Lisbon 22nd August : Portugal currently registers 182 elderly (aged 65 and over) in every 100 youngsters (aged between 14 and 15 years old) which makes it the fastest-growing country in the European Union (EU), according to a report published by the Contemporary Portugal Database Pordata.In the last 30 years, the population of the elderly increased by three times in the country as per the study which is based on information obtained from the Portuguese National Statistics Institute (INE) and published by the Publico newspaper on Sundays.
In the year 1990, Portugal recorded 66 old people for 100 people who were young, Xinhua news agency reported.
Portugal has an average aging rate of 3.6 percent more than the rest of EU countries according to the study.
According to Jorge Malheiros, researcher at the Center for Geographical Studies of the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning at the University of Lisbon, the increased rate of the ageing rate in Portugal is the consequence of the disappearance of young citizens from the country and the admission of foreigners who are already retired.
“This is not to be taken as a dramatic event,” said the specialist in migration and demography.However, he also cautioned that “societies require the enthusiasm of youth”.
“We must become more comfortable with an older population,” said Malheiros.
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