The population of all 28 nations of the EU was estimated to be 507.4 million at the beginning of this year.
In January last year, the figure was estimated at 505.7 million, according to Eurostat.
The growth was due to an increase in net migration of 700,000 as well as a natural increase of 80,000.
Eurostat says that the population has increased by some 100 million since 1960.
Portugal’s population at the beginning of the year was 10,427,300. This was a decrease of 60,000 from the January before.
During the year, there were 82,800 births as against 106,500 deaths. But the figures also show there was a decrease in net migration. Some 36,200 more people left the country than entered it.
Many of these will have been some of the nation’s youth attempting to find work in other countries. Also included in the number will be those expats who have left Portugal.
Portugal’s birth rate was the lowest of any of its 27 fellow member countries. The rate was 7.9 per 1,000 inhabitants.
Throughout the EU, 15 countries registered increases in their populations. Luxembourg, Malta, Sweden, Austria and the UK had the highest net migrations.
Conversely, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Spain, Greece and Portugal experienced the greatest numbers of residents leaving compared to numbers arriving.
For all the 5 million babies born in the year, the highest rates were in Ireland, France, the UK, and Sweden.
Following on from Portugal with the EU’s lowest rate were Germany, Greece and Italy.
