A country whose language is spoken by more than 230 million inhabitants of the planet is the most conservative in Europe in terms of social views and at the same time a country with very emotional national music. It's all about Portugal.
A little about the country
Portugal is one of the oldest countries of the Old World, whose borders have remained unchanged for more than 875 years. The once powerful kingdom, whose colonies were scattered all over the world, is now a small state on the Iberian Peninsula. However, Portugal remains one of the most developed countries in the world, which, among other things, can “boast” of the highest literacy of the population and one of the highest life expectancy of its citizens in the world.
Population
The population of Portugal has always been very dependent on emigration. The Portuguese began to move to different continents in search of a better life and trying to get rich during the Age of Discovery. The main reason for emigration in our time is the poor development of the country's production capacities. Also living in Portugala large number of immigrants from Brazil, Angola and European countries who came here in search of work. The government supports them in every possible way: Portuguese language courses are open for immigrants, meetings with lawyers and psychologists are arranged, the right of all children to education is ensured (due to which the country's adult literacy reaches 99%).
Since 1890, every 10 years, a census has been conducted in the country. By the beginning of the last century, the population of the country was about 5 million people, by the middle of the twentieth century it had grown to 8.5 million people, in 1960 the country had 8.9 million, and ten years later this figure dropped to the level of 1950, to 1985 Portugal's population increased to 10 million. Portugal has a population of 10.76 million according to the 2011 census.
In the spring of 2011, the 5th housing census and the 15th population census were conducted in the country, which became the largest static operations. As a result of the censuses, not only data on the number of people living in the country and their living conditions became known, but also on their education, work, presence and composition of the family. According to Censos 2011, there are 4,079,577 families registered in the country, which is 1.65% more than in 2001. Also, the number of residential buildings and dwellings increased by 12.4 and 16.3%, respectively. Since the 70s of the last century, there has been a tendency for the family size to decrease in the country, at the moment this figure is only 2.6man.
National composition
Nationally, the population of Portugal is extremely homogeneous - this is one of the demographic features of Portugal. According to the 2011 census, 99% of the country's population is Portuguese (a combination of ethnic Romans, Visigoths and Iberians). Also, about 15,000 Spaniards, 10,000 Brazilians, 5,500 Angolans and others live in the country.
Outside the territory of Portugal (mainly in the USA, France, Canada and Brazil) live about 2.2 million of its citizens.
Gender and age structure of the population
The gender and age structure of the population of Portugal is practically no different from that of other European countries, where, according to censuses over the past century, the numerical predominance of women is visible. In the early 1980s, there were 1.11 women per man, at the moment there are 5,241,519 men and 5,518,986 women in the country (i.e., there are 1.05 women per man).
In a more visual and detailed form, what percentage of the population of Portugal according to various indicators can be seen in the table.
| Portugal population: | 10 760 505 people |
| men | 5 241 519 people |
| women | 5 518 986 people |
| Gender ratio: | 1,052 women to 1 man |
| newborns | 0, 937 women to 1 man |
| under 15 | 0, 917 women to 1 man |
| 15 to 64 years old | 1,001 women to 1 man |
| over 65 | 1, 441 women to 1 man |
| Population under 15: | 16, 2% of total population |
| women | 15, 1% |
| men | 17, 4% |
| Population aged 15-64: | 65, 8% of total population |
| women | 64, 2% |
| men | 67, 5% |
| Population over 65 | 18, 0% of total population |
| women | 20, 7% |
| men | 15, 1% |
| Mean age of population | 40, 0 years |
| women | 42, 3 years old |
| men | 38 years old |
Birth and death rates
According to 2014, in Portugal for the first time in modernIn the history of the country, the death rate exceeded the birth rate. According to the National Institute of Statistics, in 2014, 102.5 thousand children were born in the country (almost 3,000 less than in 2011), and 103.5 thousand citizens died.
This happened for the last time in 1918, when the population of Portugal, like citizens of other European countries, suffered from a severe influenza epidemic. But already in 1919, the natural growth of the population continued. Unfortunately, the current decline in the population is in line with the general trend, and the situation is unlikely to improve in the near future.
The main reason for this situation is the unwillingness to give birth to children on time. Last year, the average age of primiparous women reached 30 years. At the same time, the vast majority of families are limited to one child. But, despite the decline in the birth rate, the minimum natural increase in the population of Portugal continues.
| Percentage of population growth | 0, 2% per year |
| Birth rate per 1000 inhabitants | 9, 94 people |
| boys | 5, 13 people |
| girls | 4, 81 people |
| Death rate per 1000 inhabitants | 10, 8 people |
| Total fertility rate | 1, 5 childrenon a woman |
| Newborn mortality rate | 4, 66 deaths per 1000 live births |
| boys | 5, 11 deaths per 1000 live births |
| girls | 4, 18 deaths per 1000 live births |
Economically active population
Portugal has a working population of 5.252 million, of which about 3.6 million are employed. Almost 33% of the economically active population is employed in industry, 28% in forestry, agriculture and fishing, about 38% of the labor force is absorbed by transport and the service sector. However, the unemployment rate remains quite high in the country, which is about 13.5%.
The retirement age is the same for men and women - 66 years.
Population accommodation
The population of Portugal, the photo of which is given in the article, is unevenly distributed throughout the country. Average density per 1 sq. km is 116, 8 people. The population of the coastal western regions is 5-10 times higher than that of the inland southern regions. The population of cities in Portugal is about 70% of all citizens of the country. The uneven distribution is exacerbated by internal migration associated with otkhodnichestvo for fishing, harvesting work in vineyards and grain areas, and temporary earnings in cities. Some migrants stay in new places, especially in cities.
Cities in the country include settlements with a population of more than 2-2.5 thousand people. In total, Portugal has 33 cities with a population of more than 10,000 people, of which only 7 cities have more than 50,000 people, including 2 million-plus cities (Lisbon and Porto), which are home to 2/3 of the country's population.
A feature of the urbanization of Portugal is the almost unchanged number of small towns against the background of two actively growing "giants" - Porto and Lisbon. Powerful agglomerations are created mainly due to the absorption of suburbs and satellite cities by central cities.
Cities with a population of less than 10,000 act as administrative parish centers serving nearby rural areas. Medium-sized cities with a population of up to 50,000 own the administrative functions of provincial and district centers.
Villages differ greatly among themselves in different regions of the country, which depends on natural conditions and social relations in the village. In the northern regions, small villages and farm settlements are predominantly scattered. The middle zone is characterized by large villages, while the southern zone is dominated by small but densely populated villages.
Religious division
The church in Portugal is separated from the state. About 94% of the country's population are parishioners of the Roman Catholic Church, the rest are Muslims, Protestants and Evangelicals. The church has a great influence on the citizens of the country, due to whichPortugal is recognized as one of the most socially conservative countries in Europe.
Features of the population of Portugal - high literacy, one of the highest life expectancy in the world, national homogeneity and great dependence on the church. But at the same time, the Portuguese are very hospitable and hospitable people, leading a measured and leisurely lifestyle.
