Portugal’s population grows to 10.47 million in 2022, driven by immigration

Immigration has been a significant driver behind the growth of Portugal’s resident population, which increased to 10.47 million in 2022, as per estimates shared on Thursday (15) by Portugal’s National Institute of Statistics (INE).

The institute’s report also noted an accelerated aging rate in the country.

Portugal saw its resident population rise by 46,249 individuals in 2022, reaching a total of 10,467,366 (comprising 5,001,811 men and 5,465,555 women), up from 10,347,892 in 2021.

The INE’s report highlighted a positive migration balance of 86,889 people, 14,849 more than in 2021, marking the sixth year in a row of such a trend.

“This translated into effective, migration, and natural growth rates of 0.44%, 0.83%, and -0.39%, respectively,” the report detailed.

Meanwhile, the country’s birth rate also rose, with an average of 1.43 children per woman of childbearing age, compared to 1.35 in 2021.

However, demographic aging “continued to deepen,” with data revealing that there were 185.6 elderly (65 years or older) for every 100 young individuals (0 to 14 years) in 2022, up from 181.3 in 2021.

The average age of the resident population in Portugal also climbed from 46.7 years to 47 years in 2022.

As per the INE’s census data released earlier, in 2021, 5.2% of the resident population in Portugal was of foreign nationality, with Brazilians (approximately 200,000), Angolans (around 31,500), and Cape Verdeans (27,100) making up the largest communities.