Portugal Population 2024
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in south-western Europe. It’s the 15th most populated country in Europe and the 17th largest by area. According to Statistics Portugal, the population of Portugal in 2021 is 10,344,802 (10.34 million). As per the World Population Prospects, by the United Nations, the population of Portugal in 2024 is 10,223,348 (10.2 million)
Portugal Demography
| Portugal | 2024 Population |
| Total Population | 10,223,348 (10.2 million) |
| Europe Rank | 15th |
| Land Area | 91,119 sq. km ( 35,181 sq. mi ) |
| Area Rank | 17th |
| Pop. Density | 111 people/sq. km (287/sq. mi) |
| Urban Population | 66.50% |
| Fertility Rate | 1.29 |
| Median Age | 46.2 Years |
| Life Expectancy | 82.65 years |
| Capital City | Libson |
Source: Statistics Portugal & World Population Prospects 2019
Religion in Portugal
Christianity is the main religion in Portugal followed by 84.3% of the population. As per estimates, 81% of the population of Portugal is Catholic, and the rest 3.3% follows other churches and denominations. Other includes Protestants and Eastern Orthodoxy.
Non-Christian faiths account for 1%, and the remaining 15% are classified as unaffiliated, which can mean agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular.” Other religion includes Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Baháʼí Faith, and smaller faiths.
| Religion | Percent % |
| Christianity | 84.3% |
| – Catholicism | – 81.00% |
| – Protestantism | – 0.84% |
| – Eastern Orthodoxy | – 0.63% |
| – Other Christian | – 1.82% |
| Other Religions | |
| – Islam | – 0.23% |
| – Judaism | – 0.03% |
| – smaller faiths | – 0.32% |
| Unaffiliated | 15.13% |
| – No religion | – 6.84% |
| – No response | – 8.29% |
Source: Census 2011
Portugal Historical Population
Portugal’s population was 5.4 million at the beginning of the 20th century & it rose gradually to 9 million till the 1960s. It dip marginally in the 1970s & then peaked in 2009 at 10.5 million. 2009 onwards population growth is negative due to low birth rate & high death rate.
The fertility rate has dipped to 1.21 in 2013 but now it’s improved to 1.40. Immigration to Portugal also helped to stabilise the population in the last two decades. Earlier immigrants are from African nations but since 2003, most of the immigrants came from Brazil, China, and the Indian subcontinent.
Let’s have a look at the population of Portugal from year 1900 to 2020.
| Year | Population | Percentage Change |
| 1900 | 5,423,132 | 7.40% |
| 1911 | 5,969,056 | 10.10% |
| 1920 | 6,032,991 | 1.10% |
| 1930 | 6,825,883 | 13.10% |
| 1940 | 7,722,152 | 13.10% |
| 1950 | 8,510,240 | 10.20% |
| 1960 | 8,851,240 | 4.00% |
| 1970 | 8,648,369 | −2.3% |
| 1981 | 9,833,041 | 13.70% |
| 1991 | 9,862,540 | 0.30% |
| 2001 | 10,356,117 | 5.00% |
| 2011 | 10,562,178 | 2.00% |
| 2021 | 10,344,802 | −2.1% |
Source: INE 2021
Top Cities in Portugal by Population
| # | City | District | Population |
| 1 | Lisbon | Lisbon | 5,47,631 |
| 2 | Porto | Porto | 2,37,559 |
| 3 | Vila Nova de Gaia | Porto | 1,86,503 |
| 4 | Amadora | Lisbon | 1,75,135 |
| 5 | Braga | Braga | 1,43,532 |
| 6 | Coimbra | Coimbra | 1,43,396 |
| 7 | Funchal | Madeira | 1,11,892 |
| 8 | Almada | Setúbal | 1,01,500 |
| 9 | Setúbal | Setúbal | 90,640 |
| 10 | Agualva-Cacém | Lisbon | 81,845 |
Portuguese Diaspora
People of Portuguese ancestry form an important group in several countries in North and South America. They are estimated around 2 million in North America and 14 million in South America
As per the US Census 2020, Portuguese ancestry is estimated at 1.5 million people. It also forms an important minority Group in Canada, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Jamaica, and Argentina.
read more about Portuguese ancestry in America
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