Nascer é envelhecer: uma perspetiva demográfica evolutiva e territorial na construção do futuro de Portugal

Abstract

Population growth is currently one of the major challenges facing European countries. Thisanalysis puts forward a temporal and geographical view of demography, intended to portraythe challenges rooted in time and territory. Over its history, Portugal has always overcomeits demographic trends, the changes in reproductive rates, and the effects of migrations(internal and external). At the local level, the main reason explaining the demographicsituation is not natural dynamics, but rather mobility, which will tend to become even moreevident in the coming years. The country overcame high mortality rates, life cycles becamelonger, production increased in efficiency, and less births were required to obtain the samelevels of population stock. It also had to contend with the impacts of emigration. Portugalnow has to invest in its attractiveness if it intends to maintain its population size.