In May 2026, 9,216 deaths were recorded in Portugal (37 of which were of residents living abroad), 209 fewer (-2.2%) than in the previous month and 445 fewer (-4.6%) than in the same month last year. The figures were released this Friday (12 June 2026) by the National Statistics Institute (INE) and also show that the birth rate is declining.
According to the national statistics office, 17 children under the age of one died during the same month (all born to mothers resident in Portugal), eight fewer than in the previous month and two fewer than in May 2025.
“In the first five months of the year, 53,081 deaths occurred in national territory (11 more than in the same period of 2025), of which 99 were deaths of children under one year of age (88 in 2025),” the INE bulletin states.
As for live births, 6,968 were recorded in April (27 of which were to mothers resident abroad), representing a decrease of 3.6% (259 fewer) compared to March 2026 and 0.9% (61 fewer) compared to April 2025.
In the first four months of 2026, 28,120 live births were registered in Portugal, 562 more (+2.0%) than in the same period of 2025, of which 78 were to mothers resident abroad (76 in 2025).
The natural balance (the difference between births and deaths) stood at -2,433 in April, an improvement compared to March 2026 (-3,332) and to April 2025 (-2,784).
“From January to April 2026, the cumulative natural balance was -15,633, showing a slight improvement compared to the same period in 2025 (-15,756),” the institute reports.
Regarding marriages, 2,267 took place in April, 187 more (+9%) than in March 2026 and 44 more (+2%) than in April last year.
“In the first four months of 2026, 7,612 marriages were celebrated, 60 more (+0.8%) than in the same period of 2025,” the INE concludes.
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