Number of prisoners rose 1.23% to 14,373 persons in Portugal in 2015, according to the United Nations.
Historically, number of prisoners in Portugal reached an all time high of 14,535 persons in 2013 and an all time low of 8,168 persons in 1988. When compared to Portugal's main peers, number of prisoners in France amounted to 66,678 persons, 3,755 persons in Ireland, 76,000 persons in Morocco and 61,614 persons in Spain in 2015.
Portugal has been ranked 42nd within the group of 105 countries we follow in terms of number of prisoners, 15 places above the position seen 10 years ago.
| Number of Prisoners | Unit | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Algeria | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 52,000 | 49,000 | 50,000 | 50,100 | 60,220 | ||||||||
| Belgium | persons | 10,105 | 10,968 | 11,065 | 11,212 | 12,126 | ||||||||||||||||
| Canada | persons | 38,804 | 39,489 | 40,229 | 40,718 | 37,542 | ... | |||||||||||||||
| France | persons | 60,978 | 60,544 | 64,787 | 66,572 | 67,075 | ||||||||||||||||
| Germany | persons | 72,295 | 70,827 | 69,543 | 68,533 | 66,221 | ||||||||||||||||
| Iceland | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 148 | 167 | 150 | 153 | 152 | ... | ... | |||||||||
| Ireland | persons | 3,868 | 4,318 | 4,216 | 4,287 | 4,088 | ||||||||||||||||
| Italy | persons | 65,598 | 69,263 | 68,325 | 67,102 | 63,848 | ||||||||||||||||
| Mauritania | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 1,700 | ... | 1,602 | ... | ... | |||
| Morocco | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 57,563 | 64,877 | ... | 70,675 | 72,000 | ... | |||||||
| Portugal | persons | 11,287 | 11,839 | 12,955 | 13,875 | 14,535 | ||||||||||||||||
| Spain | persons | 76,079 | 73,929 | 70,472 | 68,597 | 66,765 | ||||||||||||||||
| Tunisia | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 26,319 | ... | 21,000 | ... | 25,000 | ... | ... | |
| United Kingdom | persons | 91,325 | 93,322 | 94,279 | 94,625 | 91,574 |
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