1 in 3 to foreign mothers « Euro Weekly News

Portugal is changing, and its birth records prove it. According to the country’s National Statistics Institute (INE), nearly a third of all babies born in 2024 had foreign mothers. That’s the highest level ever recorded, marking a clear shift in the country’s demographics.

In total, 84,642 babies were born in Portugal last year. While this is still a healthy number, it represents a 1.2% drop compared to 2023. At the same time, 33% of those births were to mothers born outside Portugal, a significant rise from the 29.2% reported the year before.

This data shows a growing reliance on foreign families to keep Portugal’s birth rate afloat. The country has struggled with a declining population and an ageing society for many years. However, the story is slowly changing, with more foreign nationals choosing to live and raise families in Portugal.

Foreign mums leading birth rates in Lisbon and the Algarve

The numbers vary by region, but the trend is strongest in Greater Lisbon, where almost half (47.8%) of all babies were born to foreign mothers in 2024. The Setúbal Peninsula was close behind with 46.9%, and the Algarve followed with 46.6%.

These areas are known for attracting international residents, including many from Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, and Eastern Europe. In recent years, they’ve also become hotspots for digital nomads and American expats looking for a quieter, more affordable life in Europe.

For families choosing to settle in Portugal, quality of life, warm weather, safety, and healthcare are some of the main reasons. And now, many of them are raising their families here, too.

Portugal’s population still shrinking overall

Despite the rise in foreign births, Portugal’s population is still shrinking. That’s because the number of deaths continues to outpace the number of births.

In 2024, the INE recorded 118,374 deaths, slightly more than the year before. This led to a negative “natural balance” of -33,732, meaning nearly 34,000 more people died than were born.

The only exception was Greater Lisbon, which had a small positive natural balance of +929. This was the second year the capital region bucked the national trend.

Most deaths in Portugal were among people aged 65 and over, especially those over 80. In fact, in several regions like the Centre and Alentejo, over 60% of all deaths were in this age group.

Fewer teenage mums, more mothers aged over 35

The INE also looked at the ages of mothers in Portugal. Most births (66.2%) were to women aged between 20 and 34, while 32% were to mothers aged 35 or older. Only 1.8% of births were to teenage mothers, down from previous years.

This reflects a broader trend in Europe, where more women are waiting until later to start a family. The average age of a first-time mother in Portugal is now 30.7 years, slightly up from 30.6 the year before. For all births, the average age was 32.1.

Over the past decade, the average age for having a child in Portugal has slowly increased, as has the proportion of mothers aged 35 and over.

Infant mortality rises slightly

Another important point in the report was the rise in infant mortality. In 2024, there were 252 deaths of children under one year old in Portugal. That’s 42 more than in 2023, pushing the infant mortality rate to 3.0 per 1,000 live births (compared to 2.5 years before).

This is a concern, but health officials say the overall rate is still low by global standards. It will be important to watch how this trend develops in the coming years.

A changing Portugal

The rise in births to foreign mothers highlights how Portugal is becoming more multicultural. Foreigners are not just living and working in Portugal, they’re building families and becoming part of the national story.

This trend may reflect similar community shifts for many Portuguese living in Spain. And for readers in the US who follow life in Portugal, it’s a sign that the country is evolving in modern and international ways.

While the birth rate is still falling, the growing number of babies born to foreign mothers may help balance the trend. This could offer hope for the future, especially in regions with low local birth rates.

As Portugal continues to welcome people worldwide, its society will likely keep changing, too. The mix of cultures, languages, and traditions creates a new, more diverse version of Portugal, one baby at a time.