Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Portugal
Portugal: Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines was 16.4% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Portugal, 2003–2021
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Portugal is 16.4%, measured in 2021.
The figure is down 10.9% on the previous year and down 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Portugal peaked at 20.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2019.
Portugal ranks 40th of 70 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 20.4% | — |
| 2004 | 19.4% | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 18.5% | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 18.1% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 18.5% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 17.9% | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 17.9% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 18.0% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 18.7% | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 19.5% | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 19.5% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 19.0% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 18.3% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 17.3% | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 16.2% | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 18.4% | +13.6% |
| 2021 | 16.4% | -10.9% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 16.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 15.8%, 1.0× the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 16.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.3%, 1.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.7% | 17.9% | 20.4% | 7 |
| 2010s | 18.2% | 16.2% | 19.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 16.4% | 18.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More poverty & inequality data for Portugal
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 8 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.51 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 5,309 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -3.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 35.76 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 35.8% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Portugal?
- Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Portugal was 16.4% in 2021, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W.
- What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 20.4% in 2003.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2019.
- How does Portugal rank for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines?
- Portugal ranks 40th out of 70 countries with data for 2021.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W, published as part of Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line(s). National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys. For economies for which the data are from EU-SILC, the reported year is the income reference year, which is the year before the survey year.