Military personnel as a share of total population in Portugal
Portugal: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.3% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.3%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
91st
of 194 countries
All-time high
3.3%
in 1964
All-time low
0.3%
in 2022
Years of data
200
1816–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in Portugal, 1816–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel as a share of total population in Portugal stood at 0.3%. That is the lowest value across all 200 years on record.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 36.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in Portugal peaked at 3.3% in 1964 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2022.
Portugal ranks 91st of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel as a share of total population in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1816 | 0.8% | — |
| 1817 | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| 1818 | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| 1819 | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| 1820 | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| 1821 | 0.8% | -0.8% |
| 1822 | 0.9% | +12.7% |
| 1823 | 0.9% | +7.1% |
| 1824 | 1.1% | +17.5% |
| 1825 | 1.1% | -3.9% |
| 1826 | 1.1% | +2.4% |
| 1827 | 0.9% | -19.4% |
| 1828 | 1.4% | +60.3% |
| 1829 | 1.4% | -0.8% |
| 1830 | 1.4% | -0.8% |
| 1831 | 1.4% | +1.6% |
| 1832 | 1.7% | +24.6% |
| 1833 | 1.7% | -0.8% |
| 1834 | 1.7% | -0.8% |
| 1835 | 1.7% | -0.8% |
| 1836 | 1.7% | -0.8% |
| 1837 | 1.7% | -0.8% |
| 1838 | 1.6% | -0.8% |
| 1839 | 1.5% | -6.3% |
| 1840 | 0.9% | -39.7% |
| 1841 | 0.9% | -0.8% |
| 1842 | 0.9% | -0.8% |
| 1843 | 0.9% | -0.8% |
| 1844 | 0.9% | +2.4% |
| 1845 | 0.8% | -16.3% |
| 1846 | 0.6% | -22.8% |
| 1847 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1848 | 0.8% | +32.3% |
| 1849 | 0.6% | -25.6% |
| 1850 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1851 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1852 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1853 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1854 | 0.6% | +3.9% |
| 1855 | 0.7% | +17.2% |
| 1856 | 0.6% | -12.2% |
| 1857 | 0.6% | +3.5% |
| 1858 | 0.6% | -9.0% |
| 1859 | 0.7% | +21.7% |
| 1860 | 0.6% | -19.2% |
| 1861 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1862 | 0.5% | -5.3% |
| 1863 | 0.6% | +8.6% |
| 1864 | 0.6% | +3.5% |
| 1865 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1866 | 0.6% | -4.9% |
| 1867 | 0.6% | +3.5% |
| 1868 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1869 | 0.6% | +3.3% |
| 1870 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1871 | 0.7% | +23.0% |
| 1872 | 0.6% | -13.6% |
| 1873 | 0.8% | +32.3% |
| 1874 | 0.8% | +2.0% |
| 1875 | 1.0% | +12.6% |
| 1876 | 1.0% | +3.9% |
| 1877 | 0.9% | -12.1% |
| 1878 | 0.9% | +1.7% |
| 1879 | 0.9% | -0.8% |
| 1880 | 0.7% | -20.6% |
| 1881 | 0.7% | +5.4% |
| 1882 | 0.7% | -9.6% |
| 1883 | 0.6% | -7.2% |
| 1884 | 0.7% | +6.0% |
| 1885 | 0.8% | +24.8% |
| 1886 | 0.7% | -12.1% |
| 1887 | 0.6% | -17.8% |
| 1888 | 0.6% | -4.2% |
| 1889 | 0.6% | +6.3% |
| 1890 | 0.6% | +2.3% |
| 1891 | 0.7% | +6.0% |
| 1892 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1893 | 0.6% | -3.8% |
| 1894 | 0.6% | +2.5% |
| 1895 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1896 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1897 | 0.6% | +2.3% |
| 1898 | 0.7% | +5.3% |
| 1899 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| 1900 | 0.7% | -0.9% |
| 1901 | 0.7% | +2.2% |
| 1902 | 0.7% | -3.6% |
| 1903 | 0.6% | -0.7% |
| 1904 | 0.6% | -1.1% |
| 1905 | 0.6% | -0.9% |
| 1906 | 0.7% | +7.6% |
| 1907 | 0.7% | -0.9% |
| 1908 | 0.7% | -0.9% |
| 1909 | 0.6% | -8.5% |
| 1910 | 0.7% | +7.4% |
| 1912 | 0.6% | -8.8% |
| 1913 | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| 1914 | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| 1915 | 2.1% | +246.6% |
| 1916 | 2.1% | -0.2% |
| 1917 | 2.1% | -0.2% |
| 1918 | 2.1% | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.3% | -84.0% |
| 1920 | 0.6% | +79.7% |
| 1921 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 1922 | 0.6% | -1.3% |
| 1923 | 0.6% | -1.3% |
| 1924 | 0.6% | -1.3% |
| 1925 | 0.8% | +39.9% |
| 1926 | 0.8% | +2.6% |
| 1927 | 0.8% | -4.8% |
| 1928 | 0.8% | -1.2% |
| 1929 | 0.8% | -1.2% |
| 1930 | 0.6% | -22.8% |
| 1931 | 0.6% | -0.9% |
| 1932 | 0.6% | +1.2% |
| 1933 | 0.6% | -1.3% |
| 1934 | 0.5% | -10.9% |
| 1935 | 0.5% | -1.2% |
| 1936 | 0.5% | -3.9% |
| 1937 | 0.4% | -9.3% |
| 1938 | 0.5% | +13.8% |
| 1939 | 0.5% | +3.9% |
| 1940 | 0.5% | -8.9% |
| 1941 | 0.5% | -3.2% |
| 1948 | 0.9% | +90.5% |
| 1949 | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| 1950 | 0.9% | +0.5% |
| 1951 | 0.9% | -0.6% |
| 1952 | 0.9% | -0.4% |
| 1953 | 0.9% | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 0.9% | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 0.9% | -0.5% |
| 1956 | 0.9% | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 0.9% | -0.4% |
| 1958 | 0.9% | -0.5% |
| 1959 | 0.9% | -0.6% |
| 1960 | 0.9% | -1.9% |
| 1961 | 0.8% | -3.8% |
| 1962 | 0.9% | +5.7% |
| 1963 | 1.6% | +80.0% |
| 1964 | 3.3% | +107.4% |
| 1965 | 1.8% | -47.1% |
| 1966 | 2.1% | +19.0% |
| 1967 | 2.1% | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 2.4% | +10.1% |
| 1969 | 2.5% | +4.9% |
| 1970 | 2.5% | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | +11.5% |
| 1972 | 3.0% | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 3.2% | +8.2% |
| 1974 | 3.2% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 1.1% | -64.5% |
| 1976 | 0.9% | -22.4% |
| 1977 | 0.8% | -4.6% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 0.8% | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 0.9% | +7.5% |
| 1981 | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 0.9% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 0.9% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 1.0% | +7.1% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 1.1% | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | -16.0% |
| 1991 | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | -6.9% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | -15.1% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | +79.0% |
| 1995 | 0.8% | -36.2% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | -6.5% |
| 1997 | 0.7% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 0.7% | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | -36.6% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 0.4% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | -18.2% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -8.7% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -13.1% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 4 |
| 1820s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1830s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.2% | 0.3% | 2.1% | 9 |
| 1920s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.9% | 4 |
| 1950s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.8% | 0.8% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.9% | 0.8% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More population data for Portugal
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4941 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 396,215 people (2100)
- Population density 95.56 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0558 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.2816 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in Portugal?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in Portugal was 0.3% in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 1964.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2022.
- How does Portugal rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- Portugal ranks 91st out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Ratio of military personnel to total population, expressed as a percentage.