Portugal Population 2024 (Live)

10,230,859

After reaching its peak population in 2008 of 10.6 million people, Portugal’s population has gradually declined. As of 2020, Portugal’s population is 10.2 million people. By 2050, the population is projected to be 9.08 million people and by 2099, the population is expected to be down to 7.01 million people.

Portugal’s population is decreasing at a rate of 0.29%, roughly 30,000 people per year. This is a combination of negative net migration and fewer babies being born. The fertility rate in Portugal is 1.29 births per woman. This has resulted in an increasingly aging population, with the median age at 46.2 years.

Portugal Population Growth

Portugal is different from most other European nations in that it has a steadily decreasing population and is pretty anxious to have more people immigrate there. The 2019 annual growth rate of -0.39% doesn't sound like a big number, but estimates say that the country would need 75,000 immigrants each year just to maintain the population. Their socialist government is cited as a possible reason that it is so difficult to get people to move there. Measures are being taken to increase the ease with which people can come to Portugal, including reducing the barriers to visas and the starting of small businesses.

Portugal Population Projections

Despite efforts to increase immigration to Portugal, it is predicted that the population will continue to decline in the years to come, going down to an annual growth rate of -0.58%. The country desperately wants this to change, but if things continue on this trajectory, their numbers are likely to continue to follow. Current projections say that the population of Portugal will be 10,218,413 in 2020, 9,877,056 in 2030, 9,495,169 in 2040 and 8,994,594 by 2050.

Population Rank
Growth Rate
2024 World Percentage
Land Area
91,605.60
The current population of Portugal is 10,230,859 based on projections of the latest United Nations data. The UN estimates the July 1, 2024 population at 10,223,349.

Portugal Growth Rate

Portugal Population 2024 (Live)

Portugal Population Clock

Portugal Population (as of 3/11/2024)10,230,859
Next UN Estimate (July 1, 2024)10,223,349
Births per Day216
Deaths per Day311
Migrations per Day27
Net Change per Day-68
Population Change Since Jan. 1-4,828

Components of Population Change

One birth every 6.67 minutes
One death every 4.63 minutes
One immigrant every 53.33 minutes
Net loss of one person every 21.18 minutes

Portugal Population Clock

City
2024 Population
Lisbon517,802
Porto249,633
Amadora178,858
Braga121,394
Setubal117,110
Coimbra106,582
Queluz103,399
Funchal100,847
Cacem93,982
Vila Nova de Gaia70,811

Portugal Area and Population Density

Portugal is a relatively small country and its population density figures are consistent with its overall size. It has a surface area of 92,090 square kilometers which converts to 35,645 square miles and makes it the 111th largest country in terms of landmass alone. For every square mile of Portuguese territory, there is an average of 111 people here. This makes Portugal rank 73rd in the world as far as population density is concerned.

Largest Cities in Portugal

Close to two-thirds of the Portuguese live in urban environments, and there are several large cities that account for this. The largest city in Portugal is also the capital of the country- Lisbon, which is home to 2.8 million people over 370 square miles. Located on the water, it is one of the biggest port cities in the region and is home to much of the nation's finance, commerce, entertainment, art, education, and trade. The next largest city is Porto with 2.2 million people living within 300 square miles. Porto is a very historical city, with beautiful baroque and neoclassic architecture. Other less sizable cities with populations smaller than 500,000 include Vila Nova de Gaia, Braga, Amadora, and Almada.

Portugal Population Density Map

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (/km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
202410,223,349-0.13%11294103
202310,247,605-0.08%11293103
202010,298,1920.08%1129099
201910,289,9230%1128997
201810,289,835-0.17%1128996
201710,307,530-0.24%1138896
201510,365,435-0.43%1138894
201010,588,4010.12%1167993
200510,523,3150.43%1157590
200010,300,6260.49%1127389
199510,051,2480.09%1107585
199010,007,3460.02%1097080
19859,996,8960.43%1096479
19809,785,2521.23%1076276
19759,202,7091.17%1006172
19708,683,631-0.49%956070
19658,899,0920.04%975568
19608,882,4690.5%974858
19558,665,4510.58%954756

Portugal Population by Year (Historical)

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (/km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
202410,223,349-0.13%11294103
202510,198,116-0.19%11194103
203010,062,183-0.27%11096108
20359,910,155-0.3%10897113
20409,730,312-0.37%10697116
20459,513,430-0.45%104100119
20509,261,305-0.54%101102123
20558,980,146-0.61%98106129
20608,682,657-0.67%95109133
20658,381,647-0.7%92110137
20708,093,611-0.7%88110139
20757,837,762-0.64%86110142
20807,620,841-0.56%83111146
20857,431,229-0.5%81112145
20907,246,935-0.5%79111147
20957,062,307-0.52%77112148

Portugal Population by Year (Projections)

Portugal Population Pyramid 2024

Portugal Median Age

44.6

Total

42.7

Male

46.5

Female

Portugal Population by Age

There are people over age 18 in Portugal.

Census Years

Year
Date
20212021
201124 April 2011
200112 March 2001
199115 April 1991

Portugal Population Pyramid

One of the oldest independent countries on earth, Portugal is known as a popular destination for migrants from many countries across the world. With near perfect weather for much of the year, has this pattern of net migration served to swell the population of Portugal in any way?

The last official census took place in Portugal in 2011 and it was confirmed at the time that 10,561,614 people were living here. A subsequent estimate was released later that same year that suggested that the Portugal population had grown very slightly to 10,576,252 and this would make the country the 84th most populous on the planet.

Portugal Demographics

Portugal’s population records are among the oldest on earth and as far back as 1422, there is documentation to suggest that there were 1,043,274 people living here. Surveys from this point onwards were numerous, even if they didn’t follow a strict chronological pattern. They make for interesting reading too with large population spikes interspersed with a fall in numbers to coincide with some of the more turbulent stages in Portuguese history.

By the time of the Census of 1900, the population of Portugal had grown to 5,423,132 and the pattern through the remainder of the 20th century was generally one of small but consistent growth whereby the Portugal population of 2014 is starting to approach 11 million.

Portugal has traditionally been one of the most homogenous countries in the world but steady immigration has changed that to some extent.

It may be surprising to learn, however, that much of this immigration has taken place over the last twenty years and back in 1992, just 1.3% of the Portugal population was made up of other nationalities. By 2007, however, that figure had risen to 4.1%.

The median age among the Portugal population is currently at 42.2 years of age, with a total life expectancy of 79.4 years of age in 2018.

The age groups in Portugal are split at 15% under the age of 15, 40% between the ages of 25 and 54, and 20% over 65 years of age.

Portugal Religion, Economy and Politics

Although Portugal has no official religion, it is a very Christian country with 81.0% of the population being Catholic, and an additional 3.3% practicing another denomination of Christianity. Religion may not play a huge role in the everyday life of the people, however, as it is reported that only 19% of people attend church and take sacraments regularly. Even though the church does not have any official ties to the government, it still experiences a fair amount of privilege and until recently, the education and health care systems were deeply intertwined in the church, and the construction of any new building, road or bridge needed to be blessed by a clergyperson. The non-Christian population in Portugal, for the most part, don't identify with any religion, with very small numbers of people practicing Bahá'í, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, or Buddhism.

The economy in Portugal had to be bailed out by the EU during the 2008-2009 financial crisis but has been experiencing an upswing in the years since. Despite doing better financially, Portugal has historically underinvested in its infrastructure and it is unlikely that the growth they are experiencing will be sustainable if they do not do more to solidify the backbone of the country, particularly in terms of roads and transportation. Portugal is also heavily in debt, with their debt currently close to 120% of their GDP. Experts believe that the country needs to take a long, hard look at the way they are spending money if they want their current economic strength to be sustainable.

Portugal Population History

The first official census was taken in Portugal in 1864, claiming a population of 4.3 million. From this point until the 1930s, the population grew slowly at an annual rate of under 1%. During the 1930s and 40s, the population was decreasing around the same rate of -1% during the years of World War II. This decrease in population decreased significantly during the 60s and 70s due to emigration from the area because people were both struggling to find jobs and trying to avoid being drafted.

500,000-800,000 African refugees seeking asylum in Portugal gave the country its first sizable increase in a while during the early 1980s. This is been the trend in Portugal for the past few decades, wavering between slight increases and decreases in population.

Portugal Population Rank 2024
Area (km²)
92,090
2024 Growth Rate
Capital
GDP (IMF '23)
$276.43
GDP (UN '22)
$254.85 Bn

Portugal - General Info

Sources