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Europe
Page last updated: April 24, 2024
Following its heyday as 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 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy, and for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
39 30 N, 8 00 W
Europe
Total: 92,090 km²
Land: 91,470 km²
Water: 620 km²
Note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Slightly smaller than Virginia
Area comparison map:
Total: 1,224 km
Border countries (1): Spain 1,224 km
1,793 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
The west-flowing Tagus River divides the country: the north is mountainous toward the interior, while the south is characterized by rolling plains
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
Fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower
Agricultural land: 39.7% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 11.9% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 7.8% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 20% (2018 est.)
Forest: 37.8% (2018 est.)
Other: 22.5% (2018 est.)
5,662 km² (2019)
Concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities
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
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
10,223,150 (2023 est.)
Noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Portuguese
Portuguese 95%; citizens from Portugal’s former colonies in Africa, Asia (Han Chinese), and South America (Brazilian) and other foreign born 5%
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used)
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
0-14 years: 12.85% (male 672,673/female 641,409)
15-64 years: 65.18% (male 3,274,201/female 3,389,374)
65 years and over: 21.96% (2023 est.) (male 895,576/female 1,349,917)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 56
Youth dependency ratio: 20.8
Elderly dependency ratio: 35.2
Potential support ratio: 2.8 (2021 est.)
Total: 46 years (2023 est.)
Male: 44 years
Female: 47.9 years
-0.17% (2023 est.)
8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities
Urban population: 67.9% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
3.001 million LISBON (capital), 1.325 million Porto (2023)
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 (2023 est.)
29.9 years (2020 est.)
12 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 81.7 years (2023 est.)
Male: 78.6 years
Female: 85 years
1.44 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.7 (2023 est.)
73.9% (2014)
Improved: urban: 100% of population
Rural: 99.7% of population
Total: 99.9% of population
Unimproved: urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0.3% of population
Total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
10.6% of GDP (2020)
5.48 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
3.5 beds/1,000 population (2018)
Improved: urban: 99.9% of population
Rural: 100% of population
Total: 99.9% of population
Unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
20.8% (2016)
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.)
Total: 25.4% (2020 est.)
Male: 30.5% (2020 est.)
Female: 20.2% (2020 est.)
0.4% (2015/16)
52.6% (2023 est.)
5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.9%
Male: 97.8%
Female: 95.9% (2021)
Total: 17 years
Male: 17 years
Female: 17 years (2020)
Soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in urban centers and coastal areas
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
Maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
Agricultural land: 39.7% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 11.9% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 7.8% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 20% (2018 est.)
Forest: 37.8% (2018 est.)
Other: 22.5% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 67.9% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
0.13% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 7.34 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 48.74 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 10.93 megatons (2020 est.)
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.)
Municipal: 880 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 1.83 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 3.42 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
77.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
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)
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 an ancient Celtic town and port in present-day northern Portugal
Semi-presidential republic
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: Lisbon is one of Europe's oldest cities (the second oldest capital city after Athens) and the origin of the name is lost in time; it may have been founded as an ancient Celtic settlement that subsequently maintained close commercial relations with the Phoenicians (beginning about 1200 B.C.); the name of the settlement may have been derived from the pre-Roman appellation for the Tagus River that runs through the city, Lisso or Lucio; the Romans named the city "Olisippo" when they took it from the Carthaginians in 205 B.C.; under the Visigoths the city name became "Ulixbona," under the Arabs it was "al-Ushbuna"; the medieval version of "Lissabona" became today's Lisboa
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
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 1 December 1640 (independence reestablished following 60 years of Spanish rule); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
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
History: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1976, effective 25 April 1976
Amendments: proposed by the Assembly of the Republic; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of Assembly members; amended several times, last in 2005
Civil law system; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
18 years of age; universal
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
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 January 2021 (next to be held in January 2026); following legislative elections the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president
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%, JoĂŁo 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%, AntĂłnio SAMPAIO DA NOVOA (independent) 22.9%, Marisa MATIAS (BE) 10.1%, Maria DE BELEM ROSEIRA (PS) 4.2%, other 10.8%
Note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president
Description: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; 226 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote and 4 members - 2 each in 2 constituencies representing Portuguese living abroad - directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 10 March 2024 (next to be held on 30 September 2028); note - early elections were called after Prime Minister Antonio Luis Santos da COSTA resigned on 7 November 2023
Election results: percent of vote by party - AD (PSD, CDS-PP, PPM) 28.8%, PS, 28%, Enough 18.1%, IL 4.9%, BE 4.4%, L 3.2%, CDU 3.2%, other 9.4%; seats by party - AD (PSD, CDS-PP, PPM) 80, PS 78, Enough 50, IL 8, BE 5, L 4, CDU 4, other 1; composition as of March 2024 - men 155, women 75, percentage women 32.6%
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
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 [Nuno MELO]
Ecologist Party "The Greens" or "Os Verdes" (Partido Ecologista-Os Verdes) or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]
Enough (Chega) [Andre VENTURA]
Liberal Initiative (Iniciativa Liberal) or IL [Rui ROCHA]
LIVRE or L [Ru TAVARES & Teresea MOTA]
People-Animals-Nature Party (Pessoas-Animais-Natureza) or PAN [Ines SOUSA REAL]
People's Monarchist Party or PPM [Gonçalo DA CAMARA PEREIRA]
Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Portugues) or PCP [Paulo RAIMUNDO]
Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) or PSD [Luis MONTENEGRO] (formerly the Partido Popular Democratico or PPD)
Socialist Party (Partido Socialista) or PS [Pedro Nunes SANTOS]
The Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda) or BE or O Bloco [Mariana MORTAGUA]
Unitary Democratic Coalition (Coligacao Democratica Unitaria) or CDU [Paulo RAIMUNDO] (includes PCP and PEV) (2024)
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
Two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the national coat of arms (armillary sphere and Portuguese 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
Armillary sphere (a spherical astrolabe modeling objects in the sky and representing the Republic); national colors: red, green
Name: "A Portugesa" (The Song of the Portuguese)
Lyrics/music: Henrique LOPES DE MENDOCA/Alfredo KEIL
Note: adopted 1910; "A Portuguesa" was originally written to protest the Portuguese monarchy's acquiescence to the 1890 British ultimatum forcing Portugal to give up areas of Africa; the lyrics refer to the "insult" that resulted from the event
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)
Fast-growing, high-income European economy; EU and NATO member; heavy Chinese infrastructure ownership; key tourism, banking, and telecommunications sectors; declining populations; major energy exporter
$372.331 billion (2022 est.)
$348.535 billion (2021 est.)
$329.623 billion (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2017 dollars
6.83% (2022 est.)
5.74% (2021 est.)
-8.3% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$35,800 (2022 est.)
$33,600 (2021 est.)
$32,000 (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2017 dollars
$255.197 billion (2022 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
7.83% (2022 est.)
1.27% (2021 est.)
-0.01% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Fitch rating: BBB (2007)
Moody's rating: Baa3 (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2019)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 2.2% (2017 est.)
Industry: 22.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 75.7% (2017 est.)
Comparison rankings: services 44; industry 130; agriculture 170
Household consumption: 65.1% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 17.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 43.1% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -42.1% (2017 est.)
Milk, tomatoes, olives, grapes, maize, potatoes, pork, apples, oranges, poultry
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
1.84% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
5.296 million (2022 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
6.01% (2022 est.)
6.58% (2021 est.)
6.8% (2020 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 23.1% (2021 est.)
Male: 20.6%
Female: 26.2%
16.4% (2021 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line
34.7 (2020 est.)
Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
On food: 16.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 3.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Lowest 10%: 2.4%
Highest 10%: 26.9% (2020 est.)
Note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
4.03% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.32% of GDP (2020 est.)
Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Revenues: $102.052 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $101.854 billion (2019 est.)
-3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
125.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
129.9% of GDP (2016 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
22.01% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Calendar year
-$3.108 billion (2022 est.)
-$2.987 billion (2021 est.)
-$2.292 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
$126.541 billion (2022 est.)
$105.648 billion (2021 est.)
$85.128 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Spain 26%, France 12%, Germany 12%, United States 6%, United Kingdom 5% (2021)
Cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, leather footwear, tires, paper (2021)
$131.627 billion (2022 est.)
$112.413 billion (2021 est.)
$89.515 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Spain 31%, Germany 12%, France 6%, Italy 5%, Netherlands 5% (2021)
Crude petroleum, cars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, natural gas (2021)
$32.232 billion (2022 est.)
$32.535 billion (2021 est.)
$29.46 billion (2020 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
$462.431 billion (2019 est.)
$483.206 billion (2018 est.)
Euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
0.847 (2018 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 22.364 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 48.409 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Exports: 6.097 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 7.553 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 5.269 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 169; imports 31; exports 31; consumption 52; installed generating capacity 43
Fossil fuels: 39% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Solar: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Wind: 23.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 26.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Geothermal: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Biomass and waste: 7.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 957,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 238,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 36 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 249,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 255,400 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
323,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)
143,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
78,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 5.94 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 6.09 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
50.37 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 4.882 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 33.429 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 12.059 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
101.734 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
Total subscriptions: 5,437,049 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 52 (2021 est.)
Total subscriptions: 12,476,165 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2021 est.)
General assessment: Portugal has a medium-sized telecom market with a strong mobile sector and a growing broadband customer base; before the pandemic, the country had seen improving economic growth, following several years of austerity measures; revenue among some operators remains under pressure, though investments in network upgrades are continuing in an effort to attract customers to high-end services; Portugal’s broadband services have grown steadily in recent years, largely the result of joint efforts between the regulator and the key market operators which have invested in significant infrastructure upgrades; these operators are focused on fiber-based services, resulting in a migration of subscribers from digital subscriber line DSL infrastructure; the government has also supported open-access wholesale networks; the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market remains largely undeveloped, partly because network operators have their own low-cost brands; collectively, MVNOs have about 2.9% share of the market; population coverage by 3G infrastructure is universal, and most investment in the sector is being directed to LTE and 5G technologies; the MNOs have trialed 5G and are looking to launch commercial services (2021)
Domestic: fixed-lineis 52 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular is 121 per 100 persons (2021)
International: country code - 351; landing points for the Ella Link, BUGIO, EIG, SAT-3/WASC, SeaMeWe-3, Equino, MainOne, Tat TGN-Western Europe, WACS, ACE, Atlantis2 and Columbus-III submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, South America and the US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores (2019)
Radio e Televisao de Portugal, the publicly owned TV broadcaster, operates 4 domestic channels and external service channels to Africa; overall, roughly 40 domestic TV stations; viewers have widespread access to international broadcasters with more than half of all 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 some 300 regional and local commercial radio stations
.pt
Total: 8.2 million (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 82% (2021 est.)
Total: 4,160,795 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 10 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 168
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 17,367,956 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 454.21 million (2018) mt-km
CR, CS
130 (2024)
63 (2024)
1,344 km gas, 11 km oil, 188 km refined products (2013)
Total: 2,526 km (2020) 1,696 km electrified
Total: 11,217 km (2022)
210 km (2011) (on Douro River from Porto)
Total: 888 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 110, container ship 299, general cargo 191, oil tanker 29, other 259
Major seaport(s): Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines
Container port(s) (TEUs): Sines (1,420,000) (2019)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Sines
Portuguese Armed Forces (Forças Armadas): 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: Foreigners and Borders Service, Public Security Service, National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana, GNR) (2024)
Note: the Foreigners and Borders Service has jurisdiction over immigration and border matters, the Public Security Police has jurisdiction in cities, and 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 the operational command of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces in the event of a national emergency; the GNR describes itself as a hinge between the Armed Forces and the police forces and other security services
1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2021)
1.4% of GDP (2020)
1.4% of GDP (2019)
Approximately 25,000 active-duty personnel (12,000 Army; 7,000 Navy, including about 1,000 marines; 6,000 Air Force); 24,500 National Republican Guard (military personnel) (2023)
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 primarily focused on shipbuilding (2023)
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
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 220 in Lithuania (NATO), and approximately 150 in Romania (NATO); it also participates in NATO air policing and maritime patrolling operations (2024)
The Portuguese military is an all-volunteer force with the primary responsibilities of external defense, humanitarian operations, and fulfilling Portugal’s commitments to European and international security; 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, NATO, and 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 regularly in exercises with NATO partners
Portugal has had a standing army since the 1570s; the modern-day Army’s primary combat forces are a heavy mechanized brigade, a light mechanized “intervention” brigade, and a rapid reaction brigade comprised of commandos, paratroopers, and special forces; there are also garrison units in the Azores and Madeira
Portugal’s Navy is one of the oldest in the world, having been permanently established in in the 1300s, and maritime security has long been a key component of the military’s portfolio; the current Navy has a wide variety of missions in addition to war fighting, such as combating piracy, evacuating national citizens from conflict zones, fishery inspections, maritime interdiction, search and rescue, providing support to other domestic security agencies, and assisting with scientific research; its principal warships are 11 frigates, corvettes, and offshore patrol ships, and two attack-type submarines; the Navy also has a small marine force, which constitutes the Navy’s commando and special operations component
The Air Force was formed in 1952 although the first flying unit was created in 1911; the current Air Force has about 20 US-made fighter aircraft, as well as reconnaissance and surveillance, maritime patrol, transport, search and rescue, and firefighting fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft (2023)
Portugal Space (aka Portuguese Space Agency or AgĂŞncia Espacial Portuguesa; established 2019); Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT; government agency that funds space research established in 2009) (2023)
In 2019, announced intentions to build a commercial space port on Santa Maria Island in the Azores (2023)
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), navigation, 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, 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; Portugal Space acts as a business and development unit for universities, research entities and companies (2023)
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 Appendix 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 Appendix-T
Refugees (country of origin): 59,920 (Ukraine) (as of 31 January 2024)
Stateless persons: 55 (2022)
A European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin