Portugal recorded 1,710 fewer deaths (15.8%) in February than in the same month of 2023, totaling 9,139 deaths, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) released today, which also point to a drop in the number of births in January.
Compared to January 2024, there was a 32.1% decrease in the number of deaths in February (4,315 fewer deaths), according to INE’s monthly data on mortality, births and marriages.
INE points out that “the number of deaths due to covid-19 fell to 27 (129 less than in January 2024), representing 0.3% of all deaths”.
In January 2024, 7,044 babies were born alive, corresponding to a decrease of 1.6% (112 less) compared to December last year and 2.2% (160 less) compared to the same month in 2023.
In 2023, 85,968 babies were born in Portugal, 1,979 more (+2.4%) than in 2022, when 83,989 live births were recorded.
In January 2024, the natural balance (the difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths in a given period) worsened.
This month, the natural balance stood at -6,398, worsening compared to December 2023 (-4,985) and the same month in 2023 (-4,721)
The natural balance is negative when the number of live births is less than the number of deaths.
“In 2023, the accumulated value of the natural balance was -32,613, down from the value observed in 2022 (-40,640),” says INE.
INE’s Vital Statistics also reveal that the number of marriages celebrated in January 2024 fell by 7.7% compared to January 2023.
“In January 2024, 1,533 marriages were celebrated, which is lower than the number recorded in December 2023 (508 fewer; -24.9%) and lower than January 2023 (127 fewer marriages; -7.7%),” the data indicates.
In total, 36,980 marriages were celebrated in 2023, 28 more than in 2022.
