In 2020 there were registered 84,558 live births and 123,467 deaths in the national territory (preliminary data). The number of live births of mothers residing in Portugal was 84,296, 2.6% less than in 2019. The number of deaths of residents in Portugal was 123,152, 10.2% more than in 2019. In the context of COVID-19, the increase in the number of deaths, as well as the decrease in the number of live births, resulted in a strong reduction of the natural balance (-38,856).  The natural balance has been negative for 12 years.