In 2016
Population of the Autonomous Region of Madeira maintained downward trend, but the decline was less pronounced than in 2015
According to the Resident Population Estimates, 254,876 persons were residing in the Autonomous Region of Madeira on the 31st of December of 2016, which represents a negative change rate of 0.6% when compared to same date of 2015. Of that total, 118,860 were men and 136,016 women. The population of the Region has been dropping consecutively since 2011.
The decrease in the resident population is explained by both the negative balance in net migration (-794) and by the negative natural change (-754 persons). The municipality of Santa Cruz was the only one in which the crude rate of population change was positive, while the lowest values in this variable were registered in the northern municipalities of Santana and Porto Moniz (-1.7% and -1.1%, respectively).
In 2016, the population density of the Autonomous Region of Madeira stood at 319.0 inhabitants per km2. Funchal had the highest value (1,380.4 pop/km2) and Porto Moniz the lowest (29.0 pop/km2).
In the reference year, the proportion of youth population (15 years old and under) represented 14.3% of the total population (14.8% in 2015), while the proportion of the population aged 65 and over rose to 16.0% (15.6% in 2015). The ageing ratio reached 111.5, i.e., 111.5 older persons (65 and over) per 100 young persons. In 2015, the ratio was 105.3.
In 2016, the total fertility rate stood at 1.07 (meaning 1.07 children per woman aged between 15 and 49). In 2015 this indicator was 1.10.