Lisbon Residents

Over the past one hundred years the city’s population has grown considerably, especially after the coup of 1974 which saw the beginning of a huge influx of African refugees from Portugal’s former African colonies, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Angola. Immigration set the tone for the changing of the cultural demographic significantly, if not boasting it financially. There has also been an influx of Brazilian migrants; from Eastern Europe immigrants from Ukraine make up a significant number of the population. Emigration has also changed the cultural demographic of Portugal; outside of Lisbon, Paris has the largest Portuguese community with migrant workers spread out in Europe. It has been noted that returning migrants bring new, modern ideas and challenge many traditional rural values. This is reflective in the increase of urban population to 50% (in 1960 this stood at 22%); villages are fast declining as the youth move into the cities and the ageing population fades out.