Religious belonging: a majority of Catholic
Population according to the answer to the question on religion in the Census of 1900, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011
| Census | Total | Catholic | Others | No religion | No answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 5 423 132 | 5 416 204 (99,87%) |
5 012 (0,09%) |
1 454 (0,03%) |
462 (0,01%) |
| 1940 | 7 722 152 | 7 191 913 (93,13%) |
63 060 (0,81%) |
347 284 (4,49%) |
119 895 (1,55%) |
| 1950 | 8 510 240 | 8 167 457 (95,97%) |
342 783 (4,03%) |
||
| 1960 | 8 889 392 | 8 701 898 (97,89%) |
39 747 (0,44%) |
147 774 (1,66%) |
|
| 1981 | 7 836 504 | 6 352 705 (81,06%) |
115 398 (1,44%) |
253 786 (3,23%) |
1 114 615 (14,22%) |
| 1991 | 8 376 840 | 6 524 908 (77,89%) |
149 850 (1,76%) |
225 334 (2,68%) |
1 476 748 (17,62%) |
| 2001 | 8 699 515 | 7 353 548 (84,53%) |
216 158 (2,49%) |
342 987 (3,94%) |
786 822 (9,04%) |
| 2011* | 8 989 849 | 7 281 887 (81,0%) |
319 161 (3,55%) |
615 332 (6,84%) |
744 874 (8,29%) |
Source: Vilaça (2006, p. 160) based on Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE).
*Data for 2011, percentages are our calculations.
Predominantly Catholic, the Portuguese society, according to the dominant trends of the Western Europe, has come to display an increasingly diverse religious world. This phenomenon has its roots in the late nineteenth century, but its impact has been accentuated in the last three decades. The statistical weight of non Catholic religions remains of little importance. However, apart from the Jews, all other non Catholic religions have grown in importance during the last three decades.
Growth rate of non Catholic population
| Religion | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | Variation of population by religious group 1981/2011* | Growth rate of population by religious group 1981/2011 (%)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orthodox | 2 564 | 11 319 | 17 443 | 56 550 | + 53 986 | 210,5 |
| Protestants | 39 212 | 36 932 | 48 301 | 75 571 | + 36 359 | 92,7 |
| Other Christian | 59 995 | 79 441 | 122 745 | 163 338 | + 103 343 | 172,3 |
| Jew | 5 493 | 3 519 | 1 773 | 3 061 | - 2 432 | - 44,3 |
| Muslim | 4 335 | 9 134 | 12 014 | 20 640 | + 16 305 | 376,1 |
| Other non Christian | 3 895 | 9 455 | 13 882 | 28 596 | + 24 701 | 634,2 |
| Total | 115 494 | 149 850 | 216 158 | 319 161 | + 203 667 | 176,3 |
Source: Vilaça (2006, p. 166) based on Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE).
*Data for 2011, our calculations based on Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE).
31 May 2013 Helena Vilaça Maria João Oliveira
