Pordata (www.pordata.pt) has a new area with information dedicated to each of the 308 municipalities in Portugal, with statistical data to allow people to understand the characteristics of municipalities during a year of local elections.

About two months before the elections, Pordata, a project of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, presents a new area in which, for each municipality, “there is a panel of 14 key indicators on the most diverse areas of society”, where it is possible to compare them with neighbouring municipalities and position them in their respective regions.

The Portada portal, which is available in Portuguese and English, adds that associated with each graphic there is a small phrase (“did you know that”) in order to make it easier to read.

“Each graphic is, essentially, a snap shot of the municipality or region from 2009 to date, which allows every person to be able to get to know the municipality, Metropolitan Area or region in which they live in a more in-depth way.

“Pordata is a project that aims to contribute to informed decision-making, which in an election year is particularly relevant”, says the platform’s director, Luísa Loura.

In this new area, it is possible to explore the profile of each municipality in various formats, and on issues as diverse as population, education, environment, labour market, local administration and tourism.

“How many people are there in the municipality? What is the main activity sector? How many civil servants work in municipal services? What was the most voted political party in 2017 and what is its percentage of votes? How many people receive unemployment benefit in your municipality? These are some questions that the new platform allows you to answer”, she added.

To illustrate the growth in the population’s level of education, Pordata points out that in 22 of the municipalities, babies born in 2020 and who have mothers with higher education are already the majority, whereas in 2009 it only happened in Oeiras and Coimbra. Lisbon (63 percent), Mealhada (61 percent) and Oeiras (60 percent).

In the area of ​​health, Pordata highlights that between 2009 and 2019 the mortality rate among people over 80 years of age dropped in about three quarters of the municipalities (225). However, between 2019 and 2020, it increased by 237 municipalities.

In the labour market, it is mentioned, for example, that in 2018 the wage disparity favoured women in only nine municipalities: Mondim de Basto, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Murça, Penedono, Alfândega da Fé, Barrancos, Mértola, Nordeste and Vila Franca do Campo (ranging from €51 more in the Northeast to €7 more in Mértola). At the opposite end of the scale there is Castro Verde and Vila do Porto, where men receive €800 more than women, and Alcochete, with a disparity of more than €2,000.

Local elections take place on 26 September.