THE NUMBER of children born to foreign mothers in the Algarve’s maternity units is on the rise, with figures increasing by seven per cent over the first three years of the millennium.
According to the Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), the national statistics institute, Ukrainian nationals dominate the statistics of babies born to non-Portuguese nationals in the region, with a total of 94 births last year.
According to INE data, between 2000 and 2003, the percentage of children born to foreign nationals in the Algarve has increased from nine to 16 per cent.
Other nationalities represented in the statistics for births registered in the Algarve in 2003 include Brazilian (81 births), Romanian (70), Moldavian (50), British (41) and Angolan (31).
According to the Administração Regional de Saúde do Algarve, the regional health authority for the Algarve, the increase in births to immigrants from various continents has contributed to the rejuvenation of the Algarvean population.
