Updated
Overview
Bangladesh has 16 times the population of Portugal: 175.69 million people against 10.80 million (2025).
Bangladesh's economy is 32% larger than Portugal's, at $456.32B versus $346.64B.
Per person, Portugal is the wealthier of the two: $32,082 against $2,597 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Bangladesh | Portugal | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $456.32B | $346.64B | 2025 | $450.12B / $308.68B |
| GDP per capita | $2,597 | Higher: $32,082 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.5% | 1.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 8.8% | Lower: 2.3% | 2025 | 10.5% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.8% | 6.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 25 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $134 | Higher: $1,426 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $108 | Higher: $1,147 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 175.69 million | 10.80 million | 2025 | 174.37 million / 10.19 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 26.0 yrs | 46.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.11 | 1.52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 74.9 yrs | Higher: 82.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 33% | 61% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 53% | Higher: 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 147,570 km² | 92,090 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 1190.5/km² | 117.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 108 Mt | Lower: 36 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.6 t | 3.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.03B | $4.64B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 1.5% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 227,000 | 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
Bangladesh is growing faster: 3.5% annual GDP growth versus 1.9%.
Bangladesh runs the hotter price environment: 8.8% inflation versus 2.3%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Bangladesh: a price level of 25 versus 60 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Portugal: $1,426 against $134 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Bangladesh is the far younger society: median age 26.0 versus 46.9 years.
Life expectancy is 7.5 years longer in Portugal (82.4 vs 74.9).
Portugal is considerably more urbanized: 61% of people live in cities, against 33%.
Internet adoption is higher in Portugal (88% vs 53% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Bangladesh is 60% larger than Portugal: 147,570 km² versus 92,090 km².
Bangladesh is far more densely settled: 1191 people per km² against 117.
Military
Defence budgets are of similar magnitude: $4.03B (Bangladesh) and $4.64B (Portugal).
Bangladesh fields the larger armed forces: 227,000 personnel against 52,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Bangladesh bigger than Portugal?
- Bangladesh is larger by land area. Bangladesh covers 147,570 km² while Portugal covers 92,090 km², so Bangladesh is 60% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Bangladesh or Portugal?
- Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.69 million versus 10.80 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Bangladesh richer than Portugal?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Portugal is richer: $32,082 against $2,597. Total GDP tells a different story: $456.32B for Bangladesh versus $346.64B for Portugal.
- Who spends more on their military, Bangladesh or Portugal?
- Portugal spends more: $4.64B versus $4.03B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).