Number of live births in Portugal
Portugal: Number of live births was 85,699 births in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
85,699 births
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
21st
of 34 countries
All-time high
220,981 births
in 1948
All-time low
79,582 births
in 2021
Years of data
84
1940–2023
Number of live births in Portugal, 1940–2023
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births.
Analysis
In 2023, number of live births in Portugal stood at 85,699 births.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of live births in Portugal peaked at 220,981 births in 1948 and was at its lowest, 79,582 births, in 2021.
That places Portugal 21st out of 34 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 84 years of available data.
Number of live births in Portugal, year by year
| Year | births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 187,892 births | — |
| 1941 | 184,336 births | -1.9% |
| 1942 | 187,503 births | +1.7% |
| 1943 | 198,101 births | +5.7% |
| 1944 | 201,373 births | +1.7% |
| 1945 | 209,131 births | +3.9% |
| 1946 | 205,825 births | -1.6% |
| 1947 | 200,488 births | -2.6% |
| 1948 | 220,981 births | +10.2% |
| 1949 | 212,260 births | -3.9% |
| 1950 | 205,163 births | -3.3% |
| 1951 | 207,870 births | +1.3% |
| 1952 | 211,213 births | +1.6% |
| 1953 | 202,135 births | -4.3% |
| 1954 | 197,536 births | -2.3% |
| 1955 | 209,790 births | +6.2% |
| 1956 | 202,667 births | -3.4% |
| 1957 | 211,494 births | +4.4% |
| 1958 | 212,467 births | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 213,062 births | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 213,895 births | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 217,516 births | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 220,200 births | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 212,152 births | -3.7% |
| 1964 | 217,136 births | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 210,299 births | -3.1% |
| 1966 | 206,940 births | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 202,061 births | -2.4% |
| 1968 | 194,962 births | -3.5% |
| 1969 | 189,739 births | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 180,690 births | -4.8% |
| 1971 | 181,243 births | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 174,685 births | -3.6% |
| 1973 | 172,324 births | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 171,979 births | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 179,648 births | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 186,712 births | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 181,064 births | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 167,467 births | -7.5% |
| 1979 | 160,311 births | -4.3% |
| 1980 | 158,309 births | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 152,071 births | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 151,002 births | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 144,296 births | -4.4% |
| 1984 | 142,783 births | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 130,450 births | -8.6% |
| 1986 | 126,715 births | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 123,179 births | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 122,093 births | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 118,483 births | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 116,321 births | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 116,299 births | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 114,924 births | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 113,960 births | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 109,227 births | -4.2% |
| 1995 | 107,097 births | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 110,261 births | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 112,933 births | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 113,384 births | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 116,002 births | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 120,008 births | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 112,774 births | -6.0% |
| 2002 | 114,383 births | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 112,515 births | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 109,298 births | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 109,399 births | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 105,449 births | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 102,492 births | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 104,594 births | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 99,491 births | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 101,381 births | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 96,856 births | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 89,841 births | -7.2% |
| 2013 | 82,787 births | -7.9% |
| 2014 | 82,367 births | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 85,500 births | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 87,126 births | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 86,154 births | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 87,020 births | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 86,579 births | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 84,530 births | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 79,582 births | -5.9% |
| 2022 | 83,671 births | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 85,699 births | +2.4% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 85,699 births is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 89,018 births, 96% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 85,699 births is below the median for high income countries, which is 98,451 births, 87% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 200,789 births | 184,336 births | 220,981 births | 10 |
| 1950s | 207,340 births | 197,536 births | 213,062 births | 10 |
| 1960s | 208,490 births | 189,739 births | 220,200 births | 10 |
| 1970s | 175,612 births | 160,311 births | 186,712 births | 10 |
| 1980s | 136,938 births | 118,483 births | 158,309 births | 10 |
| 1990s | 113,041 births | 107,097 births | 116,321 births | 10 |
| 2000s | 109,040 births | 99,491 births | 120,008 births | 10 |
| 2010s | 88,561 births | 82,367 births | 101,381 births | 10 |
| 2020s | 83,370 births | 79,582 births | 85,699 births | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More population data for Portugal
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4941 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 396,215 people (2100)
- Population density 95.56 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0558 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.2816 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of live births in Portugal?
- Number of live births in Portugal was 85,699 births in 2023, according to Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of live births recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 220,981 births in 1948.
- What is the lowest number of live births recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 79,582 births in 2021.
- How does Portugal rank for number of live births?
- Portugal ranks 21st out of 34 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of live births rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of live births. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of live births recorded in a given year.