Share of children who were born outside of marriage in Portugal
Portugal: Share of children who were born outside of marriage was 57.9% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of children who were born outside of marriage in Portugal, 1960–2020
Source: OECD (2025); OECD (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of children who were born outside of marriage in Portugal stood at 57.9%. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 40.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children who were born outside of marriage in Portugal peaked at 57.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 1972.
That places Portugal 8th out of 42 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of children who were born outside of marriage in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.5% | — |
| 1961 | 8.8% | -7.4% |
| 1962 | 8.5% | -3.4% |
| 1963 | 8.2% | -3.5% |
| 1964 | 8.0% | -2.4% |
| 1965 | 7.8% | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 7.5% | -3.8% |
| 1967 | 7.5% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 7.4% | -1.3% |
| 1969 | 7.3% | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 7.3% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 7.2% | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 7.1% | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 7.2% | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 7.2% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 7.2% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 7.3% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 7.2% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 7.7% | +6.9% |
| 1979 | 8.2% | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 9.2% | +12.2% |
| 1981 | 9.5% | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 10.0% | +5.3% |
| 1983 | 10.7% | +7.0% |
| 1984 | 11.5% | +7.5% |
| 1985 | 12.3% | +7.0% |
| 1986 | 12.8% | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 13.2% | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 13.7% | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 14.5% | +5.8% |
| 1990 | 14.7% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 15.6% | +6.1% |
| 1992 | 16.1% | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 16.9% | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 17.8% | +5.3% |
| 1995 | 18.6% | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 18.6% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 19.5% | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 20.1% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 20.8% | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | +6.7% |
| 2001 | 23.8% | +7.2% |
| 2002 | 25.5% | +7.1% |
| 2003 | 26.9% | +5.5% |
| 2004 | 29.1% | +8.2% |
| 2005 | 30.7% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 31.6% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 33.6% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 36.2% | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 38.1% | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 41.3% | +8.4% |
| 2011 | 42.8% | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 45.6% | +6.5% |
| 2013 | 47.6% | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 49.3% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 50.7% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 52.8% | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 54.9% | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 55.9% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 56.8% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 57.9% | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.1% | 7.3% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.4% | 7.1% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.7% | 9.2% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.9% | 14.7% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.8% | 22.2% | 38.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.8% | 41.3% | 56.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.9% | 57.9% | 57.9% | 1 |
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 share of children who were born outside of marriage in Portugal?
- Share of children who were born outside of marriage in Portugal was 57.9% in 2020, according to OECD (2025); OECD (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children who were born outside of marriage recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 57.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of children who were born outside of marriage recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 1972.
- How does Portugal rank for share of children who were born outside of marriage?
- Portugal ranks 8th out of 42 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of children who were born outside of marriage rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025); OECD (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children who were born outside of marriage. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of all children born to mothers who were not married at the time of birth.