Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Portugal
Portugal: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 598,661 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Portugal, 1971–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
Portugal recorded 598,661 for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in 2023.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Portugal peaked at 1.27 million in 1985 and was at its lowest, 583,173, in 2021.
Portugal ranks 100th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1.15 million | — |
| 1972 | 1.16 million | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 1.17 million | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 1.19 million | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 1.18 million | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 1.20 million | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 1.21 million | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 1.22 million | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 1.22 million | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 1.23 million | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 1.24 million | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 1.22 million | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 1.22 million | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 1.20 million | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 1.27 million | +6.0% |
| 1986 | 1.24 million | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 1.23 million | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 1.19 million | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 1.14 million | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 1.08 million | -5.0% |
| 1991 | 1.02 million | -5.4% |
| 1992 | 1.00 million | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 952,941 | -5.2% |
| 1994 | 929,471 | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 896,681 | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 867,253 | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 849,974 | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 832,696 | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 815,231 | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 810,996 | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 801,545 | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 769,910 | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 767,872 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 758,476 | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 752,739 | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 750,493 | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 753,646 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 754,142 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 743,662 | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 733,515 | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 720,740 | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 703,525 | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 693,045 | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 674,038 | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 656,727 | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 638,883 | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 629,804 | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 621,660 | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 612,700 | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 601,972 | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 583,173 | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 587,534 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 598,661 | +1.9% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 598,661 is above the median for high income countries, which is 236,668, 2.5× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 598,661 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 432,238, 1.4× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.19 million | 1.15 million | 1.22 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.22 million | 1.14 million | 1.27 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 924,741 | 815,231 | 1.08 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 766,348 | 743,662 | 810,996 | 10 |
| 2010s | 668,464 | 612,700 | 733,515 | 10 |
| 2020s | 592,835 | 583,173 | 601,972 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 97 Turkmenistan 631,199 compare
- 98 Kyrgyzstan 630,435 compare
- 99 Azerbaijan 603,966 compare
- 101 El Salvador 594,860 compare
- 102 Namibia 590,029 compare
- 103 United Arab Emirates 586,477 compare
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, 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)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Portugal?
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Portugal was 598,661 in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 1.27 million in 1985.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 583,173 in 2021.
- How does Portugal rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
- Portugal ranks 100th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Primary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.