Expatriates and Immigration
It is true that all the elements are gathered here for a golden retirement: no climatic excesses, no risks of attacks and a beautiful image is delivered to the populations of Northern Europe but also to the youngest active people who seek to reorient their professional life. This demographic windfall is a godsend because it also aims to boost the region's economy. The propaganda of attraction continues, with great advertising, services and even specialized trade shows. There is no doubt that this modern-day migratory flow is not about to dry up. According to the European Statistical Office, the regional population will increase by 30% until 2030 thanks to immigration.
Genealogiadoalgarve.com
Six years ago, Nuno Campos Inácio began to dedicate himself to the study of the Algarve's genealogy and the creation of an exclusively regional tree to list all the people born, married or deceased. For this purpose, the researcher consults various documents older than a century, such as royal chancelleries, inquisition processes, registration books and especially parish registers. The researcher points out that "science has shown us through DNA that we carry the genes of our ancestors for thousands of years". The researcher of the Algarve, whose last work was the historical and genealogical survey of the parish of Alferce de Monchique, said that the oldest Algarvian lineages with connections to date are those resulting from the descent of the relationship of D. Afonso III with Madragana ben Aloandro, daughter of Aloandro ben Bekar, Alcaide of Faro during the final conquest of the Algarve. At present, the fascinating study, which promises to be long, already has about 190,000 people registered, all genetically linked to the Algarve.
Who are the Algarvios?
The population of the Algarve is the result of a mixture of all the peoples that have passed through the region over the centuries, but the prolonged presence of the Moors has undoubtedly left its mark more than the others. As a result, most of the Algarvans have a more tanned skin than their Portuguese compatriots from the Douro Valley and lead a Mediterranean-influenced lifestyle. This Moorish presence is visible not only in the characteristics of the local population, but also in the region's unique architecture, agricultural production and vocabulary. In general, the Algarvians are easygoing, humble and hospitable people who have acclimated well to the changes brought about by the development of tourism in recent decades. The Algarve is different from the rest of Portugal, and so is the personality of its people. With a relaxed attitude towards visitors, always ready to help and proud of their culture, one should not hesitate to ask them for help when needed. The younger generation speaks English, but the effort to approach them with simple Portuguese polite words such as " com licença " or " obrigado " will always make you more friendly and respectful.
A lifestyle of contrasts
Traditionally dependent on the sea, the coastal inhabitants continue to organize their lives around fishing, and it is not uncommon to see local scenes of fishermen mending their nets in the sand or painting their boats with ancestral gestures. Nevertheless, they cohabit in a tolerant way with their contemporaries working in the services, the differences being much more notable between the inhabitants of the coast working for tourism and those of the mountainous regions. You have to go deep into the hinterland to feel the heartbeat of the region and a visit can feel like a journey back in time, as the traditional methods of cultivation, local crafts, gastronomy and architecture have retained their original flavor. In the narrow streets of the picturesque villages with whitewashed houses and elaborate chimneys, one can sometimes see old ladies with straw or felt hats hiding from the sun behind their black umbrellas. Oxen-drawn carts sometimes cause traffic jams on the country roads: at this rate, even the most stressed people eventually relax. The weekly markets, the market halls, and the morning fish auctions are also privileged places to observe the population at close quarters, all in a good-natured atmosphere.
The child king
In the Algarve, as everywhere else in the country, the Lusitanian propensity is to praise all offspring: not only are children adored, they are also considered a gift from heaven, according to religious logic. Baby-sitting services in hotels, special menus in restaurants, play modules in shopping centers or on highways, everything is done to make parents' task easier. It is not for tomorrow that the childfree will win their cause.
In spite of the idolatry of children, we are procreating less and some towns in the Algarve are bad pupils and let their population age. This is the case of the village of Alcoutim along the Guadiana River, where the mayor has decided to offer young parents a birth bonus of €5,000, the objective being to boost the birth rate in the municipality and attract young people. It is true that with only 3,000 souls, this small municipality in crisis is practically deserted. Alcoutim has lost a third of its population in 20 years and the fertility rate of 0.9 children per woman is one of the lowest in Portugal. The problem is national, a climate unfavorable to the birth rate has taken hold in Portuguese society with the crisis and the austerity measures implemented in 2011. The more precarious living conditions have led couples to suspend their plans for parenthood. The State, on the other hand, hears the cries of alarm from small municipalities and takes national measures to reinforce the initiatives taken locally.
Nevertheless, if things do not change in terms of fertility, the country could lose nearly 20% of its population by 2060, from 10.5 to 8.6 million inhabitants, according to the Portuguese Institute of Statistics.
