The National Institute of Statistics released figures today showing that, for the tenth year running, more people died than babies were born.
Specifically, in 2018 there were 87,325 live births and 113,477 deaths in Portugal.
Despite a good performance by Portugal’s women, the number of live births was 1% up at 88,973, the fact is that the number of deaths was 2.9% higher at 112,955, both figures compared to 2017.
This gradual depopulation is of deepening concern to government but no sensible national strategy has been developed, apart from small tax benefits to those with children.
The natural balance at the end of 2018, a negative 25,982, was the wrong side of zero for the tenth consecutive year.
