Age of full democracy in Portugal
Portugal: Age of full democracy was 50 years in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Age of full democracy in Portugal, 1976–2025
Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2025, age of full democracy in Portugal stood at 50 years. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of full democracy in Portugal peaked at 50 years in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1976.
That places Portugal 32nd out of 89 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Age of full democracy in Portugal, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 1 years | — |
| 1977 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1978 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1979 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1980 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1981 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1982 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1983 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1984 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1985 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1986 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1987 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1988 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1995 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 34 years | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 35 years | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 36 years | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 37 years | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 38 years | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 39 years | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 40 years | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 41 years | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 42 years | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 43 years | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 44 years | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 45 years | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 46 years | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 47 years | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 48 years | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 49 years | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 50 years | +2.0% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 50 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 57 years, 88% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 50 years is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 50.5 years, 99% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of full democracy in Portugal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1978 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
| 1979 | +33.3% | 3 years | 4 years |
| 1980 | +25.0% | 4 years | 5 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.5 years | 1 years | 4 years | 4 |
| 1980s | 9.5 years | 5 years | 14 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.5 years | 15 years | 24 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.5 years | 25 years | 34 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.5 years | 35 years | 44 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.5 years | 45 years | 50 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 29 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 57 years compare
- 30 Switzerland 55 years compare
- 31 Greece 51 years compare
- 33 Kiribati 48 years compare
- 33 Papua New Guinea 48 years compare
- 33 Tuvalu 48 years compare
More social development data for Portugal
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 70,349 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 109 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 109 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0065 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age of full democracy in Portugal?
- Age of full democracy in Portugal was 50 years in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of full democracy recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 50 years in 2025.
- What is the lowest age of full democracy recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1976.
- How does Portugal rank for age of full democracy?
- Portugal ranks 32nd out of 89 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age of full democracy rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age of full democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of consecutive years in a full democracy.