THE WORLD, CONNECTEDGeopolitical Relationship Atlas
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP

Vietnam and Portugal

Vietnam and Portugal seek to deepen energy, maritime and business cooperation. The Portuguese foreign minister’s visit in February 2026 accompanied the decision to open an embassy in Vietnam and discussions on economic mechanisms, education and tourism mobility.

Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08

Bilateral context

Phạm Minh Chính received Paulo Rangel on 27 February 2026.

What merchandise trade shows

In 2025, goods trade between Vietnam and Portugal totalled 726.8 million current USD.

Documented trade sectors

Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Vietnam to Portugal, at 181.8 million USD in 2025.

Bilateral indicators

Blank cells: data unavailable.

Indicators of the relationship between Vietnam and Portugal
IndicatorValuePeriod
Goods trade726.77 M USD2025 · Comtrade
Goods: Vietnam to Portugal642.62 M USD2025 · Comtrade
Goods: Portugal to Vietnam84.16 M USD2025 · Comtrade
Services trade
Export share: Vietnam to Portugal
Export share: Portugal to Vietnam
Investment stock: Vietnam in Portugal
Investment stock: Portugal in Vietnam
Definitions and sources

Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.

Goods trade
2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter PRT. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
Goods: Vietnam to Portugal
2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter PRT. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
Goods: Portugal to Vietnam
2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter PRT. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.

Country comparison

Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.

Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.

Economic and demographic comparison of Vietnam and Portugal
IndicatorVietnamPortugal
Nominal GDP514.7 billion USD2025 · World Bank346.64 billion USD2025 · WB
GDP per capita5,065.99 USD2025 · World Bank32,081.81 USD2025 · WB
GDP growth8.02 %2025 · World Bank1.86 %2025 · WB
Policy interest rate2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE
Inflation · annual average3.31 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank2.34 %Annual average · 2025 · WB
Inflation · latest year-on-year figure3.6 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · INE PT
Unemployment1.52 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank6.16 %ILO est.2025 · WB
Budget balance (% of GDP)-2.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF0.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Gross public debt (% of GDP)30.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF89.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Current account balance (% of GDP)6.33 %2024 · World Bank1.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Population101,598,5272025 · World Bank10,804,871World Bank est.2025 · WB
Area331,338 km²2023 · World Bank92,230 km²2023 · WB
Military expenditure
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Definitions, dates and sources

Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.

Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0

Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.

Nominal GDP
Current USDVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Portugal: 2025 · World Bank
GDP per capita
Current USD per personVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Portugal: 2025 · World Bank
GDP growth
Annual real change (%)Vietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Portugal: 2025 · World Bank
Policy interest rate
Central bank instrument (%)Portugal: 2026-09-16 · ECB: deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central Bank
Inflation · annual average
Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Vietnam: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Portugal: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank
Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedPortugal: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Portugal INE · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.
Unemployment
% of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionVietnam: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Portugal: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.
Budget balance
General government (% of GDP)Vietnam: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Portugal: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
Gross public debt
General government (% of GDP)Vietnam: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Portugal: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
Current account balance
% of GDPVietnam: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Portugal: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · Current-account balance as a percentage of GDP; IMF WEO estimate for PRT.
Population
PeopleVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Portugal: 2025 · World Bank · World Bank est. · Extrapolated estimate identified by the World Bank; not a census count for 2025.
Area
Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceVietnam: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Portugal: 2023 · Area according to the series' coverage; does not determine sovereignty or effective control · World Bank
Military expenditure
Current USD per year; SIPRI series
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship

What they buy and sell

Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.

Vietnam to Portugal

2025

Selected products exported from Vietnam to Portugal
Product or sectorValue / share
Electrical and electronic equipment181.8 M USD2025 · Source
Machinery and mechanical appliances35.4 M USD2025 · Source
Vehicles and components12.3 M USD2025 · Source
Dairy products, eggs and honey0.522 M USD2025 · Source
Pharmaceutical products0.0491 M USD2025 · Source
Meat and edible offal0.0458 M USD2025 · Source

Selection of eight chapters, not an exhaustive ranking. Same reporter, year and coverage as the total. Unpublished chapters are not imputed. UN Comtrade

Portugal to Vietnam

2025

Selected products exported from Portugal to Vietnam
Product or sectorValue / share
Machinery and mechanical appliances19.9 M USD2025 · Source
Pharmaceutical products11.5 M USD2025 · Source
Electrical and electronic equipment4.3 M USD2025 · Source
Vehicles and components0.0193 M USD2025 · Source

Selection of eight chapters, not an exhaustive ranking. Same reporter, year and coverage as the total. Unpublished chapters are not imputed. UN Comtrade

How trade has changed

Millions of current USD · full calendar years

TotalVietnam to PortugalPortugal to Vietnam
Goods trade between Vietnam and PortugalGoods; full calendar years 2021–2025; same reporter PRT; current USD, not adjusted for inflation. Complete data in the table following the chart.020040060080020212022202320242025

Goods; full calendar years 2021–2025; same reporter PRT; current USD, not adjusted for inflation. UN Comtrade · Accessed: 2026-10-08.

View chart figures
Millions of current USD
PeriodTotalVietnam to PortugalPortugal to Vietnam
2021613.3530.682.7
2022616.357145.3
2023630553.576.5
202461252389
2025726.8642.684.2

Connections between people

He also raised training, Portuguese-language teaching, health and digital transformation. [1]

Residents, study and travel

Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.

Indicators of human connections between Vietnam and Portugal
IndicatorValuePeriod / source
Residents from Vietnam living in Portugal
Residents from Portugal living in Vietnam
Study and training: Vietnam in Portugal
Study and training: Portugal in Vietnam
Academic stays: Vietnam in Portugal
Academic stays: Portugal in Vietnam
Travel: Vietnam to Portugal
Travel: Portugal to Vietnam
What each figure measures

Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.

Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.

Underlying ties

History, institutions and long-standing issues.

The scale of both economies

Nominal GDP for Vietnam is 514.7 billion USD (2025), compared with 346.6 for Portugal (2025). The reference populations are 101.6 and 10.8 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Vietnam was 1.48 times that of Portugal in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Recent developments

Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08

Bilateral context

Phạm Minh Chính received Paulo Rangel on 27 February 2026. He highlighted Portugal’s decision to establish an embassy in Vietnam as an institutional step, without the statement certifying its actual opening. [1]

Cooperation and bilateral issues

Discussions identified offshore wind, solar and energy infrastructure, alongside ports, maritime transport, shipbuilding and logistics. Vietnam asked to facilitate implementation of the trade agreement with the European Union and pending ratifications of the European investment protection instrument. He also raised training, Portuguese-language teaching, health and digital transformation. Reciprocal visa exemption was suggested to facilitate tourism, not announced as in force. Rangel expressed interest in strengthening business ties and moving towards the target of 1,000 million dollars in bilateral trade. Both reaffirmed multilateral cooperation and respect for international maritime law. [1]

What merchandise trade shows

In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Vietnam and Portugal) totalled 726.8 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 642.6 million; those in the opposite direction, 84.2 million. The difference between the two flows was 558.5 million, in favour of Vietnam. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]

Five years of trade trends

The consistent series shows 613.3 million USD in 2021 and 726.8 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +18.5 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2025, at 726.8 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [2]

Documented trade sectors

Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Vietnam to Portugal, at 181.8 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from Portugal to Vietnam, at 19.9 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [3]

Sources and data

Periods and scope of the figures

Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.

  1. Bilateral relations — VNM-PRT

    web.mofa.gov.vn · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08

  2. UN Comtrade annual data; reused verified primary payload, not re-downloaded

    UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08

  3. Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record

    UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08

  4. NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  5. Official statistics

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  6. SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  7. Official statistics

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

Additional sources on products and human connections
  • UN Comtrade

    2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.