Natural population growth rate in Portugal
Portugal: Natural population growth rate was -0.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Natural population growth rate in Portugal, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for natural population growth rate in Portugal is -0.3%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 29.1% on the previous year and down 40.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth rate in Portugal peaked at 1.4% in 1958 and was at its lowest, -0.4%, in 2021.
Portugal ranks 209th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Natural population growth rate in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.2% | — |
| 1951 | 1.2% | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 1.3% | +7.2% |
| 1953 | 1.2% | -5.5% |
| 1954 | 1.2% | -2.5% |
| 1955 | 1.3% | +6.4% |
| 1956 | 1.1% | -12.0% |
| 1957 | 1.3% | +12.7% |
| 1958 | 1.4% | +9.7% |
| 1959 | 1.3% | -5.0% |
| 1960 | 1.4% | +2.4% |
| 1961 | 1.3% | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 1.4% | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 1.3% | -7.6% |
| 1964 | 1.3% | +3.6% |
| 1965 | 1.3% | -3.6% |
| 1966 | 1.2% | -6.3% |
| 1967 | 1.2% | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 1.2% | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 1.1% | -9.2% |
| 1970 | 1.0% | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 1.0% | -7.5% |
| 1972 | 1.0% | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 0.9% | -9.5% |
| 1974 | 0.9% | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 0.9% | +6.5% |
| 1976 | 1.0% | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 0.9% | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 0.8% | -16.1% |
| 1979 | 0.7% | -6.2% |
| 1980 | 0.7% | -7.7% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | -11.9% |
| 1982 | 0.6% | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | -17.0% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -8.0% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -25.4% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | -8.5% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | -8.2% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | -11.8% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | -33.1% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | -8.1% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | +9.3% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -37.2% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +17.5% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -49.0% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | -8.8% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | +78.4% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -7.8% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +8.4% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | +50.7% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | -37.1% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -5.7% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | -38.8% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | +64.4% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | -58.7% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | +47.3% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | -72.0% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | +37.3% |
| 2009 | -0.0% | -183.9% |
| 2010 | -0.0% | +13.7% |
| 2011 | -0.0% | +78.3% |
| 2012 | -0.1% | +294.9% |
| 2013 | -0.2% | +37.5% |
| 2014 | -0.2% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | -0.2% | +6.8% |
| 2016 | -0.2% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | -0.2% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | -0.2% | +13.7% |
| 2019 | -0.2% | -2.9% |
| 2020 | -0.4% | +54.0% |
| 2021 | -0.4% | +18.1% |
| 2022 | -0.4% | -8.4% |
| 2023 | -0.3% | -29.1% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's -0.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%. (85 countries reporting)
- Portugal's -0.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.1%, 4.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Natural population growth rate in Portugal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | -294.9% | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | -183.9% | 0.0% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | +78.4% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | -0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.2% | -0.2% | -0.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.4% | -0.4% | -0.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More population data for Portugal
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4941 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 9,261 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.2816 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0558 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 95.56 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 396,215 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is natural population growth rate in Portugal?
- Natural population growth rate in Portugal was -0.3% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth rate recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 1.4% in 1958.
- What is the lowest natural population growth rate recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.4% in 2021.
- How does Portugal rank for natural population growth rate?
- Portugal ranks 209th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rate rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Natural population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Births minus deaths, as a share of the population. This is the part of population change that comes only from births and deaths, ignoring migration.