Updated
Overview
Iran has 8.6 times the population of Portugal: 92.42 million people against 10.80 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $362.68B for Iran and $346.64B for Portugal.
Per person, Portugal is the wealthier of the two: $32,082 against $3,924 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Iran | Portugal | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $362.68B | $346.64B | 2025 | $436.91B / $308.68B |
| GDP per capita | $3,924 | Higher: $32,082 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | -2.8% | Higher: 1.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 42.2% | Lower: 2.3% | 2025 | 32.5% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | 8.3% | Lower: 6.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | — | 60 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | — | $1,426 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,264 | $1,147 | 2023 / 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 92.42 million | 10.80 million | 2025 | 89.18 million / 10.19 million |
| Population growth | 0.9% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 34.0 yrs | 46.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.67 | 1.52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 77.9 yrs | Higher: 82.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 77% | 61% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 85% | Higher: 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 1,648,195 km² | 92,090 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 56.1/km² | 117.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 793 Mt | Lower: 36 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 8.7 t | Lower: 3.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $7.89B | $4.64B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.0% | 1.5% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 650,000 | 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 grew while the other economy contracted: 1.9% against -2.8%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Iran at 42.2%, while the other economy sits at 2.3%.
People and society
Iran is the far younger society: median age 34.0 versus 46.9 years.
Life expectancy is 4.5 years longer in Portugal (82.4 vs 77.9).
Iran is considerably more urbanized: 77% of people live in cities, against 61%.
Geography
By land area, Iran is 18 times the size of Portugal: 1,648,195 km² versus 92,090 km².
Portugal is far more densely settled: 117 people per km² against 56.
Military
Iran spends about 70% more on defence than Portugal: $7.89B versus $4.64B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Iran fields the larger armed forces: 650,000 personnel against 52,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Iran bigger than Portugal?
- Iran is larger by land area. Iran covers 1,648,195 km² while Portugal covers 92,090 km², so Iran is 18 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Iran or Portugal?
- Iran has the larger population: 92.42 million versus 10.80 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Iran richer than Portugal?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Portugal is richer: $32,082 against $3,924. Total GDP tells a different story: $362.68B for Iran versus $346.64B for Portugal.
- Who spends more on their military, Iran or Portugal?
- Iran spends more: $7.89B versus $4.64B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).