According to the figures just released for the period 2002 to 2007, the foreign populations of practically all the municipalities in Málaga province has almost doubled, and there are a dozen towns which now have a foreign resident population of 30% or more.
Málaga is now the Andalucían province with the most immigrant residents, ahead of Almería and Sevilla, and is fifth in the national list behind Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante.
Since the beginning of the century, immigration has been fairly constant. Europeans are attracted by the mild climate, perceived business opportunities along the Costa del Sol and general tranquility of Spanish life. Young South Americans, Moroccans or Chinese tend tobe more economic migrants, coming in search of a better future.
However, the pattern has changed a little and it is not only the coastal areas which are attracting the foreigners, although the Costa del Sol does still account for the vast majority. Back in 2002, small towns like Almáchar, Benalauría, El Borge, Júzcar, Parauta, Villanueva de Tapia and Pujerra were not considered by foreigners when it came to settling in the region. Today, all seven have foreign residents registered, albeit in the case of Pujerra it is only actually one person. From little acorns…
The small, inland towns of Viñuela Sedella, Canillas de Aceituno, Casares, Cómpeta, Comares and Alcaucín all now have resident foreign populations of 30% or more. Increases in the ‘traditional’ areas such as Torrox, Mijas, Fuengirola, Manilva and Benhavis have been less marked recently than in other areas but are still, nevertheless, on the up. Benhavis, incidentally, has the distinction of being the only municipality where foreigners actually outnumber the locals!
Overall, since 2002, some 187,523 people have moved to Málaga province, 60% of them being foreigners. In the capital itself, there have been 25,564 people moving in, of whom only 2,580 were Spaniards.