Portugal had approximately 11.5 million residents at the end of 2025, according to INE, a figure that surprised by exceeding previous estimates by one million. Demography is described as one of the most relevant branches of Sociology, decisive for the definition of public policies and resource planning, while Historical Demography is dedicated to the study of population and mobility throughout the history of each country or region.
The population of the Iberian Peninsula evolved significantly over the centuries. In Antiquity, scattered ethnic groups were attracted by the mild climate and the fertility of the lands along the rivers. During the Roman period, the territorial and social organization that originated Portugal was formed. It is estimated that there were about two million inhabitants on the Peninsula when Muslim Hispania emerged. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the European population increased from 25 to 56 million between 1000 and 1340, but the Black Death in the 14th century caused approximately 50 million deaths in Europe.
In Portugal, the Torres Vedras Inquiry of 1309 carried out the first census of the resident population. In 1527, King John III ordered the first general census of the Kingdom, recording approximately 1.1 million inhabitants. Maritime voyages regularly moved about 40,000 men, decreasing the resident population and agricultural production. In the 19th century, the population doubled from 3 to 6 million, with profound economic and social differences remaining. Throughout the 20th century, the population doubled from 5.4 to 10.6 million. In recent decades, Portugal has ceased to be a country of emigrants and started to welcome foreign workers, who currently represent approximately 14% of the total population.
The current Portuguese demographic situation reveals aging, low birth rates and fertility, with only 1.4 children per woman, when the replacement rate would be 2.1. The explanations include changes in expectations, new cultural behaviors and economic insecurity for families with more children. The article concludes that demographic policies combined with other measures constitute a national priority. The text is authored by Jorge Queiroz, sociologist.
