Europe & Central Asia · EU · OECD · NATO
Data checked 28 Oct 2026 · next scheduled check 1 Jan 2027 · UN World Population Prospects (via World Bank) released 1 Jul 2026 · Eurostat released 21 Oct 2026 · World Bank WDI released 8 Oct 2026
Total spending · 2024
42.4%
-0.2 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
17.1%
+5.2 pts since 1995
Healthcare · 2024
6.80%
+1.4 pts since 1995
Defence · 2024
0.90%
-0.8 pts since 1995
Education · 2024
4.30%
-1.2 pts since 1995
Debt interest · 2024
2.20%
-3.8 pts since 1995
Gross debt · 2025
89.7%
of GDP · +26 pts since 1995
Population · 2025
10.8m
7.8% since 1995
Public-sector employment
Not available: no official public-sector employment series is loaded for Portugal yet.
Welfare rose from 11.9% to 19.5% of GDP between 1995 and 2013, then fell to 17.1% by 2024.
Healthcare rose from 5.4% to 8.0% of GDP between 1995 and 2009, then fell to 6.8% by 2024.
Defence rose from 1.7% to 1.9% of GDP between 1995 and 2010, then fell to 0.9% by 2024.
Education rose from 5.5% to 6.7% of GDP between 1995 and 2010, then fell to 4.3% by 2024.
Debt interest fell from 6.0% to 2.2% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Total spending rose from 42.6% to 51.9% of GDP between 1995 and 2010, then fell to 42.4% by 2024.
Gross debt rose from 63.5% to 134.1% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 89.7% by 2025.
Population grew from 10.0 million in 1995 to 10.8 million in 2025; the UN projects 10.1 million by 2050.