The imbalances in the distribution of the population across the territory "have become more accentuated", notes the National Institute of Statistics (INE), noting that "the demographic evolution of the last decade at the level of the municipality allows us to verify that the territories located in the interior of the country have lost population and that the municipalities that register a population growth are located predominantly on the coast”.

Furthermore, according to the data, there is “a concentration” around Lisbon and in the Algarve region.

At the municipal level, “the most significant population increases in the last decade” were registered in Odemira (13.5%) and Mafra (12.8%), followed by Palmela, Alcochete, Vila do Bispo and Montijo, with values ​​between 9.6% and 8.7%.

At the opposite extreme, Barrancos, Tabuaço, Torre do Moncorvo and Nisa observed “the most expressive population decreases, with values ​​above 20%”, according to the data.

The 10 most populous municipalities are Lisbon, Sintra, Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, Cascais, Loures, Braga, Almada, Matosinhos and Oeiras, but the two largest cities registered population losses: Porto with less 2.4% and Lisbon with less 1.2%. Matosinhos and Oeiras follow the trend of population reduction.

The municipality of Braga recorded the “most expressive” growth (6.5%), followed by Cascais and Sintra, with 3.7% and 2.1%, respectively.