According to reports by Lusa, the national news agency, statistics in certain sectors in Portugal have risen over the festive period.

The value of Christmas shopping between 1 and 24 December rose by 15% compared to 2023. MB WAY (Multibanco) transactions for Christmas shopping saw an even sharper increase of over 40%.

The Public Security Police (PSP), Portugal’s national civil police force, arrested 349 people for road offenses between Christmas and the New Year, 230 of whom were arrested for drunk driving.

A record total of 20 deaths occurred on Portuguese roads during “Operation Christmas – New Year 2024/2025,” conducted by the National Republican Guard (GNR), Portugal’s national gendarmerie force.

Statistics also show that overnight stays in tourist accommodations rose by 4.1% from January to November, reaching over 76 million. The increase was 2.5% for residents and 4.8% for non-residents.

The year-on-year inflation rate stood at 3.0% in December, an increase of 0.5 percentage points compared to November, according to an estimate just released by Statistics Portugal.

A new study indicates that 70% of people in Portugal are concerned about the processing of personal data through Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems used by financial institutions. This level of concern places Portugal well above the European Union average of 52%.

Other notable figures include: (1) An agreement between the Independent Doctors’ Union and the government for an average salary increase of 10% by 2027; (2) The legal retirement age is set to rise by two months to 66 years and nine months, based on estimated average life expectancy data revealed by Statistics Portugal (INE). The current life expectancy in Portugal for 2025 is projected at 82.95 years, a 0.18% increase from 2024. The total population of Portugal is estimated at 10.53 million (2023).

Additionally, entrance fees to national museums have increased by between two and seven euros.

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Len Port, born in Northern Ireland, worked as a news reporter and correspondent, mainly in Hong Kong and South Africa, before moving to Portugal many years ago.