📜 A long story
Portugal, 1800 → today
Portugal grew from 2.75 million in 1800 to 10.4 million; a newborn can expect 31 more years of life than in 1940, and output per person is 20× its 1800 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 2.75 million people lived in Portugal.
1900
5.4 million people.
2× the 1800 level
1950
8.42 million people.
1.6× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1903.
2023
10.4 million people, the latest year in this series.
1.2× the 1950 level
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1940
In 1940, a newborn in Portugal could expect to live 51.4 years, on average.
2023
82.4 years, the latest year in this series.
+31 years since 1940
Passed 60 years in 1953.
Passed 70 years in 1977.
Passed 80 years in 2010.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1800
In 1800, Portugal produced about Int$1,460 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$2,080.
1.4× the 1800 level
The sharpest fall in the data: down 27% between 1804 and 1811 (Int$1,470 → Int$1,070).
1950
Int$3,330.
1.6× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1944.
2022
Int$29,000, the latest year in this series.
8.7× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1968.
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1987.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1870
In 1870, fossil fuels and industry in Portugal emitted about 0.0051 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
0.5 t.
90× the 1870 level
Reached twice the 1870 level, reached 5 times the 1870 level, reached 10 times the 1870 level, reached 20 times the 1870 level in 1872.
Reached 50 times the 1870 level in 1875.
1950
0.7 t.
1.5× the 1900 level
The sharpest fall in the data: down 72% between 1913 and 1918 (0.7 t → 0.2 t).
2024
3.4 t, the latest year in this series.
5.1× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Portugal had spent 0.3 years in school, on average.
1900
0.8 years.
+0.53 years since 1870
1950
2 years.
+1.2 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1950.
2015
9.1 years, the latest year in this series.
+7.1 years since 1950
Passed 4 years in 1975.
Passed 6 years in 1985.
Passed 8 years in 2000.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).