Population of Portugal: size, features

The country, whose language is spoken by more than 230 million inhabitants of the planet, is the most conservative in Europe in terms of social views and at the same time a country with very emotional national music. All this is about Portugal.

Little about the country

Portugal is one of the oldest countries in the Old World, the borders of which have remained unchanged for over 875 years. The once powerful kingdom, whose colonies were scattered around the world, now is a small state on the Iberian Peninsula. However, Portugal remains one of the most developed countries in the world, which, among other things, can boast the highest literacy rate and one of the highest life expectancy of its citizens in the world.

Population size

The population of Portugal has always been very dependent on emigration. The Portuguese began to move to different continents in search of a better life and attempts to get rich in the era of great geographical discoveries. The main reason for emigration in our time is the poor development of the country's production capacities. Portugal also has a large number of immigrants from Brazil, Angola and European countries who have arrived here in search of work. The government supports them in every possible way: Portuguese language courses are opened for immigrants, meetings with lawyers and psychologists are arranged, the right of all children to education is ensured (thanks to which the adult literacy rate reaches 99%).

Since 1890, a census has been carried out in the country every 10 years. By the beginning of the last century, the country's population was about 5 million people, by the middle of the twentieth century it had grown to 8.5 million people, in 1960 there were 8.9 million people living in the country, and ten years later this figure fell to the level of 1950, to 1985 Portugal's population increased to 10 million. According to a census conducted in 2011, 10.76 million people live in Portugal.

In the spring of 2011, the 5th census of the housing stock and the 15th census of the population, which became the largest static operations, were conducted in the country. As a result of the censuses, not only data on the number of people living in the country and their living conditions, but also on their education, work, presence and composition of the family became known. According to Censos 2011, 4,079,577 families are registered in the country, which is 1.65% more than in 2001. Also, the number of residential buildings and dwellings increased by 12.4 and 16.3%, respectively. In the country since the 70s of the last century, there has been a tendency to reduce family size, at the moment this figure is only 2.6 people.

National composition

Nationally, the population of Portugal is extremely homogeneous - this is one of the demographic characteristics of Portugal. According to the 2011 census, 99% of the country's population are Portuguese (a combination of ethnic Romans, Visigoths, and Iberians). Also, about 15,000 Spaniards, 10,000 Brazilians, 5,500 Angolans, etc. live in the country.

Outside the territory of Portugal (mainly in the USA, France, Canada and Brazil) about 2.2 million of its citizens live.

Age and sex structure of the population

The age and sex structure of the population of Portugal is practically no different from that of other European countries, where according to census data over the past century, the numerical predominance of women is visible. At the beginning of the 1980s, there were 1.11 women per man, currently 5,241,519 men and 5,518,986 women live in the country (i.e. 1.05 women per 1 man).

In a more visual and detailed form, how many percent of the population of Portugal in various indicators can be seen in the table.

Fertility and mortality

According to 2014 data, in Portugal for the first time in the modern history of the country, mortality exceeded the birth rate. According to the National Institute of Statistics, in 2014, 102.5 thousand children were born in the country (almost 3000 less than in 2011), and 103.5 thousand citizens died.

This happened for the last time in 1918, when the population of Portugal, like citizens of other European countries, suffered from a severe flu epidemic. But already in 1919 the natural growth of the population continued. Unfortunately, the current decline in population fits into the general trend, and it is unlikely that the situation will be corrected in the near future.

The main reason for this situation is the unwillingness to give birth on time. Last year, the average age of primiparous women reached 30 years. Moreover, the vast majority of families are limited to one child. But, despite the decline in fertility, the minimum natural population growth in Portugal continues.

Economically active population

The working-age population of Portugal is 5.252 million people, of whom about 3.6 million are employed. Almost 33% of the economically active population is employed in industry, 28% in forestry and agriculture and fisheries, about 38% of the workforce is absorbed by transport and the service sector. However, the country's unemployment rate remains quite high, which is about 13.5%.

The retirement age is the same for men and women - 66 years.

Population location

The population of Portugal, the photo of which is given in the article, is unevenly distributed throughout the country. Average density per 1 square. km is 116.8 people. The population of the coastal western regions is 5-10 times higher than the inland southern ones. The population of Portuguese cities is about 70% of all citizens of the country. The uneven distribution is aggravated by internal migration associated with fishing leave, harvesting in vineyards and grain areas, temporary work in cities. Some migrants remain in new places, especially for cities.

Cities in the country include settlements with a population of more than 2-2.5 thousand people. In total, there are 33 cities in Portugal with a population of more than 10,000 people, of which more than 50,000 people live in only 7 cities, including 2 million-plus cities (Lisbon and Porto), in which 2/3 of the country's population lives.

A characteristic feature of Portugal's urbanization is the almost unchanged number of small cities against the background of two actively growing "giants" - Porto and Lisbon. Powerful agglomerations are created mainly due to the absorption by the central cities of the suburbs and satellite cities.

Cities with a population of less than 10,000 people act as administrative parish centers serving nearby rural areas. Mid-sized cities with populations of up to 50,000 have the administrative functions of provincial and district centers.

The villages vary greatly among themselves in different regions of the country, which depends on the natural conditions and social relations in the village. In the northern regions, small villages and farm settlements are mainly scattered. The middle zone is characterized by large villages, and in the south there are mainly small, but densely populated villages.

Religious division

The church in Portugal is separate from the state. About 94% of the country's population are parishioners of the Roman Catholic Church, the rest are Muslims, Protestants and evangelists. The church has a great influence on the citizens of the country, which is why Portugal is recognized as one of the most socially conservative countries in Europe.

The characteristics of the Portuguese population are high literacy, one of the highest life expectancy in the world, national homogeneity and great dependence on the church. But at the same time, the Portuguese are a very welcoming and hospitable people, leading a measured and leisurely lifestyle.