Portugal Military - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Portuguese Armed Forces: Portuguese Army (Exercito Portuguesa), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP); Portuguese National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana, GNR) (2021)

note: the GNR is a national gendarmerie force comprised of military personnel with law enforcement, internal security, civil defense, disaster response, and coast guard duties; it is responsible to the Minister of Internal Administration and to the Minister of National Defense; in the event of war or crisis, it may be placed under the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces

Military expenditures

1.59% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.38% of GDP (2019)

1.34% of GDP (2018)

1.24% of GDP (2017)

1.27% of GDP (2016)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Portuguese Armed Forces have approximately 27,000 active duty personnel (14,000 Army; 7,000 Navy, inc about 1,000 marines; 6,000 Air Force); 24,500 National Republican Guard (military personnel) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Portuguese Armed Forces inventory includes mostly European and US-origin weapons systems along with a smaller mix of domestically-produced equipment; since 2010, Germany and the US are the leading suppliers of armaments to Portugal; Portugal's defense industry is primarily focused on shipbuilding (2020)

Military deployments

200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA/EUTM); up to 120 Baltic States (NATO) (2021)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary or contract military service; no compulsory military service (abolished 2004), but conscription possible if insufficient volunteers available; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1992, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties; contract service lasts for an initial period from two to six years, and can be extended to a maximum of 20 years of service. Voluntary military service lasts 12 months; reserve obligation to age 35 (2019)

Military - note

Portugal is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949

NOTE: The information regarding Portugal on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Portugal 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Portugal 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.