Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Portugal
Portugal: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) 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 187 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 (% of total labor force) 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% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 49.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 46.5%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 49.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 47.1%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
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
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 82,664 (2018)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 11,380 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 136,282 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 128,743 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 741,752 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 598,661 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0566 units per person (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 187 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.