DREM releases the 5^th edition of the Barometer of the Outermost Regions

Continuing the initiative of the Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM) to make available the Barometer of the Outermost Regions, the 5th edition of this product is published today.

As is well known, the European Union (EU) comprises nine regions that benefit from the status of Outermost Regions (ORs), as defined by Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

The " Barometer of the OR " compiles a unique repository of information, consisting of a set of indicators that characterise the ORs, based on data from various official statistics producers.

The release is structured into sixteen chapters: territory, population, education, health, labour market, income, economic accounts, prices, agriculture, transport, tourism, science and technology, information society, crime, regional competitiveness, and social progress.

Accompanying this 2026 edition, an interactive map is also launched, enabling users to quickly visualise results and compare the various ORs indicators by indicator.

The main findings for each thematic area are as follows:

Territory – Madeira is the third smallest OR by land area.

Population – Madeira recorded the lowest natural growth rate and the highest migratory growth rate among the ORs.

Education – Madeira ranks third in the rate of higher education attainment among residents aged 30 to 34.

Health – Average life expectancy in the ORs is lower than in the countries to which they belong.

Labour Market – The Azores and Madeira have the lowest youth unemployment rates.

Income and Living Conditions – Madeira and the Azores stand considerably apart from the other ORs in the main poverty and inequality indicators.

Economic Accounts – Madeira is the OR closest to the EU-27 average GDP per capita.

Prices – Madeira and the Canary Islands recorded the largest price increases.

Enterprises – Madeira is the Macaronesian OR with the highest business density.

Agriculture – Madeira and the Canary Islands are at the same level in the share of Utilised Agricultural Area relative to total area.

Transport – Madeira has the highest number of road accident casualties per million inhabitants.

Tourism – The Canary Islands and Madeira stand out with bed occupancy rates in the region of 70%.

Science and Technology – The share of R&D in GDP among the Macaronesian ORs is considerably below national averages.

Information Society – The Canary Islands lead across all indicators, with the Azores and Madeira closely matched.

Crime – Madeira records fewer crimes per 100 000 inhabitants than the other ORs.

EU Regional Competitiveness Index – Madeira held 2nd place among the ORs.

EU Social Progress Index – Madeira and the Azores move up in the rankings.

For more information, visit:

• In Focus (Portuguese only)
• Interactive Map
• Tables

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