1.1. Contact organisation
Statistics Portugal
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Department of Demographic and Social Statistics/Living Conditions Statistics Unit
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Av António José de Almeida, 5, 1000-043 Lisboa, Portugal
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
23 December 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
23 December 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
23 December 2025
3.1. Data description
Data on causes of death (CoD) provide information on mortality patterns and form a major element of public health information.
CoD data refer to the underlying cause which - according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) - is "the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death, or the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury".
National CoD data are derived from the integration of death certificates registered in the national information system for death certificates and demographic data from the national civil registry information system, performed by Statistics Portugal for quality purposes.
The underlying causes of death and the external causes of death certified by doctors in the death certificates are mapped to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) by the Directorate General of Health.
3.2. Classification system
Eurostat's CoD statistics build on standards set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD).
The regional breakdown is based on the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS 2).
Classification and updates applied by years
| Data year | ICD classification used (ICD-9, ICD-10) (3 or 4 chars) | For ICD-10: updates used |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | ICD-10 | 2007 |
| 2012 | ICD-10 | 2007 |
| 2013 | ICD-10 | 2007 |
| 2014 | ICD-10 | 2007 |
| 2015 | ICD-10 | 2007 |
| 2016 | ICD-10 | 2007 |
| 2017 | ICD-10 | 2007 |
| 2018 | ICD-10 | 2007 |
| 2019 | ICD-10 | 2016 |
| 2020 | ICD-10 | 2016 |
| 2021 | ICD-10 | 2016 |
| 2022 | ICD-10 | 2016 |
| 2023 | ICD-10 | 2019 |
3.3. Coverage - sector
Public Health.
Data refer to residents and non-residents who died in Portugal during the reference year, as well as foetal deaths that occurred in the country during the same period.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Concepts and definitions are described in the Commission regulation (EU) No 328/2011, articles 2 and 3.
3.4.1. National definition used for usual residency
Usual residence’ shall mean the place where a person normally spends the daily period of rest, regardless of temporary absences for purposes of recreation, holidays, visits to friends and relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage.
- those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference date; or
- those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference date with the intention of staying there for at least one year.
Where the circumstances described in point (i) or (ii) cannot be established, ‘usual residence’ shall mean the place of legal or registered residence.
The concept of usual resident corresponds to the concept used in the national civil registry information system, based on legal or registered residence, which in most cases is equivalent to the place where a person normally spends the daily period of rest, regardless of temporary absences for purposes of recreation, holidays, visits to friends and relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage.
3.4.2. Stillbirth definition and characteristics collected
National definition used for stillbirths
A product of fertilisation whose death occurs before delivery or complete extraction from the mother's body, regardless of the duration of the pregnancy. Death is indicated by the fact that, after separation, the foetus has not breathed or shown any signs of life such as heartbeat, umbilical pulse or actual contractions of any muscles subject to voluntary action.
STILLBIRTH: A product of fertilisation whose death occurs before delivery or complete extraction from the mother's body, regardless of the duration of the pregnancy.
The characteristics of collect:
Gestational age, weight.
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical units are the deceased persons and the stillborns.
3.6. Statistical population
All deceased persons and foetal deaths in the country, regardless of country of residence.
3.6.1. Neonates of non-resident mothers
Neonates of non-resident mothers are not considered residents in Portugal.
3.6.2. Non-residents
Definition according to the Commision Regulatin (EU) No 328/2011.The usual resident population based on legal or registered residence.
Deaths of non-residents are separately classified as deaths of residents abroad. Deaths of non-residents are included in the dataset.
Residents and non-residents who die in the country are included in database.
3.6.3. Residents dying abroad
Residents dying abroad are included in national statistics whenever the death certificate is registered in the national civil registry information system.
3.7. Reference area
The reference area is composed by the whole national country, including mainland and the two Autonomous Regions of Açores and Madeira.
2023 data is segmented by NUTS 2, version 2024, categories: Norte (PT11), Centro (PT19), Oeste e Vale do Tejo (PT1D), Grande Lisboa (PT1A), Pensínsula de Setúbal (PT1B), Alentejo (PT1C), Algarve (PT15), Região Autónoma dos Açores (PT20), Região Autónoma da Madeira (PT30).
3.8. Coverage - Time
Time series available from 1994 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Unit is number.
Year 2023.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
CoD data was submitted to Eurostat on the basis of a gentleman's agreement established in the framework Eurostat's Working Group on "Public Health Statistics" until data with reference year 2007.
A Regulation on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work (EC) No 1338/2008 was signed by the European Parliament and the Council on 16 December 2008. This Regulation is the framework of the data collection on the domain.
Within the context of this framework Regulation, a Regulation on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work, as regards statistics on causes of death (EU) No 328/2011 was signed by the European Parliament and the Council on 5 April 2011.
CoD data according to this regulation is submitted to Eurostat since reference year 2011.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Only confidential aggregated data are shared by Statistics Portugal with external entities, including Eurostat.
Access to confidential microdata are only accessible at the request of certified researchers to Statistics Portugal, after a confidentiality treatment is implemented.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Portuguese Law no. 22/2008, of 13th May (Law of the National Statistical System), article 6 on statistical confidentiality.
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation).
Law no. 67/1998, of 26th October (Law on the protection of personal data).
Please refer to Statistics Portugal Policy of Statistical Confidentiality and Policy on Privacy and Data Protection, both publicly available.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Sex per age and NUTS 1 or NUTS 2 countings are, in general, considered not confidential.
3-digit ICD-10 codes with a frequency of less than 3 cases are considered as confidential if the corresponding demographic group (as defined by age, sex and local of residence) includes less than 100 residents. The remaining conditions, incuding situations of indirect confidentiality, are always individually evaluated by Statistics Portugal condidentiality team.
8.1. Release calendar
Release calendar is publicly available at Statistics Portugal website.
One press release related to the 2023 causes of death data is available at Statistics Portugal website:
- May 16, 2025, "Fewer deaths from diseases of the circulatory system - 2023"
Please refer also to the Release calendar - Eurostat (europa.eu) and publicly available on the Eurostat’s website.
8.2. Release calendar access
Release calendar is publicly available at Statistics Portugal website.
Please refer also to the Release calendar - Eurostat (europa.eu) and publicly available on the Eurostat’s website.
8.3. Release policy - user access
Please refer to Statistics Portugal Dissemination Policy which is publicly available and a detailed insight about Statistics Portugal means and services to access information.
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice, Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see section 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity'), respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
Annual.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
A press release related to the 2023 causes of death data was published and is available at Statistics Portugal website: May 16, 2025, “Fewer deaths from diseases of the circulatory system - 2023".
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
CoD annual data is also regularly included in the following Statistics Portugal collection: "Health Statistics".
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Data tables are available at Health Indicators.
10.3.1. Data tables - consultations
Data tables are available at Health Indicators.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Access to confidential microdata are only accessible at the request of certified researchers to Statistics Portugal, after a confidentiality treatment is implemented.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Not applicable.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Standard metadata in Portuguese is available at Statistics Portugal website (Portuguese only). Under revision.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not available.
11.1. Quality assurance
Statistics Portugal follows a set of Ethics and policies which are publicly available in Statistics Portugal website , namely: Code of Ethics and Conduct, European Statistics Code of Practice, Quality Chart, Information Security Management System (Certification), Information Security Policy, Policy of Statistical Confidentiality, Policy on Privacy and Data Protection, Use of cookies, Dissemination Policy, Revisions Policy, Risk Management Plan for Corruption and Related Offenses. Every data collcetion carried out by Statistics Portugal follows those policies. The Quality Chart in particular formalizes Statistics Portugal’s public commitment to provide society with quality and reliable official statistics produced and disseminated bearing in mind the public service it provides, more so in relation to respondents, users of statistical information and to the public in general. An internal protocol is mandatory for the implementation of any data collection, including the Causes of death, ensuring structuration, public transparency regarding methodology and calendar, internal communication, consistency and coherence, comparison with other statistics.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Not available.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main users of CoD statistical data are health professionals, public health policy makers, public health research institutes, media, and students.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
The content requirements of relevant legislation, regulations and guidelines are met.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
For mandatory variables: 100%.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data).
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data).
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data).
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data).
13.3.1. Coverage error
0% (after validation).
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
0% (after validation).
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable (data collection is based only on a census of administrative data).
13.3.2. Measurement error
0% (after validation).
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data).
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data).
13.3.4. Processing error
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data)
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data)
14.1. Timeliness
| Year | Number of months between the end of the reference year and the publication at national level |
|---|---|
| 2011 | |
| 2012 | |
| 2013 | 17 months |
| 2014 | 17 months |
| 2015 | 17 months |
| 2016 | 17 months |
| 2017 | 14 months |
| 2018 | 14 months |
| 2019 | 14 months |
| 2020 | 17 months |
| 2021 | 17 months |
| 2022 | 17 months |
| 2023 | 17 months |
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
The 2023 data was published for the first time on 16 May 2025, 501 days after the last day of the reference period.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
The publication of data at national level is determined a priori by Statistics Portugal Annual Activity Plan, which is publicly available (see items 8.1 and 8.2): the release of data for 2023 took place on the planned date (16 May 2025).
From data collection with reference year 2011 onwards, Eurostat asks for the submission of final data at national and regional level and related metadata for the year N at N+24 months, according to the Implementing Regulation (EC) No. 328/2011, Article 4.
The first release of national data by Eurostat for 2022 took place on the 23rd of December 2025.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
| Reference year | Time between the end of the reference year and the delivery of final data to Eurostat |
|---|---|
| 2011 | |
| 2012 | |
| 2013 | |
| 2014 | |
| 2015 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2018 | 9 months after getting the databases |
| 2019 | 9 months after getting the databases |
| 2020 | 9 months after getting the databases |
| 2021 | 9 months after getting the databases |
| 2022 | 9 months after getting the databases |
| 2023 | 8 months after getting the databases |
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The process of collecting, coding and transmission the data is the same for all regions.
No problems of comparability between regions of the country.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The national coding of cause of death data has used the ICD-10 since 2002, which ensures general comparability since 2002. For previous years, comparability is only ensured at the level of the European Short List of Causes of Death.
The procedures and concepts applied to 2023 data were mostly the same as those applied in previous years, even though 2023 has been the first year of application of the ICD-10 version 2019: overall, it is not expected to impact the comparability of the time series.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
1980-2023.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
No discrepancy.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Sub annual (monthly or daily indicators) are obtained from the complete annual database, by default fully reconciable with annual indicators.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
No inconsistencies.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Please refer to the Statistics Portugal Revisions Policy page.
17.2. Data revision - practice
2023 was the second year of application of NUTS-2024 to data on causes of death, with an impact at NUTS 2 and NUTS 3 levels when compared to the results by NUTS-2021 obtained for the years prior to 2022, which was the first year of application of NUTS-2024. However, because CoD is a census, it only implied organising data according to two different and comparable classifications, and the data revision does not apply.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
National CoD data are derived from the integration of death certificates registered in the national information system for death certificates and demographic data from the national civil registry information system, performed by Statistics Portugal for quality purposes.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual.
18.3. Data collection
The underlying causes of death and the external causes of death certified by doctors in the death certificates are mapped to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) by the Directorate General of Health.
18.3.1. Certification
Table on certification (Percentage)
| Year |
All doctors (certifiers) trained in the certification | All doctors (certifiers - pathologists or others doctors) trained in the post-mortem examination (autopsies) | Certificates filled by persons who attended a course on certification or post-mortem examination | Death certificates that are queried (only queries related to medical part of the death certificate should be included) | Replies received for queries sent | Deaths where the underlying cause is changed as a result of the query | Death certificates with incorrect sequence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | |||||||
| 2012 | |||||||
| 2013 | |||||||
| 2014 | |||||||
| 2015 | |||||||
| 2016 | |||||||
| 2017 | |||||||
| 2018 | Not available | ||||||
| 2019 | Not available | ||||||
| 2020 | Not available | ||||||
| 2021 | Not available | ||||||
| 2022 | Not available | ||||||
| 2023 | Not available |
18.3.2. Automated Coding
| Data year | Use of any form of automated coding | System used (IRIS, MICAR, ACME, STYX, MIKADO, others) |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | no | no |
| 2012 | no | no |
| 2013 | no | no |
| 2014 | no | no |
| 2015 | no | no |
| 2016 | no | no |
| 2017 | no | no |
| 2018 | no | no |
| 2019 | no | no |
| 2020 | no | no |
| 2021 | no | no |
| 2022 | no | no |
| 2023 | no | no |
18.3.3. Underlying cause of death
| yesData year | Only manual selection of underlying cause | Manual with ACME decision tables (if yes, version of ACME) | ACS utilising ACME decision tables (if yes, version of ACME) | Own system (ACS without ACME) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | yes | ||||
| 2012 | yes | ||||
| 2013 | yes | ||||
| 2014 | yes | ||||
| 2015 | yes | ||||
| 2016 | yes | ||||
| 2017 | yes | ||||
| 2018 | yes | ||||
| 2019 | yes | ||||
| 2020 | yes | ||||
| 2021 | yes | ||||
| 2022 | yes | ||||
| 2023 | yes |
18.3.4. Availability of multiple cause
| Data year | Information stored in the national CoD database, UC (Underlying cause) or MC (Multiple cause) |
|---|---|
| 2011 | UC |
| 2012 | UC |
| 2013 | UC |
| 2014 | UC |
| 2015 | UC |
| 2016 | UC |
| 2017 | UC |
| 2018 | UC |
| 2019 | UC |
| 2020 | UC |
| 2021 | UC |
| 2022 | UC |
| 2023 | UC |
18.3.5. Stillbirths and Neonatal certificates
A specific death certificate applies both for stillbirths and neonatal deaths.
18.4. Data validation
Specific validations are applied when data from the death certificates information system are included into the national statistical system, established in a bilateral agreement between Staistics Portugal and the Directorate General of Health, mailly addressing the consistency of variables structure,
Subsequent validations focus the consistency between ICD codes and demographic characteristics.
18.4.1. Coding
Description of coding procedure (central level, distributed among other bodies, etc.):
- Central level
Description of the procedures to detect errors (i.e.errors such as potential inconsistency in the death certificate or error due to mistake when filling the deaths certificates):
- Procedures of WHO guides
Description of the measures taken in order to solve detected errors:
To detect errors or inconsistencies in the death certificate, there is another source of data collection. It is the collection of information on deaths through the civil registry offices.
Coding performed by a certifier:
ICD-10.
Estimation of the percentage of autopsy from which information is available for coding:
No estimation.
Description of double coding exercises and rate of codification errors for underlying cause of death:
Not available.
18.4.2. Unspecified CoD code
ICD codes for the underlying cause (% of the Total)
| Year | Unspecified CoD (for ICD10: R00-R99 codes, for ICD9: 780-790 codes) | Unknown CoD (for ICD10: R98-R99 codes, for ICD9: 799.9, 798.9, 798.2 codes) | Deaths due to senility (for ICD10: R54 code, for ICD9: 797 code) | Deaths due to exposure to unspecified factor (for ICD10: X59 code, ICD9: 928.9 code) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | ||||
| 2012 | ||||
| 2013 | ||||
| 2014 | ||||
| 2015 | ||||
| 2016 | ||||
| 2017 | ||||
| 2018 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2019 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2020 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2021 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2022 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2023 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
18.4.3. Unknown country or region
Unknown country/region (%) for residents and non-residents who died in the country
| Year | Residents | Non-residents | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown residency (NUTS2) | Unknown occurrence (NUTS2) | Unknown residency (country) | Unknown residency (NUTS2) | Unknown occurrence (NUTS2) | |
| 2011 | |||||
| 2012 | |||||
| 2013 | |||||
| 2014 | |||||
| 2015 | |||||
| 2016 | |||||
| 2017 | |||||
| 2018 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2019 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2020 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2021 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2022 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2023 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
18.4.4. Validation of the coverage
Coverage is validated by comparison with the civil registry information system.
18.5. Data compilation
Not applicable.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Data on causes of death (CoD) provide information on mortality patterns and form a major element of public health information.
CoD data refer to the underlying cause which - according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) - is "the disease or injury which initiated the train of morbid events leading directly to death, or the circumstances of the accident or violence which produced the fatal injury".
National CoD data are derived from the integration of death certificates registered in the national information system for death certificates and demographic data from the national civil registry information system, performed by Statistics Portugal for quality purposes.
The underlying causes of death and the external causes of death certified by doctors in the death certificates are mapped to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) by the Directorate General of Health.
23 December 2025
Concepts and definitions are described in the Commission regulation (EU) No 328/2011, articles 2 and 3.
The statistical units are the deceased persons and the stillborns.
All deceased persons and foetal deaths in the country, regardless of country of residence.
The reference area is composed by the whole national country, including mainland and the two Autonomous Regions of Açores and Madeira.
2023 data is segmented by NUTS 2, version 2024, categories: Norte (PT11), Centro (PT19), Oeste e Vale do Tejo (PT1D), Grande Lisboa (PT1A), Pensínsula de Setúbal (PT1B), Alentejo (PT1C), Algarve (PT15), Região Autónoma dos Açores (PT20), Região Autónoma da Madeira (PT30).
Year 2023.
Not applicable (data collection is based on a census of administrative data).
Unit is number.
Not applicable.
National CoD data are derived from the integration of death certificates registered in the national information system for death certificates and demographic data from the national civil registry information system, performed by Statistics Portugal for quality purposes.
Annual.
| Year | Number of months between the end of the reference year and the publication at national level |
|---|---|
| 2011 | |
| 2012 | |
| 2013 | 17 months |
| 2014 | 17 months |
| 2015 | 17 months |
| 2016 | 17 months |
| 2017 | 14 months |
| 2018 | 14 months |
| 2019 | 14 months |
| 2020 | 17 months |
| 2021 | 17 months |
| 2022 | 17 months |
| 2023 | 17 months |
The process of collecting, coding and transmission the data is the same for all regions.
No problems of comparability between regions of the country.
The national coding of cause of death data has used the ICD-10 since 2002, which ensures general comparability since 2002. For previous years, comparability is only ensured at the level of the European Short List of Causes of Death.
The procedures and concepts applied to 2023 data were mostly the same as those applied in previous years, even though 2023 has been the first year of application of the ICD-10 version 2019: overall, it is not expected to impact the comparability of the time series.
