Military personnel in Portugal
Portugal: Military personnel was 27,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel in Portugal, 1816–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Portugal recorded 27,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
The figure is down 37.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Portugal peaked at 302,000 people in 1964 and was at its lowest, 20,000 people, in 1919.
Portugal ranks 84th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 22,000 people | 22,000 people | 22,000 people | 4 |
| 1820s | 30,100 people | 22,000 people | 42,000 people | 10 |
| 1830s | 51,400 people | 42,000 people | 54,000 people | 10 |
| 1840s | 27,400 people | 21,000 people | 32,000 people | 10 |
| 1850s | 22,800 people | 21,000 people | 27,000 people | 10 |
| 1860s | 23,200 people | 21,000 people | 25,000 people | 10 |
| 1870s | 36,100 people | 25,000 people | 44,000 people | 10 |
| 1880s | 31,800 people | 28,000 people | 39,000 people | 10 |
| 1890s | 33,400 people | 31,000 people | 36,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 37,000 people | 36,000 people | 39,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 74,111 people | 20,000 people | 125,000 people | 9 |
| 1920s | 43,700 people | 36,000 people | 53,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 38,300 people | 33,000 people | 41,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 54,750 people | 36,000 people | 73,000 people | 4 |
| 1950s | 76,300 people | 74,000 people | 78,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 166,500 people | 75,000 people | 302,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 171,800 people | 80,000 people | 282,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 97,600 people | 88,000 people | 105,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 80,800 people | 68,000 people | 122,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 44,300 people | 43,000 people | 45,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 37,100 people | 27,000 people | 43,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 27,000 people | 27,000 people | 27,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More reference data data for Portugal
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.5537 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 2.05 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.3824 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies -0.3904 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.0004 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 132.05 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Portugal?
- Military personnel in Portugal was 27,000 people in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 302,000 people in 1964.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,000 people in 1919.
- How does Portugal rank for military personnel?
- Portugal ranks 84th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.2%. 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 minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 200 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.