DREM releases Demographic Statistics of the Autonomous Region of Madeira for 2025
The Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM) is today making available on its website an In Focus dedicated to Demographic Statistics of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, which presents an analysis of the demographic situation in the Region in 2025 and its evolution since 2015. This publication summarises the main results released throughout the year across the different dimensions of demography: resident population, foreign resident population, births and fertility, mortality, and marriages and divorces.
The main results are:
Resident Population – Population increased in 2025
- In 2025, the resident population of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (ARM) was estimated at 266 130 persons (127 814 men and 138 316 women), an increase of 1 430 persons compared with 2024.
- The effective growth rate was positive, at 5.4‰ (16.0‰ in 2024), as a result of a positive net migration rate (9.6‰) that outweighed the negative natural growth rate (-4.2‰).
- The proportion of young persons (under 15 years) decreased again, accounting for 11.7% of the total population (12.1% in 2024).
- The proportion of older persons (65 years or over) continued its upward trend of recent years, reaching 21.9% of the resident population (21.3% in 2024).
- As a result, the ageing index continues to rise with no signs of slowing down, reaching a maximum of 187 older persons per 100 young persons (176 in 2024).
Foreign Resident Population – Number of foreign residents increased compared with 2024
- In 2025, the foreign resident population in the Region totalled 19 371 persons, an increase of 10.1% compared with 2024 (+1 779 persons).
- Nationals of Venezuela (15.5%), Brazil (10.1%), Nepal (7.9%), Germany (7.0%) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (6.2%) were the main foreign communities residing in the Region.
- Venezuelan nationals recorded the largest absolute increase among the main foreign communities between 2024 and 2025, with 178 more residents (+6.3%).
- The Nepalese community showed the largest relative growth among the main nationalities, increasing by 10.1% between 2024 and 2025, from 1 393 to 1 534 residents. Between 2021 and 2025, the number of residents of Nepalese nationality rose from 130 to 1 534, making it the third most represented foreign community in the Region.
Births and Fertility – Fewer live births in 2025
- In 2025, there were 1 745 live births to mothers resident in the ARM, 48 fewer than in 2024, corresponding to a crude birth rate of 6.6 live births per thousand inhabitants (6.8‰ in 2024).
- The total fertility rate decreased from 1.20 children per woman of childbearing age (15-49 years) in 2024 to 1.16 in 2025, remaining below the level required to ensure generational replacement (2.1 children per woman).
- The mean age of mothers at childbirth, regardless of birth order, rose from 31.8 years in 2024 to 32.0 years in 2025. The mean age at the birth of the first child increased slightly, from 30.0 years in 2024 to 30.6 years in 2025.
Mortality – Number of deaths increased compared with 2024
- In 2025, there were 2 872 deaths of ARM residents, 298 more (+11.6%) than in 2024. The crude death rate reached 10.8‰, slightly higher than in 2024 (9.8‰).
- There were 3 deaths of children under 1 year of age, 3 fewer than in the previous year. The infant mortality rate was 1.7 deaths per thousand live births, down from 3.3‰ in 2024.
Marriages – Number of marriages in 2025 increased compared with the previous year
- In 2025, 1 286 marriages took place, 61 more than in the previous year (+5.0%).
- The crude marriage rate stood at 4.8 marriages per thousand inhabitants (4.7‰ in 2024).
- There were 52 same-sex marriages (53 in 2024), 25 between men and 27 between women.
- The mean age at first marriage increased slightly compared with 2024, standing at 36.0 years for men and 33.8 years for women (35.9 and 33.7 years, respectively, in 2024).
- In 75.4% of marriages in 2025, the spouses already had a previous common residence.
- The proportion of marriages in which the spouses' future residence was abroad fell to 20.7% (22.1% in 2024).
Divorces – Number of divorces increased compared with 2024
- In 2025, 478 divorces were granted, 24 more than in 2024 (+5.3%), corresponding to a crude divorce rate of 1.8‰ (1.7‰ in 2024).
- The vast majority of divorces granted were between opposite-sex persons; only 7 same-sex divorces were recorded (4 between men and 3 between women).
- The mean age at divorce was 49.1 years for men and 46.6 years for women (48.9 and 46.2 years, respectively, in 2024).
- Of the divorces granted in 2025, 71.5% resulted from marriages lasting 10 years or more, while 28.5% resulted from unions lasting less than 10 years.
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