Every figure below carries its named source and year. The Eco Index scores twelve pillars on the same scale everywhere; seven are measured from published data with fixed thresholds, five are assessed from the named sources.
Portugal at a Glance.
The score, and the four numbers that set the tone. 12 equally-weighted pillars, every pillar sourced.
Compare with:
Renewable power
81%
of electricity
Food imported
16%
of merchandise imports · ~US$20,008m a year
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Water
Food & farming
Plant-based
Organic
Conservation
Wildlife
Materials
Pollution
Recycling
Energy
Culture
Heritage
Facts That Surprise People About Portugal.
The numbers and firsts that change how you see Portugal, the sobering and the remarkable. Every one is dated and linked to its source.
SoberingHealth
Heavy drinking is rising fast
Adults drank an estimated 10.4 litres of alcohol per head in 2019, above the EU average of 10 litres. Regular heavy drinking rose by 4.4 percentage points from 2014 to 2019, one of the largest increases in the EU.
SoberingHealth
One in five teenagers is overweight
In 2022, 20% of Portuguese 15 year olds were overweight or obese, up from 17% in 2010. Over 17% of adults were obese in 2019, against 16% across the EU.
SoberingHealth
Few adults exercise enough
Only 17% of Portuguese adults reported at least 150 minutes of exercise a week in 2019, nearly half the EU average.
RemarkableCulture
Fado is UNESCO heritage
Fado, the urban popular song of Portugal, was added to UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011. It is usually sung by a solo singer, with a wire-strung acoustic guitar and the twelve-string Portuguese guitar.
RemarkableFood
Part of UNESCO's Mediterranean diet listing
Portugal has shared the Mediterranean diet's place on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2013, alongside Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Croatia and Cyprus.
Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Mediterranean diet · 2013
RemarkableNature
About half the world's cork comes from Portugal
Portugal produces 49.6% of the world's cork and holds 34% of the world's cork oak forests, about 736,000 hectares, according to the national cork association APCOR.
Source: Corticeira Amorim, APCOR 2018/19 yearbook highlights · 2019
RemarkableEnvironment
Renewables met 71% of power demand
Renewable sources produced enough electricity to meet 71% of Portugal's national demand in 2024.
RemarkableHealth
Highest HPV vaccination rate in the EU
In 2022, 94% of 15 year old girls in Portugal were vaccinated against HPV, the highest rate in the EU. The vaccine is free for all 10 year old girls.
The History of Portugal.
Portugal keeps a deep well of living tradition, from Fado, the urban popular song that UNESCO inscribed in 2011, to the two-part a cappella singing of Cante Alentejano, inscribed in 2014. Folk dances live on too, from the vira of Minho, which the whole country adopted and reshaped, to the corridinho, the favourite dance of the Algarve.
Where the name comes from
From Portus Cale, the Roman port at the mouth of the Douro, which gave its name to a county and then a kingdom. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: the Tagus divides the country: mountainous toward the interior in the north, rolling plains through the south. Its high point is Ponta do Pico in the Azores, 2,351 m; on the mainland, Serra da Estrela, 1,993 m. Source: Instituto Geográfico Português and its materials can be accessed throug, the national mapping agency, with the UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names.
Where it starts
The Coa Valley
Rock art found at a great number of sites along the Coa river forms the largest open-air collection of Palaeolithic rock art known today. From the 6th millennium BC standing stones and dolmens were raised across the Alentejo, including the Almendres cromlech, the largest known megalithic monument on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in the world.
How it got here
Navigation, and what it carried
Phoenician traders reached Lisbon in the eighth century BC. A mainly Berber army crossed into Iberia in 711 and brought Muslim rule. Portugal's standing as a kingdom was recognised in 1143, and its frontier with Castile was fixed in 1297. From the fifteenth century Portuguese voyages pushed down the West African coast, and a raid in 1441 is widely seen as the start of the Atlantic slave trade. The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 destroyed much of the capital. The Carnation Revolution of 1974 ended nearly fifty years of dictatorship, and the African colonies became independent in 1974 and 1975.
The timeline
Upper Palaeolithic
The Coa Valley.
Rock art found at a great number of sites along the Côa river since 1991 forms the largest open-air collection of Palaeolithic rock art known today. Source
6th millennium BC onward
Megaliths.
Standing stones and dolmens are raised across the Alentejo, including the Almendres cromlech. Source
Second half of the 8th century BC
Phoenicians in Lisbon.
Excavations in Lisbon have found the earliest evidence of a Phoenician presence, with defensive and harbour works from the start of the Iron Age. Source
From 711
Al-Andalus.
A mainly Berber army crosses into Iberia in 711 and within a few years conquers most of the peninsula, including what is now Portugal. Source
1143
The kingdom.
Portugal becomes an independent kingdom after about half a century as a county. Source
1440s onward
Ocean navigation.
Portuguese voyages push down the West African coast, and a raid in 1441 is widely seen as the start of the Atlantic slave trade. Source
1755
The Lisbon earthquake.
On 1 November an earthquake, tsunami and fire leave much of the capital in ruins and probably kill about 30,000 people. Source
1974
The Carnation Revolution.
A largely peaceful military coup on 25 April ends more than four decades of dictatorship. Source
1975
Decolonisation.
Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe become independent in 1975, a year after Guinea-Bissau, following the revolution that ended the dictatorship. Source
Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, Lisbon · UNESCO World Heritage, Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde · Património Cultural, I.P. (formerly Direção-Geral do Património Cultural), Portugal · Côa Park Foundation, History · NOAA Science On a Sphere, Tsunami Historical Series, Lisbon 1755 · Visit Alentejo, Ancient Alentejo · Trabajos de Prehistoria, The earliest evidence of the Phoenician presence in Lisbon · Cambridge University Press, A History of Portugal and the Portuguese Empire, Gharb al-Andalus · Peter Lang, Political Origins of Portugal. From County to Kingdom (1096-1143/1157)
Nature and Biodiversity in Portugal.
Terrestrial protected areas cover about 23 per cent of the country and marine protected areas about 16.9 per cent of territorial waters (World Bank, 2025), anchored by the Peneda-Geres National Park and an extensive Natura 2000 network. Enforcement is moderate and marine protection is often light-touch, but the overall coverage is strong.
Is wild Portugal protected? 23% of the land is, against a 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Portugal?
Forest cover36.2%
Terrestrial protected area23%
Marine protected area16.9%
264 listed as threatened.
Found only here. Iberian lynx (recovering), Iberian wolf, Lusitanian endemic flora and the cork oak Quercus suber.
The watchlist
ThreatenedBalearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedCommon thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis) Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedBeet (Beta patula) Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedAnguilla anguilla Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedPericallis malvifolia Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedGiant Herb-Robert (Geranium maderense) Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
What is still here, and what is gone?
Tap a species for the honest status.
Closest to being lost, by name
Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Portugal. GBIF holds 21 verified occurrence records.
Common thread turtle (Mauremys sinensis)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Portugal. GBIF holds 23 verified occurrence records.
Beet (Beta patula)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Portugal. GBIF holds 105 verified occurrence records.
Anguilla anguilla
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Portugal. GBIF holds 41 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Portugal filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
Who is putting it back
National park in Viana do Castelo, mapped and named in the open record for Portugal. OpenStreetMap.
Nature reserve in Leiria, mapped and named in the open record for Portugal. OpenStreetMap.
Nature reserve in Castelo Branco, mapped and named in the open record for Portugal. OpenStreetMap.
Nature reserve in Setúbal, mapped and named in the open record for Portugal. OpenStreetMap.
Nature reserve in Santarém, mapped and named in the open record for Portugal. OpenStreetMap.
Nature reserve in Braga, mapped and named in the open record for Portugal. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Portugal.
Portugal draws on major rivers (Tagus, Douro, Guadiana) and reservoirs, and 95.2 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF JMP via World Bank, 2024). Supply is reliable in the north and centre, but the south (Algarve and Alentejo) leans heavily on reservoirs and now faces recurring drought and restrictions, with desalination being built to cope. Several key rivers rise in Spain, adding transboundary dependence.
Does Portugal have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
95.2% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Tap water is safe for a visitor nearly everywhere.
Cleanest water: Peneda-Geres National Park rivers and pools and the upper Douro tributaries.
How much fresh water does Portugal have, per person?
3,642 m³
Portugal
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Portugal withdraws about 6,130 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 12.3% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as low water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 55%, homes and towns 15%, industry 30%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Portugal beaches?
·Tap water: Varies.
✓Plastic rules: Plastic bag charge since 2015 and EU Single-Use Plastics rules from 2021 restricting single-use tableware, cutlery and straws..
✓Solo travel: rated easy on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 16.9% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Named on the open map: Praia Adão e Eva, Praia Duna Alta Naturista, Praia Fluvial Cabreira, Praia Fluvial Natural de Amiosinho, Praia Fluvial São Simão, Praia Fluvial da Lagariça, Praia Fluvial da Pampilhosa da Serra, Praia Fluvial da Talhada. That is 17 named beaches in the public record for Portugal, each one a place you can look up before you go. OpenStreetMap.
Where does the sewage go?
93.9%
of people have safely managed sanitation
93.9% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). That is close to universal coverage.
How is the sea around Portugal doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Hot dry summers; the Atlantic cools the coast; Madeira is spring-like all year.
Nearshore
Protected water
16.9% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
Peneda-Geres National Park rivers and pools and the upper Douro tributaries..
The record
Measured
Portugal draws on major rivers (Tagus, Douro, Guadiana) and reservoirs, and 95.2 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF JMP via World Bank, 2024). Supply is reliable in the north and centre, but the south (Algarve and Alentejo) leans heavily on reservoirs and now faces recurring drought and restrictions, with desalination being built to cope.
Portugal scored 72 out of 100 on the Ocean Health Index in its 2025 assessment, level with the global average of 72, and ranked 114th of 220 coastal regions. The index team says it is no longer updating scores, so the 2025 figures may be the last.
Sea protected
16.9%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
264
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Is the tap water safe in Portugal?
95.2% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 3,642 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 1 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 12.3% of what Portugal renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Portugal? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
How much fresh water does Portugal actually have?
Nature renews about 3,642 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Portugal 120 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the wetter half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Food and Drink in Portugal.
Portugal produces more olive oil, rice and wine than it consumes, but it relies heavily on imports for other cereals, growing only 16.8% of what it needed in the 2024 to 2025 season. It also buys in much of its fruit and dairy and about a quarter of its meat, so overall self-sufficiency is only moderate.
Where does the food in Portugal come from?
15.9% imported
about US$20,008m a year
On the plate: Bread, olive oil, rice, beans and chickpeas, cabbage (caldo verde), tomatoes, citrus and salt cod (bacalhau).
2 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$20,008m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 15.9% of everything Portugal buys in from abroad is food, roughly 2 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2025, World Bank). Farming itself is 2% of the economy and 41.3% of the land is agricultural, of which 10.1% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Portugal? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined80.3%
Diabetes10.5%
OECD data put Portugal's 2023 rate of major lower limb amputation among people with diabetes at 7.9 per 100,000 adults, higher than in 18 of the 28 countries reporting, and down slightly from 8.2 in 2022. The reported rate for minor amputations was 2.9 per 100,000. Source: OECD Health care quality indicators.
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 54.7%.
Can Portugal feed itself?
9.3%
Arable land
41.3%
Agricultural land
152,283
Farmers
2,291,313
Arable acres
2.0%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Olives and grapes late September to November; citrus in winter; tomatoes and stone fruit in summer.
Feeding itself
Portugal produces excellent olive oil, wine, tomatoes, fruit and fish, but it is a net food importer with a persistent agri-food trade deficit and buys in much of its cereals and meat. Local, seasonal eating is easy through daily markets, yet overall self-sufficiency is only moderate.
Certification
About 21.2 per cent of Portugal's agricultural land was organic in 2024 (Eurostat, area under organic farming), well above the world average and rising, driven by olive groves, vineyards and Alentejo pasture.
Water for crops
Portugal draws on major rivers (Tagus, Douro, Guadiana) and reservoirs, and 95.2 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF JMP via World Bank, 2024). Supply is reliable in the north and centre, but the south (Algarve and Alentejo) leans heavily on reservoirs and now faces recurring drought and restrictions, with desalination being built to cope.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certification covers only part of what is grown cleanly, so a small certified share is a gap in the paperwork rather than proof that nothing is. What the official land record does show: 41.3% of the country is agricultural land and 10.1% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
What actually grows here
TomatoesOlivesGrapesMaizePotatoesApplesOranges
The food that already fits
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Portugal are tomatoes, olives, grapes and maize (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: Mercado Abastecedor do Porto Moniz, Mercado Agrícola do Santo da Serra, Mercado Municipal, Mercado Municipal Pombal, Mercado Municipal de Grândola, Mercado Municipal de Palmela. Each is a mapped, named marketplace, so the money stays with the seller rather than the importer. OpenStreetMap.
Not yet checked by us. Plant based kitchens listed publicly: O Gambuzino, vegan restaurant in Lisbon: an international tasting menu; Kong, vegan restaurant in Lisbon: traditional Portuguese dishes and cheeses made in house; Alfarroba, vegan buffet in Lisbon: a European style vegan buffet; Jardim das Cerejas, vegan buffet in Lisbon: an affordable daily buffet; Gupi Vegan Pastry, vegan bakery in Lisbon: Portuguese pastries made without animal products. Tell us how they are.
Is this grown in Portugal?
Tap a food for the honest answer.
BreadOlive oilRiceBeansChickpeasTomatoesCitrus
World Bank Open Data · FAO, FAOSTAT crop production · World Health Organization · FAO AQUASTAT · OECD Data Explorer, Health care quality and outcomes: primary care, diabetes lower extremity amputation (age and sex standardised, per 100,000 population aged 15+), 2022 to 2023 · Spinach guide, Vegan Lisbon (fully vegan venues; data refreshed 28 October 2026) · Lusa reporting Statistics Portugal (INE), food self-sufficiency 2025 · FAO, Food-based dietary guidelines: Portugal
Climate and Energy in Portugal.
Portugal draws the majority of its electricity from renewables, roughly 61 per cent across 2023, led by hydropower, wind and a fast-growing solar fleet, and it ran for several consecutive days entirely on clean power in late 2023. It closed its last coal-fired plant at Pego in November 2021, becoming coal-free ahead of most of Europe. Emissions are low for a developed economy at about 3.41 tonnes of CO2 per person in 2024, and the country is working towards carbon neutrality by 2050 under its national roadmap. Continued reliance on imported gas for balancing remains the main gap.
What powers Portugal?
Renewable 80.9%Fossil 19.1%
REN, Redes Energéticas Nacionais, runs the national electricity and gas transmission networks under public concessions, and its work is regulated by ERSE, the energy services regulator. China's State Grid is the largest shareholder with 25 per cent. In August 2026 the state holding company Parpública agreed to buy the 13.7 per cent stake held by Pontegadea, the investment company of Inditex founder Amancio Ortega. The Court of Auditors approved the deal on 31 August and it closed on 7 September 2026, making the state the second largest shareholder. The price was not disclosed, though Jornal Económico reported about €380 million. The stake gives the state one non executive seat on a board of 15, not control.
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
3.32 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
6.5 tonnes
The grid
Portugal draws the majority of its electricity from renewables, roughly 61 per cent across 2023, led by hydropower, wind and a fast-growing solar fleet, and it ran for several consecutive days entirely on clean power in late 2023. It closed its last coal-fired plant at Pego in November 2021, becoming coal-free ahead of most of Europe.
Pollution
Air is very clean, with an annual mean PM2.5 of about 5.67 micrograms per cubic metre (UChicago AQLI, 2022), well inside health guidelines. A plastic bag charge has applied since 2015 and EU single-use plastic rules restrict plastic tableware, cutlery and straws, though some coastal and urban litter remains and summer wildfire smoke is a seasonal problem.
Water stress
Portugal draws on major rivers (Tagus, Douro, Guadiana) and reservoirs, and 95.2 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF JMP via World Bank, 2024). Supply is reliable in the north and centre, but the south (Algarve and Alentejo) leans heavily on reservoirs and now faces recurring drought and restrictions, with desalination being built to cope.
What pollutes most here
1The grid The share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.14.8%
2Industry Intensive eucalyptus monoculture (fire and water stress) and Algarve mass-tourism enclaves..named
3Air Modelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.5.67
4On the record Air is very clean, with an annual mean PM2.5 of about 5.67 micrograms per cubic metre (UChicago AQLI, 2022), well inside health guidelines.
What has Portugal promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today64.9% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target23% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target16.9% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in law; in policy document. Measured against it, 64.9% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 35.1% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year3.32 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy3.28 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy2.14 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy1.65 t CO2e
Johannesburg return, economy1.48 t CO2e
Dubai return, economy1.11 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Portugal emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Firsts on climate finance. On 20 June 2023 Portugal and Cabo Verde signed an agreement that turns about €12 million of Cabo Verde's debt repayments to Portugal into a climate and environment fund, which Cabo Verde uses to pay for its own climate transition. Prime Minister António Costa called the agreement particularly innovative on a global scale and stressed it was not a debt restructuring. He said up to €140 million more of Cabo Verde's debt could follow if an evaluation in 2025 showed the model works.
Climate Watch (WRI) · UNFCCC NDC Registry · World Bank Open Data · UK DESNZ greenhouse gas conversion factors · Dinheiro Vivo, Estado já é novamente acionista da REN com 13,7% do capital (Sept 2026) · ECO, Quem detém os operadores das redes elétricas na Europa e o que pode mudar na REN · Government of Portugal, Portugal apoia transição ambiental e energética de Cabo Verde (June 2023) · Government of Portugal, COP 28: Converter dívida pública em investimento verde beneficia toda a humanidade (Dec 2023)
AI and Data Centres in Portugal.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Portugal.
Data centres
14
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
80.9 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Portugal?
Running AI here is about as clean as it currently gets.
Renewable 80.9%Fossil 19.1%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 64.9% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Portugal has 14 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Lisbon (7), Sines (3), Prior Velho (1), alongside 6 internet exchanges (GigaPIX - LAN 1, Equinix Lisbon, DE-CIX Lisbon, GigaPIX - LAN 2). Named sites include Equinix LS1 - Lisbon, FCCN Lisbon, SE03, FCCN Lisbon, SE06, FCCN itconic.
Where the cables land. 19 landing points · Angra do Heroismo, Burgau, Carcavelos, Corvo
Economy and Tourism in Portugal.
38% residents to 62% visitors across a year. 17,283,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 10,804,871 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Portugal
4,208k
Visitors a year
0.4
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Portugal?· for every $100 Portugal earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2020 peak
$ 134The worst year on the IMF record. Portugal owed $134 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2020signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 86What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 74The IMF's own forecast has this falling to $74 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Portugal earns in a year, it owes $86 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Portugal?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 17,283,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 10,804,871 residents, 1.6 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Portugal is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published3
The plate
Food is 15.9% of everything Portugal imports (2025, World Bank), so a large part of every restaurant bill is paid to a supplier abroad. Eating what the land here actually grows, tomatoes, olives, grapes, maize, potatoes, apples, oranges, keeps that money with the grower.
sails in4
The power
64.9% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home5
What actually stays
On the parts that can be measured, the plate leaves and the power stays. It is genuinely a coin toss, decided by what you book.
split6
Pay the bank first
Portugal owes $86 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$86 per $1007
A spread hand
The largest single export, vehicles, is 12.6% of the total (2023, UN Comtrade). No one shock can take the whole board.
top export 12.6%8
Community chest
Tourism earns 12.2% of everything Portugal makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
12.2% of exports9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Sydney a return economy seat is 3.28 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
3.28 t CO210
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$381 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$381bnGDPUS$346.6bn
Agriculture, share of GDP2%
Visitors a year4,208,000
Visitors per resident0.4
Residents~10,804,871
Agriculture
Farming is 2% of the economy. Portugal produces excellent olive oil, wine, tomatoes, fruit and fish, but it is a net food importer with a persistent agri-food trade deficit and buys in much of its cereals and meat.
Natural materials
Portugal produces about 46 per cent of the world's cork from its montado cork oak forests, a genuinely living natural-materials industry. It also keeps wool traditions alive (Serra da Estrela burel cloth and Arraiolos wool rugs) alongside linen and basketry.
Energy
Portugal draws the majority of its electricity from renewables, roughly 61 per cent across 2023, led by hydropower, wind and a fast-growing solar fleet, and it ran for several consecutive days entirely on clean power in late 2023. It closed its last coal-fired plant at Pego in November 2021, becoming coal-free ahead of most of Europe.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Portugal?
By rooms · company records and press.
Quinta do Abacate · ~6 roomsIndependentnot published
Vumba Organic Farm · ~3 roomsIndependentnot published
Bubulcus & Bolotas · ~4 roomsIndependentnot published
Calçada Guesthouse – B&B & Co-living · ~6 roomsIndependentnot published
Casa do Jardim Secreto · ~1 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
201511,723k
201613,359k
201715,432k
201816,186k
201917,283k
20204,208k
International tourism receipts run at about US$10.52 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 12.2% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
Visiting Portugal, whoever you are.
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking bread, olive oil, rice, beans and chickpeas, cabbage (caldo verde), tomatoes, citrus and salt cod (bacalhau). over imported menus. The checked list
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays.
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays
4. Use the transport residents use Good trains between cities and extensive buses; a car helps for the interior and Alentejo.
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
Swipe
First time here
Portugal pairs very clean air and a renewables-heavy grid with living cork oak landscapes and strong Mediterranean food culture, though the south is increasingly water stressed.
Best time: Spring and early autumn for mild weather and harvest.
Getting around
Good trains between cities and extensive buses; a car helps for the interior and Alentejo.
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate is bread, olive oil, rice, beans and chickpeas, cabbage (caldo verde), tomatoes, citrus and salt cod (bacalhau).. The Mediterranean diet (UNESCO listed) puts vegetables, pulses (grao chickpeas and beans), bread, olive oil and fruit at the centre of the table, so unprocessed plant eating is easy.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cards widely accepted; EUR. The Alentejo rewards a slow pace.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Who owns the big hotels
Quinta do AbacateIndependent · 6 rooms
Vumba Organic FarmIndependent · 3 rooms
Bubulcus & BolotasIndependent · 4 rooms
Calçada Guesthouse – B&B & Co-livingIndependent · 6 rooms
Casa do Jardim SecretoIndependent · 1 rooms
None of the 5 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Portugal.
How well is Portugal actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Portugal scores 71 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is a state that generally does what it says it will do, which is what makes a climate pledge worth reading.
What is daily life in Portugal really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Good trains between cities and extensive buses; a car helps for the interior and Alentejo.
94.5%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 4.6% of GDP and 10.4% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 120.3% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022 to 2023).
Made in Portugal.
Portugal produces about 46 per cent of the world's cork from its montado cork oak forests, a genuinely living natural-materials industry. It also keeps wool traditions alive (Serra da Estrela burel cloth and Arraiolos wool rugs) alongside linen and basketry. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Portugal actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Portugal sells the world is vehicles, 12.6% of all exports in 2023 (about US$10.57 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are electrical machinery and electronics at 8.5%, machinery and mechanical appliances at 6.9%, mineral fuels and oils at 6.5%, plastics at 4.7%.
Sells now · 12.6% of exports
Vehicles
Vehicles is 12.6% of everything Portugal sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$10.57 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 8.5% of exports
Electrical machinery and electronics
Electrical machinery and electronics is 8.5% of everything Portugal sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$7.13 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 6.9% of exports
Machinery and mechanical appliances
Machinery and mechanical appliances is 6.9% of everything Portugal sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$5.74 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 6.5% of exports
Mineral fuels and oils
Mineral fuels and oils is 6.5% of everything Portugal sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$5.41 billion. UN Comtrade.
Sells now · 4.7% of exports
Plastics
Plastics is 4.7% of everything Portugal sold abroad in 2023, worth about US$3.91 billion. UN Comtrade.
Could make · grown here already
Bread
Grown in Portugal and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Olive oil
Grown in Portugal and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Rice
Grown in Portugal and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Portugal produces about US$347 billion a year, which is roughly US$32,082 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 2% of that, while food is 15.9% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in. With 10.1% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
See the verified makersCulture in Portugal.
Fado
The urban popular song of Portugal, usually sung by a solo singer with guitars, and on UNESCO's heritage list since 2011.
Cante Alentejano singing
Two-part singing by amateur choirs of up to thirty voices, performed without instruments, and on UNESCO's heritage list since 2014.
Vira
A folk dance from Minho that the whole country has adopted, each region changing it in its own way.
Corridinho
The favourite dance of the Algarve, where the accordion is the regional instrument.
Carnival, ending on Shrove TuesdayCaretos of Podence, winter CarnivalMasked Caretos in fringed wool costumes and bells fill the village of Podence for three days at the end of winter, ending on Shrove Tuesday.
Does Portugal protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Portugal keeps a deep well of living tradition, from Fado, the urban song of Lisbon that UNESCO inscribed in 2011, to the collective a cappella singing of Cante Alentejano, inscribed in 2014. Rural folk dances such as the vira and corridinho are still danced at festas and romarias across the country. Ancestral midwinter masquerades survive in the northeast, where young men in fringed suits and metal masks perform the Caretos rites at Podence, a custom with pre-Christian roots.
Who it belongs to. Rooted regional cultures remain strong, from fado and village festivals to cooperatives and agritourism, and rural and interior tourism keeps money local. Overtourism in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, however, extracts value and drives housing pressure.
Only here. Cork: Portugal produces about 46 per cent of the world's cork from its montado cork oak forests (APCOR, Portuguese Cork Association).
UNESCO · UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Fado, urban popular song of Portugal · UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Cante Alentejano, polyphonic singing from Alentejo · UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Winter festivities, Carnival of Podence · Smithsonian Folkways, liner notes for Portugal folk music recording MON71484
The Future of Portugal.
Three futures for Portugal, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Letraria, Craft Beer Garden (Porto), Catraio Craft Beer Shop & Bar (Porto), Levare Craft Brewery (Porto), Baobab Craft Beer (Porto), National Museum of Ancient Art (Lisbon). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: ABC d'arte, Alladin, Arte Mínima, Artes e Tradições, Artesanato Diana, Artifex.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 37.1% to 36.6% across 29 recorded years.
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 28.2% to 64.9% across 26 recorded years.
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 5.27 t to 3.32 t across 29 recorded years.
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 9,511k to 4,208k across 25 recorded years.
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 23.1% to 23% across 12 recorded years.
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 6.24% to 2.78% across 30 recorded years.
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 6.6% to 16.9% across 12 recorded years.
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 42.9% to 41.3% across 29 recorded years.
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 51% to 61.5% across 30 recorded years.
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 13.4 µg/m³ to 8.77 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 3,790 m³ to 3,642 m³ across 27 recorded years.
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 50% to 54.7% across 27 recorded years.
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 100% to 100% across 29 recorded years.
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 11,781 to 32,082 across 30 recorded years.
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 10,026k to 10,805k across 30 recorded years.
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 23.7% to 32.3% across 26 recorded years.
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 2,014 kg to 1,818 kg across 29 recorded years.
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 7.4% to 17.2% across 12 recorded years.
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 75.3 yrs to 82.4 yrs across 29 recorded years.
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 2,064 kg/ha to 5,309 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 113 kg/ha to 191 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 49% to 38.5% across 30 recorded years.
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 12.3 $/m3 to 37.5 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 8.6% to 10.2% across 24 recorded years.
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 33,935 km2 to 33,626 km2 across 30 recorded years.
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 3,078 kWh to 5,460 kWh across 30 recorded years.
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 8.33 to 6.75 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have building emissions moved?
Building emissions moved from 2.63 to 2.67 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have electricity/heat emissions moved?
Electricity/Heat emissions moved from 16.56 to 7.35 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have energy emissions moved?
Energy emissions moved from 39.02 to 34.55 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 3.8 to 5.71 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have manufacturing/construction emissions moved?
Manufacturing/Construction emissions moved from 8.19 to 5.18 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have transportation emissions moved?
Transportation emissions moved from 9.92 to 17.88 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, food and farming at 3/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
What the best case actually asks for
Lift food and farming
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Portugal's record. Portugal produces excellent olive oil, wine, tomatoes, fruit and fish, but it is a net food importer with a persistent agri-food trade deficit and buys in much of its cereals and meat.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift wildlife
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Portugal's record. Portugal holds notable wildlife including the recovering Iberian lynx and Iberian wolf, the Iberian imperial eagle and rich cork oak (montado) biodiversity, with 264 threatened species recorded (IUCN via World Bank, 2022).
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift natural fibres
It scores 3 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Portugal's record. Portugal produces about 46 per cent of the world's cork from its montado cork oak forests, a genuinely living natural-materials industry. It also keeps wool traditions alive (Serra da Estrela burel cloth and Arraiolos wool rugs) alongside linen and basketry.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Portugal.
Who is in charge of Portugal now · Office-holders from the UN Protocol and Liaison Service public list of Heads of State and Heads of Government, 20 October 2026. Legislature and election dates from IFES ElectionGuide. Constitution dates from the Constitute Project. Governance scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024.
Luís Montenegro
Prime Minister
Luís Montenegro is the head of government of Portugal, in office since 2 April 2024. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government scores 81.1 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Up from 81.0 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Control of corruption scores 63.6 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Down from 64.5 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Political stability and absence of violence scores 77.9 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Up from 77.1 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Rule of law scores 75.9 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Up from 75.1 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Regulatory quality scores 65.1 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Down from 67.0 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Luís MontenegroPrime Minister
Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da Republica)Legislature, unicameral
Last election18 May 2025
Constitution1976, as revised to 2005
Government typesemi-presidential republic
Portugal national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
Plain Answers About Portugal.
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
Swipe
Is Portugal sustainable?
Portugal scores 75 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Portugal pairs very clean air and a renewables-heavy grid with living cork oak landscapes and strong Mediterranean food culture, though the south is increasingly water stressed.
Is the water in Portugal safe and plentiful?
Portugal draws on major rivers (Tagus, Douro, Guadiana) and reservoirs, and 95.2 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF JMP via World Bank, 2024). Supply is reliable in the north and centre, but the south (Algarve and Alentejo) leans heavily on reservoirs and now faces recurring drought and restrictions, with desalination being built to cope. Several key rivers rise in Spain, adding transboundary dependence.
Can Portugal feed itself?
Portugal produces excellent olive oil, wine, tomatoes, fruit and fish, but it is a net food importer with a persistent agri-food trade deficit and buys in much of its cereals and meat. Local, seasonal eating is easy through daily markets, yet overall self-sufficiency is only moderate.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Portugal?
The Mediterranean diet (UNESCO listed) puts vegetables, pulses (grao chickpeas and beans), bread, olive oil and fruit at the centre of the table, so unprocessed plant eating is easy. Traditional dishes still lean on pork and salt cod, but since 2017 public canteens must offer a vegetarian option and cities such as Lisbon have a strong vegan scene.
How much of Portugal is actually protected?
Terrestrial protected areas cover about 23 per cent of the country and marine protected areas about 16.9 per cent of territorial waters (World Bank, 2025), anchored by the Peneda-Geres National Park and an extensive Natura 2000 network. Enforcement is moderate and marine protection is often light-touch, but the overall coverage is strong.
What wildlife is left in Portugal?
Portugal holds notable wildlife including the recovering Iberian lynx and Iberian wolf, the Iberian imperial eagle and rich cork oak (montado) biodiversity, with 264 threatened species recorded (IUCN via World Bank, 2022). Active rewilding in the Greater Coa Valley is returning large herbivores and raptors to the landscape.
Is Portugal on clean energy?
Portugal draws the majority of its electricity from renewables, roughly 61 per cent across 2023, led by hydropower, wind and a fast-growing solar fleet, and it ran for several consecutive days entirely on clean power in late 2023. It closed its last coal-fired plant at Pego in November 2021, becoming coal-free ahead of most of Europe. Emissions are low for a developed economy at about 3.32 tonnes of CO2 per person in 2024, and the country is working towards carbon neutrality by 2050 under its national roadmap.
How polluted is Portugal?
Air is very clean, with an annual mean PM2.5 of about 5.67 micrograms per cubic metre (UChicago AQLI, 2022), well inside health guidelines. A plastic bag charge has applied since 2015 and EU single-use plastic rules restrict plastic tableware, cutlery and straws, though some coastal and urban litter remains and summer wildfire smoke is a seasonal problem.
Does recycling work in Portugal?
Portugal recycled about 32.8 per cent of its municipal waste in 2024 (Eurostat, recycling rate of municipal waste), below the EU average and only slowly improving.
Is the farming in Portugal organic?
About 21.2 per cent of Portugal's agricultural land was organic in 2024 (Eurostat, area under organic farming), well above the world average and rising, driven by olive groves, vineyards and Alentejo pasture.
Are there natural materials and craft in Portugal?
Portugal produces about 46 per cent of the world's cork from its montado cork oak forests, a genuinely living natural-materials industry. It also keeps wool traditions alive (Serra da Estrela burel cloth and Arraiolos wool rugs) alongside linen and basketry.
Is there living culture in Portugal?
Rooted regional cultures remain strong, from fado and village festivals to cooperatives and agritourism, and rural and interior tourism keeps money local. Overtourism in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, however, extracts value and drives housing pressure.
What heritage does Portugal keep alive?
Portugal keeps a deep well of living tradition, from Fado, the urban song of Lisbon that UNESCO inscribed in 2011, to the collective a cappella singing of Cante Alentejano, inscribed in 2014. Rural folk dances such as the vira and corridinho are still danced at festas and romarias across the country. Ancestral midwinter masquerades survive in the northeast, where young men in fringed suits and metal masks perform the Caretos rites at Podence, a custom with pre-Christian roots.
So is Portugal actually green? The measured answer
What is working: renewable electricity at 64.9%.
What is not: the gaps are narrower here than in most of the directory, and each remaining one is named below.
How Portugal Ranks, region and world.
Where Portugal sits on the Eco Index, against its Europe neighbours and the 77 destinations scored worldwide.
How does Portugal compare in Europe?
1Switzerland78
2France78
3Finland77
4Slovenia77
Scored Europe destinations, Eco Index.
The global top 10 of the 77 destinations scored
1Switzerland78
2France78
3Finland77
4Slovenia77
5Australia77
7Germany75
8New Zealand75
9Italy73
10Spain73
Portugal sits 6 of 77 at 75/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking
What is Portugal particularly good at?
✓ Organic farming, scored 5/5. About 21.2 per cent of Portugal's agricultural land was organic in 2024 (Eurostat, area under organic farming), well above the world average and rising, driven by olive groves, vineyards and Alentejo pasture.
✓ Water, scored 4/5. Portugal draws on major rivers (Tagus, Douro, Guadiana) and reservoirs, and 95.2 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF JMP via World Bank, 2024). Supply is reliable in the north and centre, but the south (Algarve and Alentejo) leans heavily on reservoirs and now faces recurring drought and restrictions, with desalination being built to cope. Several key rivers rise in Spain, adding transboundary dependence.
✓ Plant-based eating, scored 4/5. The Mediterranean diet (UNESCO listed) puts vegetables, pulses (grao chickpeas and beans), bread, olive oil and fruit at the centre of the table, so unprocessed plant eating is easy. Traditional dishes still lean on pork and salt cod, but since 2017 public canteens must offer a vegetarian option and cities such as Lisbon have a strong vegan scene.
Where does Portugal score worst?
✕ Food and farming, scored 3/5. Portugal produces excellent olive oil, wine, tomatoes, fruit and fish, but it is a net food importer with a persistent agri-food trade deficit and buys in much of its cereals and meat. Local, seasonal eating is easy through daily markets, yet overall self-sufficiency is only moderate.
✕ Wildlife, scored 3/5. Portugal holds notable wildlife including the recovering Iberian lynx and Iberian wolf, the Iberian imperial eagle and rich cork oak (montado) biodiversity, with 264 threatened species recorded (IUCN via World Bank, 2022). Active rewilding in the Greater Coa Valley is returning large herbivores and raptors to the landscape.
✕ Natural fibres, scored 3/5. Portugal produces about 46 per cent of the world's cork from its montado cork oak forests, a genuinely living natural-materials industry. It also keeps wool traditions alive (Serra da Estrela burel cloth and Arraiolos wool rugs) alongside linen and basketry.
A note from the lens of mother natureSwipe
Food and farming, 3/5
Portugal produces excellent olive oil, wine, tomatoes, fruit and fish, but it is a net food importer with a persistent agri-food trade deficit and buys in much of its cereals and meat. Local, seasonal eating is easy through daily markets, yet overall self-sufficiency is only moderate.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Portugal's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Wildlife, 3/5
Portugal holds notable wildlife including the recovering Iberian lynx and Iberian wolf, the Iberian imperial eagle and rich cork oak (montado) biodiversity, with 264 threatened species recorded (IUCN via World Bank, 2022).
Natural fibres, 3/5
Portugal produces about 46 per cent of the world's cork from its montado cork oak forests, a genuinely living natural-materials industry. It also keeps wool traditions alive (Serra da Estrela burel cloth and Arraiolos wool rugs) alongside linen and basketry.
The Portugal Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Portugal, checked and listed.
How the rest of the world scores Portugal
Independent global indices, for calibration.
Forest cover
36.6
World Bank, 2024.
Protected land
23.0
World Bank, 2025.
Protected sea
16.9
World Bank, 2025.
Renewable grid
64.9
World Bank, 2021.
CO2 per person
3.3 tonnes (2024)
World Bank, 2024.
Threatened species
264
Recorded figure, sourced on this page.
Control of corruption
63.6 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Government effectiveness
73.3 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Rule of law
75.9 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Political stability
77.9 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Voice and accountability
81.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Environmental Performance Index
62.7 / 100 · 18 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 18 of 177 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
46.7 / 100 · 68 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 68 of 177 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
53.1 / 100 · 51 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 51 of 177 countries assessed.
Air quality
79.8 / 100 · 16 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 16 of 177 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
77.2 / 100 · 49 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 49 of 177 countries assessed.
Marine habitat protected
44.3 / 100 · 28 of 111
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 28 of 111 countries assessed.
How Portugal Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Seven pillars are scored from published measurements with the same fixed thresholds everywhere: energy (low-carbon share of electricity, 90% or more scores 5, 70% 4, 50% 3, 25% 2), conservation (land and sea protected), water (safe drinking water, wastewater treated, water stress), organic farmland, recycling, food import dependence and air quality. Where a measurement is not published for a place, that pillar keeps its source-assessed score and is labelled as such. Wildlife, culture, heritage, materials and plant-based eating have no comparable measurement and are assessed from the named sources. The Eco Index is the average of the twelve pillar scores multiplied by 20. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Water
Safe drinking water, wastewater treated and water stress. Measured.
02
Food & farming
How much of the import bill is food: whether the place feeds itself. Measured.
03
Plant-based
How easy it is to eat plant-based, from documented sources.
04
Organic
Certified organic share of farmland. Measured.
05
Conservation
Land and sea legally protected, against the 30 by 30 goal. Measured.
06
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost, from documented sources.
07
Materials
Local natural fibres and craft, from documented sources.
08
Pollution
Air quality (PM2.5, measured) and plastics and waste policy.
09
Recycling
Share of municipal waste recycled. Measured.
10
Energy
Low-carbon share of electricity, nuclear included. Measured.
11
Culture
Living culture and community-led visits, from documented sources.
12
Heritage
What the law keeps standing, from documented sources.
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
0
Absent
nothing verifiable exists
1
Failing
measurably going the wrong way
2
Weak
claims outrun delivery
3
Fair
real effort, mixed results
4
Strong
genuinely good, evidence named
5
Leading
world class, and the trend holds
Where the numbers come from.
The institutions above are the ones cited on this page, ranked by how many of its figures they carry. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
Every figure on this page, and where it came from: 83 sources across 33 institutions
World Bank16 FIGURES
- Forest area (% of land area) AG.LND.FRST.ZS, 2023 check
- Terrestrial protected areas (% of land area) ER.LND.PTLD.ZS, 2025 check
- Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters) ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS, 2025 check
- Renewable electricity output (% of total) EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS, 2021 check
- CO2 emissions per capita EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5, 2024 check
- GDP (current US$) NY.GDP.MKTP.CD, 2025 check
- International tourist arrivals ST.INT.ARVL, 2020 check
- Agricultural land (% of land area) AG.LND.AGRI.ZS, 2023 check
- Arable land (% of land area) AG.LND.ARBL.ZS, 2023 check
- Agriculture, value added (% of GDP) NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS, 2025 check
- Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS, 2011 check
- Renewable internal freshwater per capita (m3) ER.H2O.INTR.PC, 2022 check
- Safely managed sanitation (% of population) SH.STA.SMSS.ZS, 2024 check
- Overweight prevalence, adults (%) SH.STA.OWAD.ZS, 2022 check
- Central government debt (% of GDP) GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS, 1994 check
- Population total SP.POP.TOTL, 2025 check
GBIF13 FIGURES
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Puffinus mauretanicus, Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (bird). check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Puffinus mauretanicus corroboration check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Puffinus mauretanicus corroboration check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Mauremys sinensis, Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (turtle). check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Mauremys sinensis corroboration check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Mauremys sinensis corroboration check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Beta patula check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Beta patula corroboration check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Beta patula corroboration check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Beta patula corroboration check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Anguilla anguilla, Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Portugal in GBIF occurrence data (species). check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Anguilla anguilla corroboration check
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species version 2026-1 as published on GBIF, Anguilla anguilla corroboration check
Eurostat5 FIGURES
- Recycling rate of municipal waste (cei_wm011), 2024 check
- UN SDG Global Database, electronic waste recycled (%) EN_EWT_RCYR, Portugal, 2017 (80.9%), country-reported check
- recycling rate of municipal waste (cei_wm011) check
- municipal waste by treatment operation (env_wasmun) check
- area under organic farming (sdg_02_40), 2024 check
UNESCO Institute for Statistics4 FIGURES
- government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP, Portugal, Public spending on education runs at 4.6% of GDP and 10.4% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment check
- government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP, Portugal corroboration check
- government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP, Portugal corroboration check
- government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP, Portugal corroboration check
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage4 FIGURES
- Fado and Cante Alentejano check
- Cante Alentejano element file (Internet Archive capture of ich.unesco.org), Portugal keeps a deep well of living tradition, from Fado, the melancholic urban song of Lisbon and Coimbra re check
- Cante Alentejano element file (Internet Archive capture of ich.unesco.org) corroboration check
- Cante Alentejano element file (Internet Archive capture of ich.unesco.org) corroboration check
BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC3 FIGURES
- UN SDG Global Database, terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_PTD_TERR, Portugal, 2025 (77.4%), country-reported check
- UN SDG Global Database, marine Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_MRN_MPA, Portugal, 2025 (70.9%), country-reported check
- UN SDG Global Database, freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_PTD_FRHWTR, Portugal, 2025 (68.6%), country-reported check
Convention on Biological Diversity3 FIGURES
- Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 3, The 30x30 target is 30% by 2030, so 13.1 percentage points are still to be designated. check
- Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 3 corroboration check
- Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 3 corroboration check
FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment3 FIGURES
- UN SDG Global Database, forest area (% of land area) AG_LND_FRST, Portugal, 2025 (36.7%), country-reported check
- UN SDG Global Database, forest area under a long-term management plan (%) AG_LND_FRSTMGT, Portugal, 2025 (34.4%), country-reported check
- UN SDG Global Database, forest area inside legally established protected areas (%) AG_LND_FRSTPRCT, Portugal, 2025 (32.0%), country-reported check
Fundacao Coa Parque3 FIGURES
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme3 FIGURES
- World Bank, Safely managed drinking water SH.H2O.SMDW.ZS, 2024 check
- UN SDG Global Database, population using safely managed drinking water (%) SH_H2O_SAFE, Portugal, 2024 (95.2%), modelled estimate check
- UN SDG Global Database, population using safely managed sanitation (%) SH_SAN_SAFE, Portugal, 2024 (93.9%), modelled estimate check
Direcao-Geral da Saude2 FIGURES
FAO2 FIGURES
UN Comtrade2 FIGURES
221 FIGURE
- 000 to 10,000 BC, the Upper Palaeolithic range in the World Heritage documentation check
About 46 per cent1 FIGURE
- the share APCOR publishes today (near 85,000 tonnes) check
Among the lowest1 FIGURE
- it ties on 3/5 with water, wildlife, fibres and recycling check
APCOR1 FIGURE
- Associacao Portuguesa da Cortica, Social and Economic corroboration check
BirdLife International Data Zone1 FIGURE
- IUCN Red List category glossary, Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Portugal. check
Built around 7000 years ago1 FIGURE
- roughly 5000 BC, per the Evora municipal authority that manages the site check
Climate Watch (WRI)1 FIGURE
- Net-Zero Tracker check
Constitute Project1 FIGURE
- Portugal 1976 (rev. 2005) check
Ember1 FIGURE
- Wind and solar produce more than half of Portugal's electricity for the first time, 2023 check
EU Single-Use Plastics Directive 2019/9041 FIGURE
- implemented in Portugal from 2021 (single-use plastics ban)
European Commission1 FIGURE
- Portugal 2023 climate action factsheet check
IEA, World Energy Balances1 FIGURE
- UN SDG Global Database, renewable share of total final energy consumption (%) EG_FEC_RNEW, Portugal, 2023 (35.4%), modelled estimate check
IFES ElectionGuide1 FIGURE
- Portugal elections and chambers check
INE1 FIGURE
- Portugal, national statistical authority check
Instituto da Conservacao da Natureza e das Florestas1 FIGURE
- national protected-area and wildlife authority for Portugal check
IUCN Red List1 FIGURE
- World Bank, threatened species (mammals, birds, fishes, higher plants), 2022 check
Ministerio dos Negocios Estrangeiros1 FIGURE
- Portal Diplomatico, Sobre Portugal, Portugal is recognised as an independent kingdom, one of Europe's oldest continuous borders. check
Our World in Data1 FIGURE
- CO2 country profile: Portugal, 2024 check
Our World in Data (Ember; Energy Institute)1 FIGURE
- Share of electricity from renewables, 2024 check
UN Protocol and Liaison Service1 FIGURE
- Heads of State, Heads of Government and Ministers for Foreign Affairs, public list dated 20 October 2026 check