OVER a third of residents in the Málaga-province town of Fuengirola are from abroad – the highest proportion of foreigners in any municipality on the Costa del Sol, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
Fuengirola, the most international town in the province of Málaga, is home to people from 142 countries (photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Of the 82,800 people who live year-round or most of the year in Fuengirola, a total of 30,621, or 37.44%, are non-Spanish.
At least 142 different nationalities live together harmoniously, blending together and mixing with the local community.
The largest foreigner group is British, followed by residents from Finland, Morocco, Sweden and Italy.
“We're a cosmopolitan town, a modern municipality, pleasant and comfortable to live in,” says mayoress Ana Mula.
“And then there's our wonderful scenery, climate and extensive network of services.”
In recognition of Fuengirola's multi-cultural community, the town hall has a dedicated foreign residents' department and an English-language version of its website, a library with books in several languages, and in a 'non-Covid year', hosts an annual International Population Fair where everyone living in the town can discover more about the cuisine, arts and cultures of their neighbours.
“We aim to make it as easy as possible for all our residents to access our services and facilities, get to know the town, familiarise themselves with our public administration, and integrate into our daily lives as much as they can,” Sra Mula says.
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