R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Portugal

Portugal: R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D was 163,630 Persons in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
163,630 Persons
Change on year
up 5.1%
World rank
8th
of 25 countries
All-time high
163,630 Persons
in 2024
All-time low
11,723 Persons
in 1982
Years of data
43
1982–2024

R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Portugal, 1982–2024

050.0k100.0k150.0k1982200320241982: 11.7k Persons1983: 12.7k Persons1984: 13.7k Persons1985: 14.8k Persons1986: 15.9k Persons1987: 16.4k Persons1988: 16.8k Persons1989: 17.9k Persons1990: 19.0k Persons1991: 20.3k Persons1992: 21.6k Persons1993: 22.6k Persons1994: 24.0k Persons1995: 25.0k Persons1996: 27.2k Persons1997: 29.4k Persons1998: 33.1k Persons1999: 36.9k Persons2000: 38.0k Persons2001: 39.2k Persons2002: 41.6k Persons2003: 44.0k Persons2004: 44.3k Persons2005: 44.6k Persons2006: 53.7k Persons2007: 62.8k Persons2008: 87.6k Persons2009: 88.5k Persons2010: 91.9k Persons2011: 94.1k Persons2012: 93.0k Persons2013: 95.3k Persons2014: 97.0k Persons2015: 103.3k Persons2016: 103.7k Persons2017: 109.3k Persons2018: 116.9k Persons2019: 123.0k Persons2020: 131.1k Persons2021: 138.7k Persons2022: 146.7k Persons2023: 155.7k Persons2024: 163.6k Persons

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.

Analysis

Portugal recorded 163,630 Persons for r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in 2024. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 68.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Portugal peaked at 163,630 Persons in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11,723 Persons, in 1982.

That places Portugal 8th out of 25 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Portugal, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Portugal, 1982 to 2024.
Year Persons Change
1982 11,723 Persons
1983 12,729 Persons +8.6%
1984 13,734 Persons +7.9%
1985 14,819 Persons +7.9%
1986 15,903 Persons +7.3%
1987 16,376 Persons +3.0%
1988 16,849 Persons +2.9%
1989 17,901 Persons +6.2%
1990 18,953 Persons +5.9%
1991 20,280 Persons +7.0%
1992 21,607 Persons +6.5%
1993 22,644 Persons +4.8%
1994 24,042 Persons +6.2%
1995 25,024 Persons +4.1%
1996 27,219 Persons +8.8%
1997 29,413 Persons +8.1%
1998 33,143 Persons +12.7%
1999 36,872 Persons +11.3%
2000 38,018 Persons +3.1%
2001 39,163 Persons +3.0%
2002 41,601 Persons +6.2%
2003 44,036 Persons +5.9%
2004 44,310 Persons +0.6%
2005 44,585 Persons +0.6%
2006 53,668 Persons +20.4%
2007 62,752 Persons +16.9%
2008 87,565 Persons +39.5%
2009 88,532 Persons +1.1%
2010 91,917 Persons +3.8%
2011 94,077 Persons +2.3%
2012 92,977 Persons -1.2%
2013 95,347 Persons +2.5%
2014 96,952 Persons +1.7%
2015 103,291 Persons +6.5%
2016 103,680 Persons +0.4%
2017 109,251 Persons +5.4%
2018 116,864 Persons +7.0%
2019 123,012 Persons +5.3%
2020 131,128 Persons +6.6%
2021 138,715 Persons +5.8%
2022 146,669 Persons +5.7%
2023 155,697 Persons +6.2%
2024 163,630 Persons +5.1%

Portugal compared with similar countries

  • Portugal's 163,630 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 132,622 Persons, 1.2× the median. (21 countries reporting)
  • Portugal's 163,630 Persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 136,238 Persons, 1.2× the median. (18 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Portugal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2008 +39.5% 62,752 Persons 87,565 Persons

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 15,004 Persons 11,723 Persons 17,901 Persons 8
1990s 25,920 Persons 18,953 Persons 36,872 Persons 10
2000s 54,423 Persons 38,018 Persons 88,532 Persons 10
2010s 102,737 Persons 91,917 Persons 123,012 Persons 10
2020s 147,168 Persons 131,128 Persons 163,630 Persons 5

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 5 France 390,631 Persons compare
  2. 5 Croatia 28,059 Persons compare
  3. 6 Lithuania 25,940 Persons compare
  4. 6 Chinese Taipei 388,265 Persons compare
  5. 7 Belgium 164,518 Persons compare
  6. 7 Slovenia 25,863 Persons compare
  7. 8 Latvia 14,073 Persons compare
  8. 9 Austria 154,827 Persons compare
  9. 9 Estonia 13,729 Persons compare
  10. 10 Switzerland 149,651 Persons compare
  11. 11 Sweden 139,853 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More reference data data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Portugal?
R&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d in Portugal was 163,630 Persons in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 163,630 Persons in 2024.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 11,723 Persons in 1982.
How does Portugal rank for r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d?
Portugal ranks 8th out of 25 countries with data for 2024.
Is r&d personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — r&d rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is up 68.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Portugal data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-and-formal-qualification-r-and-d-personnel/portugal/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel by sector of performance and formal qualification — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
34 places, 789 data points, 1981–2024
Last refreshed

This table presents research and development (R&D) personnel statistics. Number of R&D personnel is provided in headcounts;D by sex, sector of employment (business enterprise, government, higher education, and private non-profit) and by formal qualification (university and other diplomas by ISCED classification).