Between 2021 and 2025, the foreign population residing in Madeira saw a significant increase of 161%, growing from 7,423 to 19,371 people. This substantial growth has diversified the population's composition, with residents from over 100 different nationalities now living on the island.
While Christianity is traditionally dominant in Madeira, an analysis of nationalities with the highest percentage growth reveals interesting trends. Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country, experienced a 7,090% increase, and Nepal, predominantly Hindu, grew by 1,080%.
However, when examining the relative weight of each nationality within the total foreign population, Nepal gained the most, increasing from 1.75% to 7.92%. Bangladesh also saw its representation grow. Conversely, the largest communities, Venezuela and Brazil, despite continued absolute growth, saw their relative share decrease, indicating a broader diversification of foreign origins on the island.
