Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
First results on the main demographic developments in the year of reference.
3.2. Classification system
Not applicable.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Not applicable.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
3.4.1 Please indicate the definition of:
Population
The mother's residence
The data deaths
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
X
X
X
3.4.2 Please describe the national definition of:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Set of persons who, regardless of being present or absent in a given housing unit at the moment of observation, have lived in the place of their usual residence for a continuous period of 12 months prior to the moment of observation, or have arrived to the place of their usual residence during the period of 12 months prior to the moment of observation, with the purpose of living there for a year, at least.
This is the complete expulsion or extraction from the mother's body, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, of aproduct of fertilisation that, after separation, breathes or shows any othersigns of life, such as a beating of the heart or umbilical cord or actual contraction of any muscle subject to voluntary movement, whether or not the umbilical cord has been severed and whether or not the placenta is retained.
The permanent disappearance of vital functions.
A person (national or foreign) who, in a certain period of reference, entered the country with the intention of remaining here for one year or more, having previously resided abroad continuously for one year or more.
A person (national or foreign) who, in the reference period, and after having remained in the country continuously for at least one year, left it with the intention of residing in another country for a continuous period of one year or more.
3.4.3 Please provide details of the deviations of the national definition used from the usual residence definition.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Portuguese population estimates are based on the census population and the concept of usual residence is as defined in Art. 9.3 of Reg. 1260/2013.
none
none
not available
not available
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons.
3.6. Statistical population
In case of survey as data source, please describe the target statistical population (one or more) which the data set refers to:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Resident population living in private dwellings
Resident population living in private dwellings
3.7. Reference area
Data are available at national level of geographical detail.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Not available.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Counts of statistical units
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31st December). The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred. The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year in which the migration occurred.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Not available.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not available.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The data collected are covered by Article 6 (on statistic confidentiality), Law No. 22/2008, (OfficialJournal (OJ) No 92 1st Series, of 13 May 2008).
Population estimates are published at mid-June after the end of the reference year. Annual data on births, deaths and marriages are published in April of the yearfollowing the data reference year. First results on immigration and emigration of the preceding year are available at mid-June and complete results at the end-September.
Data are validated before published in Statistics Portugal online database. No quality assessment report is available.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Not available.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Please report on the reasons for any unreliability of the data on:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Net migration
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
13.2. Sampling error
In case of survey as data source, please provide information on the part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not available.
Not available.
13.3. Non-sampling error
In case of survey as data source, please provide information on the error in survey estimates which cannot be attributed to sampling fluctuations.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not available.
Not available.
14.1. Timeliness
Not available.
14.2. Punctuality
Not available.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
National data are consistent with regional data.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Please provide information on the length of comparable time series (indicate the first reference year for which data are availble), reference periods at which series occur, the reasons for the breaks and treatments of them.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
1940
1911
1911
1991
1991
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not available.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not applicable.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
In general terms, revisions are mainly due to new data on the past that could not be incorporated in time of their previous release.
Taking into account the diversity of revision factors and the different frequencies of computation of statistical variables, as well as international experience in this field, revisions can be classified as follows: (1) regular revisions (current or general) and (2) extraordinary revisions.
Minor revisions might occur annually on vital events data.
The annual postcensal resident population estimates are provisional and are reviewed for the intercensal years after the final data of the most recent population census. The series of resident population 2011-2020 based on the 2011 Census was subject to revision, in order to make it compatible with the results of the 2021 Census, in accordance with Statistics Portugal Revisions Policy, in particular the regular general revisions that follow statistical operations of structural nature. The revised annual intercensal series of resident population 2011-2020 based on the results of the 2021 Census was released on March 31st, 2023. At the same date, data on resident population for 2021, the first year of the new post-Census 2021 series, was released. Data on resident population for 2024 refer to the fourth year of the series of postcensal estimates based on the 2021 Census. Annual estimates of emigrants and immigrants are reviewed every ten years along with the revision of the resident population estimates.
18.1. Source data
Please report on the data sources used for the first reference year and inform of any changes thereto, to produce:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Census and Estimates
Civil Registration
Civil Registration
Census and Labour Force Survey
Census and Emigration Survey
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Resident Population estimates are produced on an annual basis. Data on births, deaths and marriages: continuous. Data on migration: annual.
18.3. Data collection
Statistics Portugal carry out the demographic data collection, based on:
Data on vital events collected by the Civil Registration Offices/Ministry of Justice, according tothe data model designed by Statistics Portugal;
LFS and Emigration Survey estimates, surveys that are carried out by Statistics Portugal.
18.4. Data validation
Data are subject to a validation process that involves:
checks on file structure;
checks of the content of file that covers:
Checking rules: fulfilling of the restriction(s) impose to the data.
Detecting missing values: when values were not provided.
Data validation: performed to check if specific logical conditions are fulfilled.
Finally time series checks are performed to detect possible errors that cannot be previously identified as long as the data is internally coherent.
If errors or incoherence of data is detected data provider is contacted for clarifications or corrections.
18.5. Data compilation
Based on the national microdata on demographic events transmitted, Statistics Portugal calculates aggregated data on births and deaths. Emigrants and immigrants are estimated based on household survey. Population estimates are obtained by applying component method.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
Not available.
First results on the main demographic developments in the year of reference.
24 June 2025
3.4.1 Please indicate the definition of:
Population
The mother's residence
The data deaths
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
X
X
X
3.4.2 Please describe the national definition of:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Set of persons who, regardless of being present or absent in a given housing unit at the moment of observation, have lived in the place of their usual residence for a continuous period of 12 months prior to the moment of observation, or have arrived to the place of their usual residence during the period of 12 months prior to the moment of observation, with the purpose of living there for a year, at least.
This is the complete expulsion or extraction from the mother's body, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, of aproduct of fertilisation that, after separation, breathes or shows any othersigns of life, such as a beating of the heart or umbilical cord or actual contraction of any muscle subject to voluntary movement, whether or not the umbilical cord has been severed and whether or not the placenta is retained.
The permanent disappearance of vital functions.
A person (national or foreign) who, in a certain period of reference, entered the country with the intention of remaining here for one year or more, having previously resided abroad continuously for one year or more.
A person (national or foreign) who, in the reference period, and after having remained in the country continuously for at least one year, left it with the intention of residing in another country for a continuous period of one year or more.
3.4.3 Please provide details of the deviations of the national definition used from the usual residence definition.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Portuguese population estimates are based on the census population and the concept of usual residence is as defined in Art. 9.3 of Reg. 1260/2013.
none
none
not available
not available
Number of persons.
In case of survey as data source, please describe the target statistical population (one or more) which the data set refers to:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Resident population living in private dwellings
Resident population living in private dwellings
Data are available at national level of geographical detail.
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31st December). The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred. The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year in which the migration occurred.
Please report on the reasons for any unreliability of the data on:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Net migration
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Counts of statistical units
Based on the national microdata on demographic events transmitted, Statistics Portugal calculates aggregated data on births and deaths. Emigrants and immigrants are estimated based on household survey. Population estimates are obtained by applying component method.
Please report on the data sources used for the first reference year and inform of any changes thereto, to produce:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Census and Estimates
Civil Registration
Civil Registration
Census and Labour Force Survey
Census and Emigration Survey
Births, deaths and marriages: monthly dissemination. Population estimates, migration flows: annual dissemination.
Not available.
National data are consistent with regional data.
Please provide information on the length of comparable time series (indicate the first reference year for which data are availble), reference periods at which series occur, the reasons for the breaks and treatments of them.
