According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), which registered 84,426 live births in 2020, 2.5 percent less than in 2019, the Portuguese population ended up increasing slightly (0.02 percent), as a result of a positive migration balance.

The average age of mothers giving birth to a child was 31.6 years (31.4 in 2019). The average age for the birth of the first child increased from 29.9 years to 30.2 years.

In total, 123,358 people died last year (10.3 percent more than in 2019). Among the deaths, there were 205 children (41 fewer). “The infant mortality rate decreased to 2.4 deaths per thousand live births (2.8 percent in 2019)”, stated the INE.

In 2020, 18,902 marriages took place, representing a drop of 43.2 percent compared to the previous year, while 17,295 divorces were decreed, a decrease of 15.3 percent compared to 2019 (20,421).

Positive migration

Data compiled by INE also revealed that, for the fourth consecutive year, the number of permanent immigrants (67,160) surpassed that of permanent emigrants (25,886), which corresponds to a positive migratory balance of 41,274.

Due to the positive migration balance, “which managed to offset the negative natural balance”, the resident population in Portugal increased in 2020, recording an effective growth rate of 0.02 percent.

In 2020, 59,817 foreigners acquired Portuguese nationality, “a number that almost doubled compared to 2019 (30.469)”, highlighted INE.

Thus, the resident population in Portugal increased for the second consecutive year. In 2019, the effective growth rate had been 0.19 percent.

"The population increase recorded in 2020 (+2,343 people than in 2019) resulted from the positive migration balance of 41,274, although lower than in 2019 (44,506), having offset the negative natural balance of -38,931 (-25,214 in 2019)”, concluded the Institute.