Brazilian Population, Increasingly Older, Reaches 208 million

07/26/2018 - 11h48

Brazil's population has reached the level of 208.4 million inhabitants this year, according to an estimate from IBGE (Brazilian Economic & Geographical Institute) published on Wednesday (the 24th). The number is a projection based on the population survey of the 2010 Census. The 2018 Brazilian population increased by 0.38% (or 800 thousand people) over 2017's population of 207.6 million people.

The most recent data reveals that population growth is slowing down. Or, in other words, each year that passes by the population grows less. Between 2016 and 2017, the growth in absolute numbers was 1.6 million, twice the 800 thousand that was registered now for 2017 to 2018.

There are several reasons for this slowing rate of growth. The primary reason is a reduction in the fertility rate. Additionally, women are getting pregnant later, and relationships between older and younger adults are decreasing.

IBGE estimates that the population will continue growing for the next 29 years, until 2047, when the population is expected to reach 233,2 million people. In subsequent years, the population will begin to gradually fall, until reaching 228,3 million in 2060.

The Brazilian population is also aging. Projections indicate that by 2060, for example, the segment of the population greater than 60 years of age will more than double and correspond to 32% of the total Brazilian population. This segment represents 13% of the population today in 2018.

The opposite will happen to the population of children under the age of 14 years, which today represents 21% of the total population but by 2060 will only correspond to 15%. The disparity between these two numbers illustrates the aging of the population in general.

As a consequence, in 2016 the country's population will be composed of more elderly members than children.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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