Introduction
The island of Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal and part of the European Union.
The Madeira landmass encompasses approximately 741 sq km and is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 1,000 km from mainland Portugal and 870 km from North Africa. The topography is mountainous and the highest point is 1,862 metres. The scenery is spectacular and the vegetation diverse.
The current population is approximately 270,000, of which 100,000 live in the capital Funchal and are mainly of Portuguese origin, with small expatriate communities, one of the predominant being British.
Madeira has a strong touristic activity; its mild climate and natural beauty attract thousands of tourists throughout the year.
Communications are good; there are many daily flights to and from Lisbon (one and a half hour flight) and Porto and various weekly flights to other European countries cities, including almost every day direct scheduled flights to London.
Madeira offers safety and quality of life and is quite cosmopolitan. Its modern economy is service-based, with highly qualified multi-lingual professionals. It offers modern infrastructure and support services, a local University with international cooperation, namely with Carnegie Mellon and overall operational costs are extremely competitive.
Reduced taxation coupled with the aforementioned benefits, makes Madeira the ideal location for national and international investors.