This page gathers some key figures on Portugal. The first version, published in the early 2000s, gave World Bank data for 1998-2002: we keep them for comparison, alongside the most recent values available from the national statistics institute (INE), Eurostat and the European Commission. Recent values are rounded and refer to the years shown.
Population and society
| Indicator | Around 2002 | Recent data |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 10.0 million | about 10.7 million (2024) |
| Life expectancy at birth | 76 years | about 81.5 years (2022-2024) |
| Children per woman | 1.5 | about 1.4 |
| Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births) | 5.0 | about 3 |
| Illiteracy (aged 15 and over) | 7.1% | about 3% (2021 census) |
| Foreign residents | about 0.2 million | about 1.5 million (2024) |
The population stayed almost stable for twenty years: falling births and emigration during the crisis years were offset more recently by strong immigration, mainly from Brazil, Portuguese-speaking African countries, South Asia and the rest of Europe. Portugal is one of the oldest countries in Europe.
Economy
| Indicator | Around 2002 | Recent data |
|---|---|---|
| GDP growth | 0.4% (2002) | 1.9% (2025) |
| Unemployment | about 5% | 6.0% (2025) |
| Public finances | deficit | surplus of 0.7% of GDP (2025) |
| Public debt | about 55% of GDP | 89.7% of GDP (2025) |
| Monthly minimum wage | about 350 euros | 920 euros (2026, paid 14 times a year) |
| Services share of GDP | 66% | over 75% |
Public debt, which rose above 130% of GDP after the 2010-2014 crisis and the pandemic, has fallen quickly in recent years thanks to budget surpluses. For a broader picture see the pages on the Portuguese economy and the cost of living.
Land, energy and tourism
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Area | about 92,200 km² (including islands) |
| Mainland coastline | about 830 km |
| Highest peak | Pico, Azores, 2,351 m (mainland: Torre, Serra da Estrela, 1,993 m) |
| Electricity from renewables | about two thirds of consumption, with much higher peaks |
| Guests in tourist accommodation | over 31 million (2024) |
Compared with the early 2000s, when there were about 2.5 million Internet users and 117 personal computers per thousand people, today the vast majority of the population is online and the country has one of Europe's most extensive fibre networks. CO2 emissions per person have also fallen, thanks to the growth of wind, hydro and solar power and the closure of the coal plants, the last of which stopped operating in 2021.
Sources: World Bank for historical data; INE, Eurostat, European Commission (Spring 2026 forecast) and the Portuguese government for recent data.