Portugal 'lost' 55,000 inhabitants last year as more deaths and fewer births shrunk the numbers.
Portugal has the second lowest birth rate after Germany, which combined with a ageing population and rising death rate, means the country’s population is continuing to shrink.
With a birth rate of just 8.5 live births per thousand inhabitants and a mortality rate of 10.2 per thousand inhabitants, in 2012 Portugal ended the year with 55,000 fewer people, according to Eurostat.
Amorous and largely catholic, good old Ireland managed 15.7 babies per thousand of its population , UK (12.8 per thousand), France (12.6 per thousand ), Sweden (11.9 per thousand) and Cyprus (11.8 per thousand.)
