Geography

Economics

Demographics

Military

Politics

Surface

Surface (in square kilometers)

Surface (in square miles)

Surface (water)

Water Surface (in square kilometers)

Water Surface (in square miles)

Share of water (%)

Temperature

Average temperature (in Celcius)

Average temperature (in Farenheit)

Average high temperature (in Celcius)

Average high temperature (in Farenheit)

Average low temperature (in Celcius)

Average low temperature (in Farenheit)

Rainfall

Average rainfall (mm)

Average rainfall (inch)

Distance to other capitals (kilometers)

Distance to other capitals (miles)

Proximity

Economic organizations

Gross Domestic Product (US$)

Gross Domestic Product per capita

Amount of memberships (economic organizations)

Absolute earnings for every 1$

Relative earnings

GDP in PPP per capita (in US$)

 

GDP in PPP per capita

Gross Domestic product (in million US$)

GDP per capita (in US$)

Surface GDP

GDP per square kilometer (in US$)

GDP per square mile(in US$)

Relative GDP in PPP

Population

Population density

Emigration

Immigration

Literacy

Health

Population density (in km2)

Population density (in mi2)

Religion

Christianity (share of the total population)

Islam (share of the total population)

Buddhism (share of the total population)

Hinduism (share of the total population)

Judaism (share of the total population)

Other religions (share of the total population)

Non-religious (share of the total population)

Military spending (in % of GDP)

Military spending

In total, Portugal spends US$4.5 billion on its military, or 2.035 percent of its GDP. This makes Portugal the 43rd highest military spender in the world and represents 0.23 percent of total global military expenditure.

The military of Portugal, called the Portuguese Armed Forces consists of a Navy, an army and an air force. Its main task is to ensure its territorial integrity, and its main activities have been peacekeeping missions as well as operations by NATO.  

Military membership

Portugal is also a member of 11 international military organizations. This makes it the 27th most militarily connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • Common Security and Defence Policy 
  • Permanent Structured Cooperation 
  • Member state of NATO 
  • Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) 
  • Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons 
  • Wassenaar Arrangement 
  • Nuclear Suppliers Group 
  • Australia Group 
  • Missile Technology Control Regime 
  • International Atomic Energy Agency 
  • NATO 

Military membership

International wars

Portugal has partaken in 22 international wars. These are: 

  • War of the Spanish Succession 1701-1714 
  • Seven Years' War 1756-1763 
  • War of the First Coalition 1791-1797 
  • Malayan–Portuguese war 1511-1641 
  • France Antarctique 
  • Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) 
  • Dutch–Portuguese War 1601-1663 
  • Equinoctial France War 1611-1615 
  • Spanish–Portuguese War (1735–1737) 
  • Fantastic War 1761-1763 
  • Spanish–Portuguese War (1776–1777) 
  • War of the Oranges 1801-1801  
  • " Hundred Days war 1815-1815" 
  • World War I 1914-1918 
  • Spanish Civil War 1936-1936 
  • Annexation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli 1954-1954 
  • Indian annexation of Goa 1961-1961 
  • Angolan War of Independence 1961-1975 
  • Mozambican War of Independence 1964-1974 
  • Angolan Civil War 1975-2001 
  • Libyan Civil War 2011-2011 

Number of international wars fought

Military spending (in US$ million)

Membership (international political organizations)

In total, Portugal is a member of 18 international political organizations. This makes it the 12th most connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • Member state of the United Nations 

  • International Labour Organization 

  • European Union 

  • the Council of Europe 

  • Energy Community 

  • European Cooperation in Science and Technology 

  • Union for the Mediterranean 

  • Community of Portuguese Language Countries 

  • Interpol 

  • Organization of Ibero-American States 

  • UNIDROIT 

  • International Criminal Court 

  • Permanent Court of Arbitration 

  • International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property 

  • Association of World Election Bodies 

  • Western European and Others Group 

  • International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 

  • World Organization for Animal Health 

Political Membership

Democracy/dictatorship rating

Portugal is the 13th most democratic state in the world. This is largely due to having installed checks and balances as well as regular elections. However, corruption and discrimination are subjects that need to be addressed in the near future. 

Democracy/Dictatorship

The politics of Portugal take place in the form of a democratic republic which has been active since 1974 when military rule was abolished. Currently, its president is head of state, and its Prime Minister is head of government. 

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Portugal 

Known for its historic explorers as well as its port wine and its seafood dishes, Portugal has had a rich history. Since the start of civilization, the area has been inhabited by the Celtic tribes. In the second century BC, the area was conquered by the Romans. After the decline of the Roman Empire, the territory was partially held by the Visigoth kingdom and later on by the Byzantine Empire. By the eighth century until the 15th century, the area was under control of several Islamic empires. After the expulsion of the Arabs from the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal began to expand to the territories of Brazil and Angola. After being conquered by the Spanish during the 16th and 17th century, as well as Napoleon at the start of the 19th century the Portuguese empire started to decline. The 20th century has been the most tumultuous with two military coups and the decolonization of its empire. At the end of the 20th century, Portugal returned to political stability after joining the European union.

 Located on the Iberian Peninsula on the most southwestern part of Europe, the geography of Portugal consists of a low-lying terrain along its Western part and the low-lying mountains on its eastern part. Most of its terrain is covered by low-lying vegetation or sparsely forested areas. It only borders Spain which surrounds Portugal to the north and the east. Its southern and western border are located on the Atlantic Ocean. 

It is the 109th largest state with a total surface area of 92.687 square kilometers or 35.787 square miles. This makes Portugal slightly smaller than Jordan and slightly larger than Hungary. 

It has a total water surface area of 1.113 square kilometers or 429 square miles. This makes Portugal the 106th largest state in the world. 

 

Below, a graph is shown which displays the absolute amount of water of each state in square kilometers and square miles.

The majority of its drinking water comes from groundwater and is considered to be safe to drink. 

The climate of Portugal is characterized as a Mediterranean climate with a large influence from the Atlantic Ocean. It has four different seasons with a distinct hot summer and a temperate winter. The average temperature is 15.425 degrees Celsius or 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes Portugal the 129th warmest state in the world. 

During summer, between June and September, the average high temperature is 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit. 

During winter, between December and February, the average low temperature is 12.1 degrees Celsius or 53.8 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Most of its rainfall is provided by the Atlantic Ocean and mainly occurs during winter. On average, Portugal receives 82.7 centimetres or 32.5 inches of rainfall per year which ranks it as the 117th highest in the world. 

The capital of Portugal, Lisbon, is home to approximately 1.5 million people. The closest capital is Madrid, Spain, with a distance of 507 kilometers or 315 miles. The capital that is the furthest removed is Wellington, New Zealand, with a distance of 19.588 kilometers or 12.171 miles.  

After joining the European union in 1986, the economy of Portugal transformed into a service-based economy. From joining the European union until the economic crisis of 2008, the Portuguese economy grew at a moderate pace. However, after the economic crisis of 2008 as well as the European financial crisis of 2012, the economy of Portugal contracted which has led to an increase of the budget deficit of the Portuguese government. At the start of 2020, the economy of Portugal stabilized and has had a favourable outlook. Today, most of the products that Portugal exports are petroleum related products as well as textiles and vehicles. These are mainly exported to Spain, Germany and France which combined represent nearly 50 percent of all exports. Most of its imports come from Spain which is solely responsible for 30 percent of all imports. 

Portugal is a member of 19 international economic organizations. This makes it the 21st most connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • African development Bank 
  • Asian Development Bank 
  • Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 
  • Bank for International Settlements 
  • Council of Europe Development Bank 
  • Financial Action Task Force 
  • Inter-American Development Bank 
  • International Energy Agency 
  • International Monetary Fund 
  • OECD - Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development   
  • World Bank Group 
  • World Customs Organization 
  • World Trade Organization 
  • TRACECA Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia 
  • International Energy Agency 
  • Energy Charter Treaty 
  • Energy Community 
  • Nuclear Energy Agency 
  • International Renewable Energy Agency 

It has a GDP of US$229 billion, which makes it the 50th highest in the world and represents 0.27 percent of total global GDP.  

Its GDP per surface area is the 44th highest in the world with US$2.477.674 per square kilometer or US$6.417.086 per square mile.  

Its GDP per capita is the 39th highest in the world with US$22.340. 

The absolute earnings (GDP per capita) reflect the average yearly income. The figure below shows how much, on average, an inhabitant of another state earns for every $1 earned by a citizen of this state.

Its purchasing power parity per capita is the 42nd highest in the world with US$33.357. 

The relative Gross Domestic Product in Purchasing Power Parity compares the purchasing power of this state with that of the rest of the world. The graph on the left shows how much purchasing power of 1$ compared to the purchasing power of other states

Portugal is the 88th most populous state in the world with 10.3 million people. The majority of its population ethnically Portuguese which consists of a mix between Celtic, Greek and Phoenician. 

It has the 124th highest population density in the world with 111 people per square kilometer or 286 people per square mile.  

Approximately 2.1 million people, or 20.7 percent of the population has migrated to other states. This makes Portugal the 30th largest supplier of emigrants in the world and represents 0.85 percent of total global emigration. The main reason for migration has been economic and the main destinations have been within Europe with France representing 30 percent of all migrants. 

Immigration to Portugal is represented by 9.12 percent, or nearly 950,000 people. This makes Portugal the 43rd largest recipient of migrants and represents 0.37 percent of total global immigration. The largest suppliers of migrants have been Brazil and Angola which together represent nearly 30 percent of all immigrants. Other suppliers of migrants have been other former colonies as well as states within the European union. 

Portugal is the 87th most literate state in the world with a percentage of 95.2. This is largely because of a higher illiteracy rate among its elder population. This number is likely to rise as Portugal has installed free and compulsory primary and secondary education over the last four decades. 

The Portuguese government provides free healthcare towards all of its citizens. The largest threats to health are noncommunicable diseases which are mostly related to lifestyle choices.  The average life expectancy is 82.67 years which is the 16th highest in the world. Women have an average life expectancy of 85.28 years, while men have an average life expectancy of 79.8 years. 

The government of Portugal provides freedom of religion towards all religions. However, there is a preferential treatment for the Catholic church. 

Christianity, with 77.7 percent of the population, is the largest religion in Portugal. This ranks Portugal as the 64th most Christian state in the world. Roman Catholicism is the largest denomination within Christianity with roughly 4/5 of the population following Catholicism. 

 

On the right, the global share of Christians per state is displayed 

Islam is represented by 0.4 percent of the population which makes Portugal the 136th most Islamic state in the world. The majority of Muslims adhere to the Sunni denomination followed by the Shia denomination. Despite being conquered by the Umayyad caliphate during the eighth century, all Muslims were expelled by the end of the 14th century. This means that all Muslims in Portugal are currently migrants. 

Buddhism is represented by 0.3 percent of the population and has been formally established in 2010. 

Hinduism is represented by 0.09 percent of the population, or less than 10,000 people. Most Hindus arrived in Portugal from Nepal as a result of a high labour demand. 

Judaism is represented by less than 0.04 percent of the population. 

Other religions are represented by 0.23 percent of the population. These are mainly adherents to Celtic religions that have been kept alive before the conquest by the Roman empire. 

Irreligion is represented by 3.99 percent of the population.