Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy in Portugal
Portugal: Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy was 5.08 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy in Portugal, 1985–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Analysis
The most recent figure for economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy in Portugal is 5.08 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy in Portugal peaked at 5.08 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.15 million, in 1985.
That places Portugal 17th out of 29 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 4.15 million | — |
| 1986 | 4.20 million | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 4.25 million | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 4.30 million | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 4.36 million | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 4.41 million | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 4.47 million | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 4.53 million | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 4.58 million | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 4.63 million | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 4.69 million | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 4.74 million | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 4.80 million | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 4.86 million | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 4.91 million | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 4.97 million | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 5.02 million | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 5.05 million | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 5.06 million | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 5.06 million | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 5.05 million | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 5.03 million | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 5.00 million | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 4.97 million | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 4.93 million | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 4.88 million | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 4.84 million | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 4.79 million | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 4.75 million | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 4.73 million | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 4.72 million | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 4.74 million | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 4.77 million | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 4.81 million | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 4.86 million | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 4.91 million | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 4.96 million | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 5.01 million | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 5.05 million | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 5.08 million | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 5.08 million | +0.1% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 5.08 million is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.23 million, 97% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 5.08 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.08 million, 1.0× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.25 million | 4.15 million | 4.36 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 4.66 million | 4.41 million | 4.91 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.01 million | 4.93 million | 5.06 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.79 million | 4.72 million | 4.88 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.02 million | 4.91 million | 5.08 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More economy & growth data for Portugal
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.18 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.9 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 6.84 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0218 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 639.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 13.49 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 16.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.043 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,261 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 62.23 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy in Portugal?
- Economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy in Portugal was 5.08 million in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 5.08 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.15 million in 1985.
- How does Portugal rank for economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy?
- Portugal ranks 17th out of 29 countries with data for 2025.
- Is economic outlook no 115 — potential employment of total economy rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Economic Outlook No 115 — Potential employment of total economy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
May 2024 - The OECD Economic Outlook presents the OECD’s analysis of the major global economic trends and prospects for the next two years. The Outlook puts forward a consistent set of projections for output, employment, government spending, prices and current balances based on a review of each member country and of the induced effect on each of them on international developments. OECD (2024), OECD Economic Outlook No 115 (Edition 2024/1) EO115 Database documentation EO115 Last historical points gdp inflation cpi population unemployment real gdp gdp per capita employment OECD Economic Outlook website: https://www.oecd.org/economic-outlook/ Contact: eco.outlook@oecd.org Keywords: Outlook, forecasts, forecast, GDP