In 2018, the resident population in Portugal was estimated at 10,276,617 people (4,852,366 men and 5,424,251 women), with a decrease of 14,410 inhabitants compared to 2017, which according to INE is due to natural growth rate of -0.25 percent and a migratory growth rate of 0.11 percent.
According to INE, the country has maintained a downward trend in population since 2010, although it has been attenuated in the last two years.
The effective growth rate in 2018 was negative (-0.14 percent), but higher than in 2017 (-0.18 percent).
With the exception of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, all NUTS II regions experienced population decreases between 2013 and 2018.
According to INE data, in 2018, the number of births grew by 1 percent in Portugal, but continued to postpone the age of women to the birth of their first child, with the average age rising by 29.6 to 29.8 years.
The synthetic fertility rate increased from 1.37 children per woman of childbearing age in 2017 to 1.41 in 2018, and the gross birth rate rose from 8.4 to 8.5 live births per 1,000 population.
Statistical data also point to the continuation of the demographic aging process, with an increase in the median age of the resident population in Portugal from 43.1 to 45.2 years, between 2013 and 2018.
The aging rate increased in 2018 from 136 to 159.4 older people per 100 young people, with a decrease in the proportion of young people and working age population and an increase in the elderly population.
The Lisbon Metropolitan Area (15.9 percent) and the Autonomous Region of the Azores (15.7 percent) are the regions with the highest percentage of young people, with the Azores also having the lowest percentage of elderly people (14.6 percent).
INE estimates that the country will continue to lose population until 2080, from the current 10.3 million to 7.9 million residents in 2080 and falling from the 10 million threshold in 2033.