Portugal vs Romania development indicators, 2024

Demography and Health

In terms of demography, Portugal has a birth rate of 8.1 per 1,000 people, marginally higher than Romania's 8.0. The death rate in Portugal stands at 11.2 per 1,000 people, whereas Romania's is higher at 12.7, indicating a somewhat older population in Romania. Life expectancy at birth in Portugal is notable at 82.3 years compared to Romania's 76.6 years, reflecting better health outcomes. Portugal also performs better in child mortality rates, with a rate of 3.2 deaths under five per 1,000 live births, in contrast to Romania's higher rate of 6.6. Prevalence of undernourishment is equal in both countries at 2.5%, suggesting food security is similarly sustainable.

Economy

Portugal's economy is characterized by a GDP per capita of $28,844, which is significantly higher than Romania's $20,072. Furthermore, in purchasing power parity (PPP), Portugal's GDP per capita is slightly greater at $50,617 compared to Romania's $48,712. Portugal's economy benefits from a high export ratio, with exports of goods and services making up 46.5% of GDP versus Romania's 35.6%. The inflation rate in Portugal is notably lower at 2.4%, compared to Romania's 5.7%, indicating more stable economic conditions. Foreign direct investment inflows as a percentage of GDP also favor Portugal at 4.3% against Romania's 1.9%, reflecting a more attractive investment climate.

Trade and Investment

Portugal is ranked higher in terms of trade activity, with exports comprising a significant part of its GDP (46.5%) as opposed to Romania (35.6%). It also enjoys a healthy current account balance of 2.2% of GDP, while Romania faces a significant deficit of -8.4%. The logistics performance index further shows Portugal’s advantage in trade infrastructure quality, scoring 3.6 compared to Romania's 2.9. This indicates that Portugal is likely better positioned for international trade opportunities and may attract more investors.

Governance and Institutions

In governance, Portugal demonstrates stronger control over corruption with a score of 0.7, whereas Romania struggles at 0. On government effectiveness, Portugal scores 1, again surpassing Romania's score of -0.1. This contrast is evident in aspects such as the rule of law, with Portugal scoring 1.1 against Romania's 0.4, demonstrating a stronger institutional framework. Additionally, Portugal has better scores in political stability and regulatory quality, suggesting a more conducive environment for democracy and economic activities.

Infrastructure and Technology

Portugal again excels in infrastructure and technology, earning a higher logistic performance index at 3.6 compared to Romania's 2.9, which indicates better quality in trade and transport-related infrastructure. Furthermore, Portugal has a higher resource allocation for research and development expenditure at 1.7% of GDP, significantly more than Romania's 0.5%. The number of patent applications per resident also favors Portugal, showing stronger innovation capabilities in technology-based sectors.

Environment and Sustainability

Concerning environmental sustainability, Portugal takes the lead with 32.3% of its total energy consumption derived from renewable sources, compared to Romania’s 23.6%. Although both countries have similar greenhouse gas emissions per capita, with Portugal at 5 tons of CO2 and Romania at 5.6 tons, Portugal shows a lower level of water stress at 12.3%, reflecting better management of freshwater resources, which is crucial for sustainability in the long term.