The 2024 annual statistical report on culture from INE reveals that while data regarding the book market remains provisional, the 11,615 books published represent the second lowest figure in five years.
The INE compares book publishing figures from 2020 to 2024, noting that in 2020, the year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, 10,279 books were published. The following years saw a gradual increase in printed books: 12,302 in 2021, 13,157 in 2022, and 13,557 in 2023, followed by a decrease to 11,615 in the past year.
This data is based on the legal deposit number assigned by the National Library of Portugal.
Of the total number of printed books published last year, 87% were first editions, with the remaining 13% being reissues.
In Portugal, literature dominated the types of books published in 2024 (67.4%), followed by reference works such as dictionaries and encyclopedias (4.9%), and school textbooks (4.1%).
In 2024, works from 9,484 authors were published, representing a 6.5% decrease compared to the previous year.
Books were the third most exported cultural item from Portugal in 2024, accounting for 7.3% of total exports.
INE reports that cultural goods exports reached 244.8 million euros in 2024, marking a 6.6% increase from the previous year. Books were the third most exported item (7.3%), following jewelry articles (39.2%) and handicrafts (36.8% of the total).
In terms of imports, the total value reached 513.7 million euros, with a slight decrease of 0.8% compared to 2023.
In this sector, the most imported cultural goods were jewelry articles (34.3% of the total), books (15.8%), and “audiovisual and interactive media goods” (13.3%).
