Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Portugal

Labor force in Portugal in 2025 — 5,485,246 people. Ranked 79 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 15.7%.

2025 5.49M people +0.64% vs 2024
World rank 79of 182
Period maximum 5.53M people2008
Period minimum 4.74M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Portugal, 1990–20254.6M4.8M5M5.2M5.4M5.6M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 4,740,079 people1991: 4,875,550 people1992: 4,748,270 people1993: 4,749,612 people1994: 4,783,077 people1995: 4,803,848 people1996: 4,863,514 people1997: 4,958,056 people1998: 5,119,669 people1999: 5,168,078 people2000: 5,230,882 people2001: 5,335,182 people2002: 5,418,600 people2003: 5,439,706 people2004: 5,415,609 people2005: 5,461,291 people2006: 5,497,103 people2007: 5,529,578 people2008: 5,531,613 people2009: 5,483,627 people2010: 5,488,106 people2011: 5,423,705 people2012: 5,377,544 people2013: 5,281,205 people2014: 5,223,582 people2015: 5,197,927 people2016: 5,182,106 people2017: 5,221,693 people2018: 5,230,976 people2019: 5,245,523 people2020: 5,138,884 people2021: 5,114,630 people2022: 5,245,513 people2023: 5,395,411 people2024: 5,450,166 people2025: 5,485,246 people
Change over the period: +745,167 (+15.72%) Average annual rate: 0.42 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Portugal

Portugal 5.49M people
World 3.74B people
Europe & Central Asia 429M people
Southern Europe computed 70.74M people
High-income countries computed 716M people
Labor force — Portugal, by year Portugal All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 5.49M +35,080 +0.64%
2024 5.45M +54,755 +1.01%
2023 5.4M +149,898 +2.86%
2022 5.25M +130,883 +2.56%
2021 5.11M −24,254 −0.47%
2020 5.14M −106,639 −2.03%
2019 5.25M +14,547 +0.28%
2018 5.23M +9,283 +0.18%
2017 5.22M +39,587 +0.76%
2016 5.18M −15,821 −0.3%
2015 5.2M −25,655 −0.49%
2014 5.22M −57,623 −1.09%
2013 5.28M −96,339 −1.79%
2012 5.38M −46,161 −0.85%
2011 5.42M −64,401 −1.17%
2010 5.49M +4,479 +0.08%
2009 5.48M −47,986 −0.87%
2008 5.53M +2,035 +0.04%
2007 5.53M +32,475 +0.59%
2006 5.5M +35,812 +0.66%
2005 5.46M +45,682 +0.84%
2004 5.42M −24,097 −0.44%
2003 5.44M +21,106 +0.39%
2002 5.42M +83,418 +1.56%
2001 5.34M +104,300 +1.99%
2000 5.23M +62,804 +1.22%
1999 5.17M +48,409 +0.95%
1998 5.12M +161,613 +3.26%
1997 4.96M +94,542 +1.94%
1996 4.86M +59,666 +1.24%
1995 4.8M +20,771 +0.43%
1994 4.78M +33,465 +0.7%
1993 4.75M +1,342 +0.03%
1992 4.75M −127,280 −2.61%
1991 4.88M +135,471 +2.86%
1990 4.74M

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.