Was Madeira ever British?

The British Empire occupied Madeira as a result of the Napoleonic Wars, a friendly occupation which concluded in 1814 when the island was returned to Portugal. The British first amicably occupied the island in 1801 whereafter Colonel William Henry Clinton became governor.



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The archipelago was uninhabited until 1419, when the Portuguese navigator João Gonçalves Zarco landed in Madeira. However, Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians and Arabs surely would pass by Madeira, during his expeditions across the North Atlantic. The arrival, in 1419, the first Portuguese ships have been fortuitous.

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Many emigrated illegally to escape military service and avoid the wars in the colonies (Angola and Mozambique), and also because they could not afford the high cost of the emigration process by legal means.

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As an EU citizen, you can stay in Madeira for up to 90 days without a visa. However, if you plan to retire in Madeira for an extended period, you will need to apply for a registration certificate (CRUE – Certificado do registo de Cidadão da Uniao Europeia) at the City/Town Hall.

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The favorable climate of the island also contributed to the land thrive, and wheat production has become one of the greatest wealth of the island. This cereal was exported on a large scale for the Portuguese possessions on the African coast, giving thus the first cycle of Madeira economic history.

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There are a lot of derelict properties in Madeira, and one of the reasons for this is the complex inheritance laws. Sometimes it is impossible to trace the owners, especially since Madeira has seen so much emigration over the years, and the owners may be anywhere - Brazil, South Africa, you name it.

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Madeira is geologically located on the African Tectonic Plate, although it is culturally, politically and ethnically associated with Europe, with its population predominantly descended from original Portuguese settlers. Its population was 251,060 in 2021.

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Madeira is located on the eastern coast of Atlantic Ocean, about 600 km distant from Maroko and 1000 km from Portugal. Even though Madeira is closer to Africa than it is to Europe, it belongs to Portugal as one of its two autonomous regions.

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How about Madeira? Geographically (and weatherwise) it's closer to Africa than Europe… just 500km west of Casablanca in fact, though it's technically Portugal and about a three-hour flight from London. Funchal is the island's only real city.

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Machico is the oldest town on the island, where, explorers Joao Goncalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira walked for the first time on Madeiran soil.

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Together with the islands of Porto Santo and Desertas and the Selvagens—Madeira forms an autonomous region of the country of Portugal.

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Are there Muslims in Madeira? According to a quick Google search there are about 1000 of them, and according to the tour guide, 25 Syrian refuges came to stay there as well until they wanted to go back home.

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Property ownership in Portugal and Madeira is open to non-citizens without restrictions, a major selling point for the two islands. The Golden Visa and Non-habitual residence policies encourage foreigners to invest in Portuguese real estate on the mainland and Madeira.

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Funchal is usually a very safe city. However, as in any other places you go, common sense is required. Probably the unsafest place to go in Funchal is Zona Velha (near the cable car) at night, because it usually gets very crowded because of the nightlife.

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Domestic travel was responsible for the highest number of visitors in Madeira in 2022. Overall, almost 470 thousand Portuguese tourists visited the archipelago.

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Madeira – A Tax Haven Approved by the European Commission.

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