Portugal Population Pyramid (2026)

Portugal has a population of 10,395,363 in 2026, according to the UN World Population Prospects 2024 (projection for 1 July). That is the 93rd-largest population in the world and 0.13% of the global total of 8.30 billion. Children under 15 make up 12.6% of the population and people aged 65 and over 25.4%, with 90.9 males for every 100 females.

Total Population
10,395,363
Median Age
47.2 years
Pyramid Type
constrictive
DTM Stage
Stage 5
Male: 4,950,026
Female: 5,445,337
Total: 10,395,363
Female surplus: 495,311 (4.8%) • Dark red shows female-dominant age groups

Portugal Demographics

Portugal has 10.4 million people in 2026, up 19.9% from 8.7 million in 1970.

Deaths outnumber births by 33,713 (UN projection for 2026).

65+ share 25.4% — the 4th-highest of 194 countries.

Median age 47.2 — the 5th-highest of 194 countries.

Largest generation: Gen X — 23.6% (2,453,776)

All generations in Portugal →

Population pyramid, 1950 to 2026

Watch how Portugal's population structure evolved from 1950 to 2026

1950
Population: 8,418,877
Median Age: 25.0 years
195019502026
Animation speed: 0.5 seconds per year • Drag slider or click years to explore manually
Page Navigation(Quick jump to sections)

Sex Ratio & Gender Distribution

Portugal has 90.9 males per 100 females (sex ratio)

Women outnumber men by 495,311 (4.8% of the population).

Male Statistics

  • Population:4,950,026
  • Percentage:47.6%

Female Statistics

  • Population:5,445,337
  • Percentage:52.4%
  • Ratio Format:1:1.100

Sex Ratio Analysis

Male to Female Ratio
0.909:1
Gender Balance
Women +495,311 (4.8%)

The sex ratio of Portugal indicates more females than males.

Birth Statistics & Natality Data

Estimated births today

---
Estimated births so far today (since midnight) — not a live count
Next birth:--
Frequency:about every 6.2 minutes
Daily average (2026):234

Simulated from the UN WPP 2024 projection of 85,260 births in 2026.

Current Birth Metrics (2026)

8.2
per 1,000 population
1.52
children per woman
Annual births:85,260
Monthly average:7,105
Weekly average:1,638

Temporal Distribution

Averages from the UN annual births, 2026 projection

Per Minute:0.2
Per Hour:9.8
Per Day:234
Per Year:85,260

Historical Birth Rate Trends, 1950 to 2026

Crude Birth Rate (Blue Line)
Live births per 1,000 people per year. Measures actual birth frequency in the population.
Total Fertility Rate (Red Line)
Average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime (2.1 = replacement level).

Birth Statistics, 2021 to 2026

YearBirthsBirth Rate
(per 1,000)
TFR
(children/woman)
Type
202177,8597.51.33estimate
202284,3198.11.45estimate
202386,6468.31.51estimate
202486,1518.31.51projection
202585,6608.21.52projection
202685,2608.21.52projection

Historical Analysis

Highest birth rate since 1950:24.9 per 1,000 (1952)
Decline from peak rate:−67.1%
Most births since 1950:218,147 (1962)
Births in 2026:85,260

Global Context (2026)

World daily births:363,023
Portugal daily births:234
Share of global births:0.1%
World avg birth rate:16.0 per 1,000
Portugal birth rate:8.2 per 1,000
Relative to world avg:0.5×

Source: UN WPP 2024: births, birth rate and fertility for 2024 and later are medium-variant projections; 1950–2023 are estimates. The live counter is a uniform simulation of the 2026 projection (85,260 births), not a real-time feed.

Median Age Analysis

Portugal's median age is 47.2 years

Half the population is younger than 47.2 years, half is older — indicating an aging society

Current Median Age
47.2
years (2026)
World Average
31.1
16.1 years older
Generation at the median age
Gen X

Complete Age Distribution & Youth Demographics

Youth (0-14)
12.6%
1,312,074
Under 25
23.0%
2,391,618
Working Age
62.0%
6,445,531
Elderly (65+)
25.4%
2,637,758
Age GroupPopulation%Category
0-4429,5124.1%Youth
5-9438,5474.2%Youth
10-14444,0154.3%Youth
15-19514,1604.9%Young Adult
20-24565,3845.4%Young Adult
25-29570,1815.5%Working Age
30-34546,7525.3%Working Age
35-39567,1685.5%Working Age
40-44648,2946.2%Working Age
45-49757,5727.3%Working Age
50-54800,3237.7%Working Age
55-59743,5587.2%Working Age
60-64732,1357.0%Working Age
65-69689,8266.6%Senior
70-74623,1066.0%Senior
75-79542,1825.2%Senior
80-84391,6303.8%Senior
85-89242,5532.3%Senior
90-94114,9231.1%Senior
95-9929,7400.3%Senior
100+3,7980.0%Senior

Demographic Transition Model (DTM) Stage

Stage 5 (natural decrease): deaths outnumber births — 8.2 births and 11.4 deaths per 1,000 people in 2026. Read more about Stage 5 of the Demographic Transition Model.

Fertility Rate & Birth Statistics

Portugal Total Fertility Rate: 1.52 children per woman

Below the replacement level of 2.1

Total Fertility Rate
1.52
children per woman
Crude Birth Rate
8.2
per 1,000 people
Replacement Level
2.1
children per woman
Global Rank
139
of 194 (1 = highest)

Fertility Rate Trends

Historical data (solid line) and future projections (dashed line)

Highest TFR since 1950
3.23
1962
Current TFR
1.52
2026
Projected 2050
1.57
UN projection

Historical Fertility Trends

YearTotal Fertility RateBirth RateChange
20211.337.5
20221.458.1↑0.12
20231.518.3↑0.06
20241.518.30.00
20251.528.2↑0.01
20261.528.20.00

Global Context

  • • World Average: 2.23 children per woman
  • • Comparison: Below global average
  • • UN projection for 2030: 1.53

Portugal's total fertility rate is 1.52 children per woman in 2026 (below replacement), below the replacement level of 2.1. Portugal ranks 139 of 194 for fertility rate (1 = highest), in the lowest third of countries. The fertility rate has changed by −51.9% since 1950.

Historical Demographic Changes

Between 1950 and 2026, Portugal's population has increased by 23.5%.

The median age has increased from 25.0 in 1950 to 47.2 in 2026, indicating population aging.

Understanding Portugal's Demographics

Portugal has a constrictive population pyramid — a base narrower than the middle, so younger cohorts are smaller than the ones above them.

Children under 15 make up 12.6% of the population and people aged 65 and over 25.4%.

The largest five-year age band is 50–54, at 7.7% of the population, compared with 4.1% in the 0–4 band.

Demographic Analysis: Portugal's Population Structure

Demographic Dividend Window

Portugal's working-age share peaked in 1999 at 67.5% and is 62.0% in 2026.

Fertility Transition Stage

Portugal is in a period of below replacement, with a total fertility rate of 1.52 children per woman (2026, UN WPP 2024).

Population Aging Speed

Portugal's median age changed by +3.9 years from 2016 to 2026, faster than the world average (+2.6 years).

Key Demographics

Total Population10,395,363
Male Population4,950,026(47.6%)
Female Population5,445,337(52.4%)
Median Age47.2 years
Sex Ratio90.9 males per 100 females
Youth (0-14)1,312,074(12.6%)
Working Age (15-64)6,445,531(62.0%)
Elderly (65+)2,637,758(25.4%)
Total Dependency Ratio61.3
Youth Dependency Ratio20.4
Old Age Dependency Ratio40.9
Pyramid TypeConstrictive

Dependency Ratios: Number of dependents per 100 working-age individuals.

Demographic Data Visualizations

Total population, 1950–2026 (UN WPP 2024; 2024 onward are projections).

Median age, 1950–2026 (UN WPP 2024; 2024 onward are projections).

Youth, working-age and elderly shares, 1950 vs 2026 (UN WPP 2024).

Age distribution in 2026: youth, working-age and elderly shares (UN WPP 2024; projection).

Life Expectancy in Portugal

How long the average person in Portugal is expected to live · sourced from UN WPP 2024

Source: UN WPP 2024 medium-variant projection (2026)
Life expectancy 2026 (UN projection)
82.9
years · world rank #21 of 194
vs world avg
+9.1
world: 73.8 yrs
Men
80.1
world avg: 71.2 yrs
Women
85.5
world avg: 76.4 yrs
Gender gap: +5.4 years
Women live 5.4 yrs longer than men
Men 80.1 yrs · Women 85.5 yrs
Since 1950: +24.4 years
From 58.5 yrs (1950) → 82.9 yrs (2026)

Historical Trend, 1950 → 2026 (plus UN projection to 2100)

Solid: actual · Dashed: medium-variant projection
556065707580859095195019701990201020242050210058.5 (1950)82.4 (2023)91.9 (2100, proj.)
1950 baseline
58.5 yrs
2026 today
82.9 yrs
+ gained 1950–2026
+24.4 yrs
2050 (UN proj.)
86.2 yrs
Looking ahead
UN's central scenario projects 86.2 years by 2050 (+3.3 yrs), and 91.9 by 2100.
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024. Life expectancy at birth, mid-year estimates. Medium-variant projections to 2100.
See full world ranking →

Future Demographic Trends

Portugal is projected to shrink to 9.8 million people by 2050 (−6.0% from 2026).

The median age rises from 47.2 in 2026 to 48.3 by 2050.

Portugal's Demographic Evolution by Decade

8.7M
Start Population
9.8M
End Population
28.6
Start Median Age
29.5
End Median Age

The population increased by 12.6%, growing from 8.7 million in 1970 to 9.8 million by 1980

The median age increased by 0.9 years, indicating population aging during this period

The youth population share contracted by 2.9 percentage points

Meanwhile, the elderly population proportion grew by 1.7 percentage points.

Key Demographic Highlights

  • • Population changed from 8.7M to 9.8M
  • • Growth rate of 12.6% over the decade
  • • Median age shifted from 28.6 to 29.5 years (+0.9y)
  • • 65+ share changed by +1.7 points; under-15 share by −2.9 points

How Does Portugal Compare to Its Neighbors?

Portugal has a younger population than Italy. Portugal has an older population than Germany, France, United Kingdom.

CountryPopulationMedian AgeYouth %Elderly %Pyramid Type
Portugal (Current)10,395,36347.212.6%25.4%constrictive
Germany83,644,25945.713.9%24.2%constrictive
France66,746,40142.516.0%22.9%constrictive
United Kingdom69,931,52940.216.7%19.9%constrictive
Italy58,926,16748.611.4%25.6%constrictive

Frequently Asked Questions About Portugal

How does Portugal rank globally by population?

Portugal ranks 93rd in the world by population with 10.4 million people as of 2026, representing 0.13% of the global total of 8.30 billion.

comparison

What does Portugal's age structure reveal about its development?

Portugal's age structure — 12.6% under 15, 62.0% working-age (15–64) and 25.4% aged 65+ — is that of a country in Stage 5 of the demographic transition, with a constrictive population pyramid. The median age is 47.2 years.

age

What is the dependency ratio in Portugal?

Portugal has 61.3 people under 15 or aged 65+ per 100 people aged 15–64 in 2026.

economic

Is Portugal experiencing a demographic dividend?

Portugal has moved past its demographic-dividend window. Portugal's working-age share peaked in 1999 at 67.5% and is 62.0% in 2026. The demographic dividend occurs when falling fertility creates a bulge in the working-age population while dependency ratios stay manageable.

economic

What are the gender dynamics in Portugal's population?

Portugal has more females than males, with 90.9 males per 100 females.

social

Compare with Other Countries

About this data: UN World Population Prospects 2024, released 11 July 2024. Figures for 2024 and later are medium-variant projections for 1 July. The UN has postponed its next revision from 2026 to 2027 (UN document E/CN.9/2026/CRP.1); these pages will be updated when it is published.

Data Sources & Methodology

All population data is sourced from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. The data represents UN medium-variant projections.

Cite this page: Population Pyramids. (2026). Portugal Population Pyramid and Demographic Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.populationpyramids.org/portugal

View UN World Population Prospects Data →