Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Portugal fits inside the United States 107 times.
Portugal: 92,230 km² (2023) · United States: 9,831,510 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
The United States’ coastline is 11 times as long as Portugal’s.
Portugal: 1,793 km (2026 edition) · United States: 19,924 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The United States’ highest peak towers 3,839 m above Portugal’s.
Portugal: 2,351 m (2026 edition) · United States: 6,190 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The United States has 32 times as many people as Portugal.
Portugal: 10.8 million (2025) · United States: 342 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Portugal is 3.2 times as densely populated as the United States.
Portugal: 118 per km² (2025) · United States: 37 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the United States are 2.6 cm taller than in Portugal.
Portugal: 174.4 cm (2019) · United States: 176.9 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the United States are 2.1 cm taller than in Portugal.
Portugal: 161.2 cm (2019) · United States: 163.3 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Portugal is 8.2 years older than in the United States.
Portugal: 46.2 years (2023) · United States: 38 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the United States have 0.2 more children on average than in Portugal.
Portugal: 1.41 children per woman (2024) · United States: 1.63 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
25% of people in Portugal are 65 or older, versus 18% in the United States.
Portugal: 24.9% (2025) · United States: 18.4% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
The United States has produced 8.7 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Portugal 1.9.
Portugal: 1.9 (2025) · United States: 8.7 (2025)
How many official languages?
Portugal and the United States are practically level.
Portugal: 1 (2026) · United States: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The United States’ economy is 89 times the size of Portugal’s.
Portugal: $347 billion (2025) · United States: $30.8 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The United States produces 69% more per person than Portugal.
Portugal: Int$53,146 (2025) · United States: Int$90,027 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the United States than in Portugal (Gini 7.9 points higher).
Portugal: 33.9 (2023) · United States: 41.8 (2024)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 6.2% in Portugal, versus 4.2% in the United States.
Portugal: 6.2% (2025) · United States: 4.2% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The United States spends 3.4% of its GDP on the military, Portugal 1.5%.
Portugal: 1.5% (2024) · United States: 3.4% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The United States’ price level (US = 100) is 1.7× Portugal’s.
Portugal: 60% (2025) · United States: 100% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The United States spends 4.5 times as much on health per person as Portugal.
Portugal: $2,971 (2024) · United States: $13,473 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Portugal live 3.5 years longer than in the United States.
Portugal: 82.4 years (2024) · United States: 78.9 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the United States is 2 times as likely to die before turning one as in Portugal.
Portugal: 2.7 per 1,000 (2024) · United States: 5.5 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Portugal has 59% more doctors per person than the United States.
Portugal: 5.9 per 1,000 (2022) · United States: 3.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
42% of adults in the United States are obese, versus 23% in Portugal.
Portugal: 23% (2024) · United States: 41.8% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
29% of adults in Portugal smoke, versus 16% in the United States.
Portugal: 28.6% (2024) · United States: 15.8% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the United States rate their lives 0.79 points higher than in Portugal.
Portugal: 6.03 (2025) · United States: 6.82 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Portugal drink 44% more alcohol than in the United States.
Portugal: 13.7 litres (2023) · United States: 9.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The United States has 23% more meat per person than Portugal.
Portugal: 99.3 kg (2023) · United States: 122.1 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The United States has 394 kcal more food per person per day than Portugal.
Portugal: 3,553 kcal (2023) · United States: 3,947 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in the United States put in 54 more hours a year than in Portugal.
Portugal: 1,735 hours (2023) · United States: 1,789 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the United States went to school 4.2 years longer than in Portugal.
Portugal: 9.7 years (2023) · United States: 13.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Portugal welcomed 13 times as many tourists per resident as the United States (2019).
Portugal: 2.71 (2024) · United States: 0.21 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
95% of people in the United States are online, versus 88% in Portugal.
Portugal: 88% (2024) · United States: 95% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Portugal and the United States are practically level.
Portugal: 100% (2024) · United States: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
80% of people in the United States live in cities, versus 61% in Portugal.
Portugal: 61% (2025) · United States: 80% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Portugal has 124 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the United States 113.
Portugal: 124 (2024) · United States: 113 (2024)
How much railway is there?
The United States’ railway network is 59 times as long as Portugal’s.
Portugal: 2,527 km (2021) · United States: 148,553 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the United States fly 63% more passengers per resident than those from Portugal.
Portugal: 1.69 (2023) · United States: 2.75 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 36% of Portugal, but only 34% of the United States.
Portugal: 36.2% (2023) · United States: 33.9% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in the United States emits 4.2 times as much CO₂ as someone in Portugal.
Portugal: 3.4 t (2024) · United States: 14.2 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
81% of Portugal’s electricity is renewable, versus 26% in the United States.
Portugal: 81% (2025) · United States: 25.6% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Portugal carries 40% more fine dust than in the United States.
Portugal: 10.5 µg/m³ (2024) · United States: 7.5 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 8 times as likely to be murdered in the United States as in Portugal.
Portugal: 0.7 per 100k (2022) · United States: 5.8 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the United States are 2 times as deadly as in Portugal.
Portugal: 7.2 per 100k (2021) · United States: 14.2 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Portugal is on average 5.6 °C warmer than the United States.
Portugal: 15.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · United States: 10.3°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The United States gets 9% more rain than Portugal.
Portugal: 777 mm (2016–2025 avg) · United States: 849 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Portugal bigger than the United States?
The United States is larger. Portugal fits inside the United States 107 times.
Which has more people, Portugal or the United States?
The United States has 32 times as many people as Portugal (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Portugal or the United States?
People in Portugal live 3.5 years longer than in the United States. Life expectancy at birth is 82.4 years in Portugal and 78.9 in the United States.
Are people taller in Portugal or the United States?
Men in the United States are 2.6 cm taller than in Portugal (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
