Labor force, female in Portugal
Portugal: Labor force, female was 49.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Portugal, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, female in Portugal stood at 49.7%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Portugal peaked at 49.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 42.3%, in 1990.
Portugal ranks 12th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 42.3% | — |
| 1991 | 43.2% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 43.3% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 43.8% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 44.1% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 44.2% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 44.4% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 44.8% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 44.9% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 45.2% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 45.4% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 45.5% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 45.7% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 46.3% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 46.3% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 46.9% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 47.0% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 47.3% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 47.3% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 47.8% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 48.1% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 47.7% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 48.1% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 48.5% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 48.6% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 48.8% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 48.8% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 49.0% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 49.1% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 49.0% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 49.3% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 49.4% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 49.7% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.0% | 42.3% | 45.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.5% | 45.4% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.5% | 47.7% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.4% | 49.0% | 49.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More education data for Portugal
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 291,682 (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0276 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 306,979 (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.029 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 741,752 (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.2518 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 52,131 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.6574 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Portugal?
- Labor force, female in Portugal was 49.7% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 49.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.3% in 1990.
- How does Portugal rank for labor force, female?
- Portugal ranks 12th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.