Portugal is a democratic republic situated on the westernmost tip of Europe, covering a total area of 92,152 km². It forms part of the Iberian Peninsula, with Spain to the north and east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south and west, where the Portuguese archipelagos of Azores and Madeira are located.

Portuguese is the official language of the mainland, as well as the autonomous regions of Madeira and Azores. Others that have also gained official status are Portuguese Sign Language (1997) and Mirandês (1999), the latter spoken in the northeast area of Miranda do Douro (Law No. 7/99, 29 January).

Portugal is a secular state. That said, the Portuguese Republic Constitution states that "the freedom of conscience, religion and form of worship is inviolable" (Art. 41, no. 1) and that "churches and other religious communities are separate from the State and are free to organise themselves and to exercise their functions and form of worship" (Art. 41, no. 4). The predominant religion among the Portuguese people is Roman Catholicism.

The population density of Portugal is around 111.6 inhabitants/km2. However, along the western coastline, mainly between Viana do Castelo and Setúbal, as well as the southern coastline (Algarve), the concentration is higher than the national average. In the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto the numbers are much higher, with figures exceeding 1,000 inhabitants/km2. In the Norte and Centro regions of the country and in Alentejo, in the interior, most areas do not exceed 50 inhabitants/km2, and are generally less attractive areas for the resident population.

On December 31st, 2021, the resident population in Portugal was estimated to be of 10,352,042 people, 19,578 fewer than in 2020 (INE).

Resident population: total, by year and by major age groups (Individual - Proportion - %)   

Years       Major age groups

                Total        0-14        15-64      65 or more

2000      100.0         16.4         67.4         16.2

2005      100.0         15.9         66.8         17.3

2010      100.0         15.2         66.3         18.5

2015      100.0         14.2         65.3         20.5

2020      100.0         13.5         64.2         22.3

2021      100.0          12.7        67.3         20.0

Sources: INE, PORDATA. Last update: 2023-01-27

The population decrease of 2021 was the product of a migratory increase of 25,642, set against the negative natural increase, which fell to -45,220 in 2021 (-38,828 in 2020), providing total, migratory and natural increases of -0.19%, +0.25% and -0.44%, respectively.

Total, natural and migratory increases (individuals)

Sources: INE, PORDATA. Last update: 2022-01-19

Annual population rare: total, natural and migratory (individual - thousands)

Sources: INE, PORDATA. Last updated: 2020-06-15

In Portugal, unemployment has been falling, reaching levels similar to those of two decades ago. That said, the age group with the highest levels of unemployment between 2021 and 2022 is the youngest (under 25 years old).

Unemployment rates from 2000 to 2022 by age group (mainland)

Source: INE/ Pordata. Last update: 2023-02-23