Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Portugal

Portugal: Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) was 51.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
51.4%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
21st
of 74 countries
All-time high
51.6%
in 2021
All-time low
45.4%
in 1997
Years of data
26
1997–2023

Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Portugal, 1997–2023

02040601997201020231997: 45.41999: 46.22000: 46.42001: 46.52002: 46.82003: 47.12004: 47.72005: 48.22006: 48.72007: 49.22008: 47.42009: 49.32010: 48.72011: 49.42012: 50.62013: 502014: 49.62015: 49.82016: 50.12017: 50.42018: 50.82019: 51.22020: 51.32021: 51.62022: 51.22023: 51.4

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Portugal is 51.4%, measured in 2023.

The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Portugal peaked at 51.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 45.4%, in 1997.

That places Portugal 21st out of 74 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Portugal, year by year

Annual values for Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Higher education in Portugal, 1997 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1997 45.4%
1999 46.2% +1.9%
2000 46.4% +0.3%
2001 46.5% +0.3%
2002 46.8% +0.7%
2003 47.1% +0.6%
2004 47.7% +1.2%
2005 48.2% +1.1%
2006 48.7% +1.0%
2007 49.2% +0.8%
2008 47.4% -3.6%
2009 49.3% +3.9%
2010 48.7% -1.1%
2011 49.4% +1.4%
2012 50.6% +2.5%
2013 50.0% -1.3%
2014 49.6% -0.8%
2015 49.8% +0.4%
2016 50.1% +0.7%
2017 50.4% +0.6%
2018 50.8% +0.8%
2019 51.2% +0.8%
2020 51.3% +0.2%
2021 51.6% +0.5%
2022 51.2% -0.8%
2023 51.4% +0.5%

Portugal compared with similar countries

  • Portugal's 51.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 44.3%, 1.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
  • Portugal's 51.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 46.5%, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 45.8% 45.4% 46.2% 2
2000s 47.7% 46.4% 49.3% 10
2010s 50.1% 48.7% 51.2% 10
2020s 51.4% 51.2% 51.6% 4

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 18 Bosnia and Herzegovina 52.9% compare
  2. 19 Mauritius 52.7% compare
  3. 20 Croatia 52.0% compare
  4. 22 Guatemala 51.4% compare
  5. 23 Trinidad and Tobago 50.9% compare
  6. 24 Lithuania 50.9% compare

See the full ranking of 74 places →

More science & technology data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Portugal?
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in Portugal was 51.4% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 51.6% in 2021.
What is the lowest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 45.4% in 1997.
How does Portugal rank for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte)?
Portugal ranks 21st out of 74 countries with data for 2023.
Is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Portugal data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Higher education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/female-researchers-as-a-percentage-of-total-researchers-fte-higher-education/portugal/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/female-researchers-as-a-percentage-of-total-researchers-fte-higher-education/portugal/">Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in Portugal</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Higher education
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
74 places, 1,075 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release