World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The median country is 21% bigger than Portugal
Portugal: 92,230 km² (2024) · World median: 111,370 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Portugal’s coastline is 4.1 times as long as the median country’s
Portugal: 1,793 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Portugal’s highest peak towers 16 m above the median country’s
Portugal: 2,351 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 41% of Portugal, versus 38% of the median country
Portugal: 41.3% (2024) · World median: 37.8% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Portugal has 46% more people than the median country
Portugal: 10.8 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Portugal is 20% more densely populated than the median country
Portugal: 118 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Portugal and the median country are practically level
Portugal: 174.4 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Portugal and the median country are practically level
Portugal: 161.2 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Portugal is 15 years older than in the median country
Portugal: 46.2 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the median country have 0.5 more children on average than in Portugal
Portugal: 1.41 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
25% of people in Portugal are 65 or older, versus 8.6% in the median country
Portugal: 24.9% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Portugal hosts 7.9 times as many refugees per resident as the median country
Portugal: 6.5 per 1,000 (2025) · World median: 0.8 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Portugal has produced 1.9 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the median country none
Portugal: 1.9 (2026) · World median: 0 (2026)
How many official languages?
Portugal and the median country are practically level
Portugal: 1 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Portugal’s economy is 7.6 times the size of the median country’s
Portugal: $347 billion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Portugal produces 2.5 times as much per person as the median country
Portugal: Int$53,146 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the median country than in Portugal (Gini 0.5 points higher)
Portugal: 33.9 (2023) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
1.6% of people in the median country live on less than $3 a day, versus 0.4% in Portugal
Portugal: 0.4% (2023) · World median: 1.6% (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 6.2% in Portugal, versus 5.1% in the median country
Portugal: 6.2% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The median country and Portugal are practically level
Portugal: 1.7% (2025) · World median: 1.8% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
Portugal’s central government collects 22% of GDP in tax, the median country’s 17%
Portugal: 22.3% (2024) · World median: 17% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Portugal’s price level (US = 100) is 1.3× the median country’s
Portugal: 60% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Portugal spends 6.3 times as much on health per person as the median country
Portugal: $2,971 (2024) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Portugal live 7.8 years longer than in the median country
Portugal: 82.4 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the median country is 4.7 times as likely to die before turning one as in Portugal
Portugal: 2.7 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Portugal has 3.5 times as many doctors per person as the median country
Portugal: 5.9 per 1,000 (2022) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How many hospital beds are there?
Portugal has 44% more hospital beds per person than the median country
Portugal: 3.5 per 1,000 (2022) · World median: 2.4 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in the median country is 16% higher than in Portugal
Portugal: 8.6 per 100k (2023) · World median: 10 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
24% of adults in the median country are obese, versus 23% in Portugal
Portugal: 23% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
29% of adults in Portugal smoke, versus 19% in the median country
Portugal: 28.6% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Portugal rate their lives 0.20 points higher than in the median country
Portugal: 6.03 (2025) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Portugal drink 3.2 times as much alcohol as in the median country
Portugal: 13.7 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Portugal has 77% more meat per person than the median country
Portugal: 99.3 kg (2023) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Portugal has 615 kcal more food per person per day than the median country
Portugal: 3,553 kcal (2023) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in the median country put in 239 more hours a year than in Portugal
Portugal: 1,735 hours (2023) · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the median country went to school 0.23 years longer than in Portugal
Portugal: 9.7 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Portugal welcomed 7.9 times as many tourists per resident as the median country (2019)
Portugal: 2.71 (2024) · World median: 0.34 (2024)
How many World Heritage sites?
Portugal has 14 more World Heritage sites than the median country (17 against 3)
Portugal: 17 (2026) · World median: 3 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
Portugal has won 32 Olympic medals, the median country 4
Portugal: 32 (2026 edition) · World median: 4 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
88% of people in Portugal are online, versus 82% in the median country
Portugal: 88% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in Portugal is 2 times as fast as in the median country
Portugal: 330 Mbps (2026) · World median: 161 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
Portugal and the median country are practically level
Portugal: 100% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
64% of people in the median country live in cities, versus 61% in Portugal
Portugal: 61% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Portugal has 124 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the median country 115
Portugal: 124 (2024) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Portugal’s railway network is 18% longer than the median country’s
Portugal: 2,527 km (2021) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Portugal fly 7.1 times as many passengers per resident as those from the median country
Portugal: 1.69 (2023) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 37% of Portugal, but only 33% of the median country
Portugal: 36.6% (2024) · World median: 32.8% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Portugal emits 14% more CO₂ than someone in the median country
Portugal: 3.4 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
81% of Portugal’s electricity is renewable, versus 31% in the median country
Portugal: 81% (2025) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in the median country carries 58% more fine dust than in Portugal
Portugal: 10.5 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 3.1 times as likely to be murdered in the median country as in Portugal
Portugal: 0.7 per 100k (2022) · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the median country are 69% deadlier than in Portugal
Portugal: 11 per 100k (2023) · World median: 18.6 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The median country is on average 7.1 °C warmer than Portugal
Portugal: 15.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
The median country gets 30% more rain than Portugal
Portugal: 777 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Portugal bigger than the median country?
The median country is larger. The median country is 21% bigger than Portugal.
Which has more people, Portugal or the median country?
Portugal has 46% more people than the median country (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Portugal or the median country?
People in Portugal live 7.8 years longer than in the median country. Life expectancy at birth is 82.4 years in Portugal and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in Portugal or the median country?
Portugal and the median country are practically level (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
