The southern region of Tenerife has witnessed remarkable population expansion since 2000, resulting in an extraordinary demographic surge on the island, with over 170,000 new inhabitants (surpassing the entire existing population of La Laguna), as reported in the latest document by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), dated 1 January 2023. However, various local councils suggest that this number may exceed 190,000 individuals once the registers are updated.
Adeje, the municipality that houses the largest number of hotel accommodations on the island, has experienced the most significant rise in residents, escalating from 14,007 inhabitants at the start of the century to 50,167, marking an astounding increase of 258%, according to INE figures.
The second largest growth, in terms of percentage, belongs to San Miguel de Abona, which has seen its municipal register expand by 209%. The 7,315 residents counted in 2000 have now risen to 22,606, and Granadilla de Abona, which had 20,323 inhabitants, currently boasts 54,942—a remarkable increase of 170%. Arona, the most densely populated municipality in the south (and third overall in Tenerife), ranks fourth with an increase of 121%, as the 38,416 individuals recorded at the beginning of the century have grown to 85,249 according to the INE. Candelaria completes the list of towns with the most substantial population growth, now housing 28,694 residents, which is 116% more than the 13,294 recorded in 2000. As per the National Institute of Statistics, a total of 317,000 people reside in the broader region.
Experts contacted by this publication attribute the rise in municipal registers in the southern area to the migratory influx that Tenerife’s southern region has experienced, primarily driven by employment opportunities within the tourism sector. However, the critical housing crisis, marked by exorbitant renting and purchasing prices, has curtailed this trend. Specialists emphasise the more vibrant demographic outlook of the south, characterised by a younger population compared to that of the north and metropolitan regions, which counters the overall decline in birth rates observed on the island.
While the 12 southern municipalities (Candelaria, Arafo, Güímar, Fasnia, Arico, Granadilla de Abona, San Miguel de Abona, Arona, Vilaflor, Adeje, Guía de Isora, and Santiago del Teide) have undergone a substantial demographic leap, totalling 170,834 more inhabitants since 2000 (an increase of nearly 120%), the capital of Tenerife has experienced a population decrease of 5,737 citizens (-2.74%) during this period. According to official data from the state organisation, Tenerife’s capital registered 209,395 residents in 2023, down from 215,132 nearly a quarter of a century earlier.
Conversely, the other sizeable municipality in the metropolitan area, La Laguna, displays a contrasting trajectory, having grown by 32,491 inhabitants (25.6%), increasing from 126,543 to 159,034.
