagos that make up Macaronesia; the others are the Canary Islands (Spain) and Cabo Verde

People and Society

Population

total: 10,207,177 (2024 est.)

male: 4,835,763

female: 5,371,414

comparison rankings: total 92; female 86; male 94

Nationality

noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)

adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups

Portuguese 95%; citizens from Portugal’s former colonies in Africa, Asia (Han Chinese), and South America (Brazilian) and other foreign born 5%

Languages

Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used)

Religions

Roman Catholic 79.7%, Protestant 2.2%, other Christian 2.5%, other non-Christian, 1.1%, none 14.5% (2021 est.)

note: data represent population 15 years of age and older

Age structure

0-14 years: 12.7% (male 662,419/female 631,284)

15-64 years: 65% (male 3,264,766/female 3,371,087)

65 years and over: 22.3% (2024 est.) (male 908,578/female 1,369,043)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 53.8 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 19.5 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 34.3 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 2.9 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 46.4 years (2024 est.)

male: 44.3 years

female: 48.3 years

comparison ranking: total 11

Population growth rate

-0.14% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 207

Birth rate

8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 214

Death rate

10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 27

Net migration rate

1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 56

Population distribution

concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities

Urbanization

urban population: 67.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

3.001 million LISBON (capital), 1.325 million Porto (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

29.9 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 137

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 216

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.9 years (2024 est.)

male: 78.8 years

female: 85.2 years

comparison ranking: total population 37

Total fertility rate

1.45 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 207

Gross reproduction rate

0.71 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 97.9% of population (2022 est.)

total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 2.1% of population (2022 est.)

total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

10.6% of GDP (2022)

14.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

5.85 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

3.5 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

20.8% (2016)

comparison ranking: 95

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 10.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 2.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 6.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 1.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 20

Tobacco use

total: 20.7% (2025 est.)

male: 26.1% (2025 est.)

female: 15.9% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 63

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.4% (2015/16)

comparison ranking: 114

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52.6% (2023 est.)

Education expenditure

4.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

9.8% national budget (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 90

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years (2022 est.)

male: 17 years (2022 est.)

female: 18 years (2022 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

soil erosion; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in urban centers and coastal areas

International environmental agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban

Climate

maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 67.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

38.272 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 20,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 29.525 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 8.727 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 66

Particulate matter emissions

7.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.71 million tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 764,433 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 16.2% (2014 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 880 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 1.83 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 3.42 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

77.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 6 (2024)

global geoparks and regional networks: Açores; Arouca; Estrela; Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional; Oeste; Terras de Cavaleiros (2024)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Portuguese Republic

conventional short form: Portugal

local long form: Republica Portuguesa

local short form: Portugal

etymology: name derives from the Roman designation “Portus Cale,” meaning “Port of Cale;” Cale was located in present-day northern Portugal, and its name is said to come from the Latin word calere (to be warm) because the harbor never iced over

Government type

semi-presidential republic

Capital

name: Lisbon

geographic coordinates: 38 43 N, 9 08 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

time zone note: Portugal has two time zones, including the Azores (UTC-1)

etymology: the origin of the name is unclear; some trace it back to the legendary Greek hero Ulysses; others claim a derivation from the Phoenician alis-ubbo, or “joyful bay”

Administrative divisions

18 districts (distritos, singular – distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular – regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Legal system

civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1976, effective 25 April 1976

amendment process: proposed by the Assembly of the Republic; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of Assembly members

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Portugal

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years; 6 years if from a Portuguese-speaking country

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (since 9 March 2016)

head of government: Prime Minister Antonio Luis MONTENEGRO (since 2 April 2024)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister

most recent election date: 24 January 2021

election results:
2021: Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA reelected president in the first round; percent of vote – Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (PSD) 60.7%, Ana GOMES (ran as an independent but is a member of PS) 13%, Andre VENTURA (CH) 11.9%, João FERREIRA (PCP-PEV) 4.3%, other 10.1%

2016: Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA elected president in the first round; percent of vote – Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA (PSD) 52%, António SAMPAIO DA NOVOA (independent) 22.9%, Marisa MATIAS (BE) 10.1%, Maria DE BELEM ROSEIRA (PS) 4.2%, other 10.8%

expected date of next election: January 2026

note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president

Legislative branch

legislature name: Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 230 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 4 years

most recent election date: 5/18/2025

parties elected and seats per party: Social Democratic Party (PPD/PSD) – Democratic and Social Centre – People’s Party (CDS-PP) (88); Chega (CH) (60); Socialist Party (PS) (58); Other (24)

percentage of women in chamber: 35.7%

expected date of next election: September 2029

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 12 justices); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices nominated by the president and appointed by the Assembly of the Republic; judges can serve for life; Constitutional Court judges – 10 elected by the Assembly and 3 elected by the other Constitutional Court judges; judges elected for 6-year nonrenewable terms

subordinate courts: Supreme Administrative Court (Supremo Tribunal Administrativo); Audit Court (Tribunal de Contas); appellate, district, and municipal courts

Political parties

Democratic Alliance or AD (2024 electoral alliance in the Azores, includes PSD, CDS-PP, PPM)
Democratic and Social Center/People’s Party (Partido do Centro Democratico Social-Partido Popular) or CDS-PP
Ecologist Party “The Greens” or “Os Verdes” (Partido Ecologista-Os Verdes) or PEV
Enough (Chega)
Liberal Initiative (Iniciativa Liberal) or IL
LIVRE or L
People-Animals-Nature Party (Pessoas-Animais-Natureza) or PAN
People’s Monarchist Party or PPM
Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Portugues) or PCP
Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) or PSD (formerly the Partido Popular Democratico or PPD)
Socialist Party (Partido Socialista) or PS
The Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda) or BE or O Bloco
Unitary Democratic Coalition (Coligacao Democratica Unitaria) or CDU (includes PCP and PEV) (2024)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Antonio DUARTE LOPES (since 7 June 2022)

chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400

FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://washingtondc.embaixadaportugal.mne.gov.pt/en/

consulate(s) general: Boston, Newark (NJ), New York, San Francisco

consulate(s): New Bedford (MA), Providence (RI)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Douglas A. KONEFF (since January 2025)

embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisboa

mailing address: 5320 Lisbon Place, Washington DC 20521-5320

telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300

FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://pt.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Independence

1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 1 December 1640 (independence reestablished after 60 years of Spanish rule); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday

Portugal Day (Dia de Portugal), 10 June (1580)

note: also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis DE CAMOES (1524-80) died

Flag description

two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths), with the national coat of arms (armillary sphere and national shield) centered on the dividing line; explanations for the color meanings are ambiguous, but a popular interpretation has green symbolizing hope and red the blood of those defending the nation

National symbol(s)

armillary sphere (a spherical astrolabe for modeling objects in the sky)

National color(s)

red, green

National anthem(s)

title: “A Portugesa” (The Song of the Portuguese)

lyrics/music: Henrique LOPES DE MENDOCA/Alfredo KEIL

history: adopted 1911; originally written to protest the Portuguese monarchy’s acquiescence to the 1890 British ultimatum forcing Portugal to give up areas of Africa

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 17 (16 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Évora (c); Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores (c); Cultural Landscape of Sintra (c); Laurisilva of Madeira (n); Historic Guimarães (c); Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon (c); Convent of Christ in Tomar (c); Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde (c); University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia (c); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga (c)

Economy

Economic overview

high-income EU and eurozone economy; strong services sector led by tourism and banking; tight labor market; growth driven by private consumption, trade surplus, and public investment from EU funds; declining public debt

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$448.226 billion (2024 est.)
$439.745 billion (2023 est.)
$428.547 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 52

Real GDP growth rate

1.9% (2024 est.)
2.6% (2023 est.)
7% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 152

Real GDP per capita

$41,900 (2024 est.)
$41,600 (2023 est.)
$41,100 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 53

GDP (official exchange rate)

$308.683 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (2024 est.)
4.3% (2023 est.)
7.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 70

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 2% (2024 est.)

industry: 18.4% (2024 est.)

services: 66.4% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

comparison rankings: services 46; industry 141; agriculture 149

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 62% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 16.8% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 20.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.4% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 47.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -46.4% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

milk, tomatoes, olives, grapes, maize, pork, potatoes, chicken, apples, oranges (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper and pulp, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, automobiles and auto parts, base metals, minerals, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; dairy products, wine, other foodstuffs; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism, plastics, financial services, optics

Industrial production growth rate

1.2% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 111

Labor force

5.464 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 80

Unemployment rate

6.4% (2024 est.)
6.6% (2023 est.)
6.1% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 118

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 21.2% (2024 est.)

male: 21.6% (2024 est.)

female: 20.7% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 51

Population below poverty line

16.4% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

36.3 (2022 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

comparison ranking: 69

Average household expenditures

on food: 17.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% (2022 est.)

highest 10%: 28.8% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $99.473 billion (2022 est.)

expenditures: $100.796 billion (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Public debt

125.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

comparison ranking: 11

Taxes and other revenues

22.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 30

Current account balance

$6.708 billion (2024 est.)
$1.624 billion (2023 est.)
-$5.356 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 30

Exports

$144.237 billion (2024 est.)
$137.934 billion (2023 est.)
$126.953 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 39

Exports – partners

Spain 21%, France 11%, Germany 10%, USA 8%, UK 5% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

cars, garments, vehicle parts/accessories, unpackaged medicine, refined petroleum (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$136.976 billion (2024 est.)
$133.617 billion (2023 est.)
$132.193 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 41

Imports – partners

Spain 33%, Germany 11%, France 7%, Netherlands 5%, China 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

cars, crude petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, refined petroleum, garments (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$42.434 billion (2024 est.)
$35.243 billion (2023 est.)
$32.232 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 49

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
0.924 (2024 est.)
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 25.409 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 50.317 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 3.422 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 13.656 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 5.129 billion kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 164; imports 16; exports 44; consumption 53; installed generating capacity 43

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 25.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 29% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 24.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

geothermal: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 7.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

consumption: 7,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 6,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 3 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 204,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Natural gas

consumption: 4.325 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports: 4.251 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

73.285 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 69

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 5.505 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 27

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 12.8 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 82

Broadcast media

Radio e Televisao de Portugal, the publicly owned TV broadcaster, operates 4 domestic channels and external service channels to Africa; roughly 40 domestic TV stations; widespread access to international broadcasters, with more than half of households connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV systems; publicly owned radio operates 3 national networks and provides regional and external services; several privately owned national radio stations and about 300 regional and local commercial radio stations

Internet country code

.pt

Internet users

percent of population: 86% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 4.6 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total 36

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

CR, CS

Airports

128 (2025)

comparison ranking: 41

Heliports

65 (2025)

comparison ranking: 31

Railways

total: 2,526 km (2020) 1,696 km electrified

Merchant marine

total: 888 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 110, container ship 299, general cargo 191, oil tanker 29, other 259

comparison ranking: total 27

Ports

total ports: 18 (2024)

large: 3

medium: 2

small: 4

very small: 9

ports with oil terminals: 5

key ports: Aveiro, Funchal, Lagos, Lisboa, Sines

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Portuguese Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Portuguesa): Portuguese Army (Exercito Portuguesa), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps, aka Corpo de Fuzileiros or Corps of Fusiliers), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP)

Ministry of Internal Administration: Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública, PSP) , National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana, GNR) (2025)

note: the PSP has jurisdiction in cities while the GNR has jurisdiction in rural areas; the GNR is a national gendarmerie force comprised of military personnel with law enforcement, internal security, civil defense, disaster response, and coast guard duties; it is responsible to both the Ministry of Internal Administration and to the Ministry of National Defense; it is not part of the Armed Forces, but may be placed under its operational command in the event of a national emergency

Military expenditures

1.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2023)
1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2021)
1.4% of GDP (2020)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 28,000 active-duty Armed Forces (15,000 Army; 7,000 Navy, including about 1,000 marines; 6,000 Air Force); 25,000 National Republican Guard (military personnel) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military’s inventory includes mostly European- and US-origin weapons systems along with a smaller mix of domestically produced equipment; in recent years, leading foreign suppliers have included Germany and the US; Portugal’s defense industry is noted for its shipbuilding (2024)

note: in 2023, Portugal announced a modernization program that included the acquisition of land, naval, air, cyber security, and space capabilities, as well as emerging disruptive technologies

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary or contract military service; no compulsory military service (abolished 2004) but conscription possible if insufficient volunteers available; women serve in the armed forces but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties; contract service lasts for an initial period of 2-6 years, and can be extended to a maximum of 20 years of service; initial voluntary military service lasts 12 months; reserve obligation to age 35 (2023)

note: as of 2023, women made up about 14% of the military’s full-time personnel

Military deployments

the Portuguese Armed Forces have more than 1,100 military personnel deployed around the world engaged in missions supporting the EU, NATO, the UN, and partner nations; key deployments include 225 troops in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), approximately 200 in Lithuania (NATO), and approximately 150 in Romania (NATO); it also participates in NATO air policing and maritime patrolling operations (2024)

Military – note

the Portuguese military is responsible for external defense, humanitarian operations, and fulfilling Portugal’s commitments to European and international security; maritime security has long been a key component of the military’s portfolio, and Portugal has one of the world’s oldest navies

Portugal was one of the original signers of the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949 establishing NATO, and the Alliance forms a key pillar of Portugal’s defense policy; Portugal is also a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy, and it regularly participates in a variety of EU and NATO, as well as UN deployments around the world; the military’s largest commitments include air, ground, and naval forces under NATO-led missions and standing task forces in the Baltics, Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean Sea; the military also participates in exercises with NATO partners (2025)

Space

Space agency/agencies

Portuguese Space Agency (Agência Espacial Portuguesa; aka Portugal Space; established 2019); Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT; government agency that funds space research established in 2009) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

developing a commercial space port on Santa Maria Island in the Azores (first anticipated launch, 2025) (2024)

Space program overview

has a national space program which is is integrated within the framework of the European Space Agency (ESA); builds and operates satellites; researches and develops a range of space-related technologies with an emphasis on small/micro/nano satellites for remote sensing (RS), navigational, science/technology, and telecommunications, as well as satellite launch services; in addition to the ESA/EU and their member states, cooperates with the space agencies and industries of a variety of countries, including those of Algeria, Angola, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Morocco, South Korea, and the US, as well as such international organizations and projects as the Europe South Observatory (ESO) and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Observatory project; one of the objectives of the country’s national space strategy (Portugal Space 2030) is to increase the annual outcome of space related activities in the country to about $500 million by 2030 (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide