The demographic situation in Portugal continues to be characterized by the decrease of the resident population, despite the increase of live births and the decrease of emigration. The population decline has been occurring since 2010, although it was mitigated in the last three years.
There was a slight increase in the number of live births in 2016 (87,126 live births) compared with 2015 (85,500 live births). However, this increase was insufficient to counterbalance the number of deaths (110,535); the natural increase remained negative (-23,409) in 2016.
29,925 persons were estimated to have entered Portugal (as permanent immigrants) in 2016, a close number to the one registered in 2015 (29,896); 38,273 persons have left Portugal (as permanent emigrants), a decrease of 5.2% compared with the previous year (40,377). The combined effect of these flows has resulted in a negative net migration (- 8,348), even if lower when compared with 2015.
As a result of this dynamics, the resident population was estimated at 10,309,573 persons, i.e. 31,757 less than in 2015, accounting for a crude rate of increase of -0.31% (-0.32% in 2015).
The total fertility rate increased to 1.36 children per woman, slightly improving for the third consecutive year.
Life expectancy at birth was estimated at 80.62 years, for the 2014-2016 triennium, continuing to be higher for women when compared to men (83.33 and 77.61 years respectively).
There were 32,399 marriages in Portugal in 2016, a number very close to the one registered in 2015, even though the marriages between persons of the opposite sex slightly decreased.
The number of divorces decreased to 22,340, less 1,037 when compared with 2015.