The same figures show that citizens of 78 nationalities live together in Nerja, although the majority of foreign residents (40.7%) are British. They are followed in number by Argentinians (589), Germans (522), Swedes (396), French (222), Moroccans (203), Belgians (192), Italians (187), Norwegians (143) and Irish (134). The rest come from countries from all five continents, including Egypt, Iran, Thailand, New Zealand and South Africa, which are represented by just two residents each.

Similarly the municipality has only one registered resident of the following nations: Algeria, Croatia, Slovenia, Estonia, Ethiopia, Gambia, Greece, Equatorial Guinea, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Singapore and Tunisia. The number of foreign residents in Nerja has increased by 199 since September 2007, when there were 6,262 non-Spaniards registered on the local population census. According to age, some 34 per cent of the town’s foreign residents are between 55 and 75 years old. Just five men and 17 women are over the age of 90.

Foreigners wanting to join the Nerja population census can do so at the Foreign Residents’ Department in the basement of the Town Hall, in Calle Carmen.

The census

Dates: The most recent figures for the Nerja local population census correspond to January 31st 2008.

Population: The municipality has a total of 21,904 inhabitants.

Foreigners: Of this total, 29.5 per cent are of non-Spanish origin, that is, 6,461.

Nationalities: There are a total of 78 different nationalities (other than Spanish) living together in Nerja, although the majority are British (2,632), Argentinian (589), German (522), Swedish (396), French (222), Moroccan (203), Belgian (192), Italian (187), Norwegian (143) and Irish (134).

Ages: The majority of Nerja’s foreign residents - 34% - are aged between 55 and 75. Five men and 17 women of non-Spanish origin are over the age of 90.

To join: Fill in a form at the Foreign residents’ Department at Nerja Town Hall, Calle Carmen.