Updated
Overview
Australia has 2.6 times the population of Portugal: 27.61 million people against 10.80 million (2025).
Australia's economy is 5.2 times the size of Portugal's, at $1.80T versus $346.64B.
Per person, Australia is the wealthier of the two: $65,130 against $32,082 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Australia | Portugal | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.80T | $346.64B | 2025 | $1.75T / $308.68B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $65,130 | $32,082 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.4% | Higher: 1.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.9% | Lower: 2.3% | 2025 | 3.2% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 4.1% | 6.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 90 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $4,436 | $1,426 | 2021 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $2,655 | $1,147 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.95 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 27.61 million | 10.80 million | 2025 | 27.49 million / 10.19 million |
| Population growth | 1.5% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 38.3 yrs | 46.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.64 | 1.52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.1 yrs | 82.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 88% | 61% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 96% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 7,692,024 km² | 92,090 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 3.6/km² | 117.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 387 Mt | Lower: 36 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 14.5 t | Lower: 3.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $33.82B | $4.64B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 1.5% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 60,000 | 52,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Portugal is growing faster: 1.9% annual GDP growth versus 1.4%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.9% in Australia and 2.3% in Portugal.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Portugal: a price level of 60 versus 90 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Australia: $4,436 against $1,426 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Australia is the far younger society: median age 38.3 versus 46.9 years.
Australia is considerably more urbanized: 88% of people live in cities, against 61%.
Geography
By land area, Australia is 84 times the size of Portugal: 7,692,024 km² versus 92,090 km².
Portugal is far more densely settled: 117 people per km² against 4.
Military
Australia spends 7.3 times as much on defence as Portugal: $33.82B versus $4.64B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Australia fields the larger armed forces: 60,000 personnel against 52,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Australia bigger than Portugal?
- Australia is larger by land area. Australia covers 7,692,024 km² while Portugal covers 92,090 km², so Australia is 84 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Australia or Portugal?
- Australia has the larger population: 27.61 million versus 10.80 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Australia richer than Portugal?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Australia is richer: $65,130 against $32,082. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.80T for Australia versus $346.64B for Portugal.
- Who spends more on their military, Australia or Portugal?
- Australia spends more: $33.82B versus $4.64B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).