Maio Island marks Municipal Day amidst structural challenges and tourism potential

Porto Inglês, 8 September (Inforpress) – Today, the island of Maio celebrates Municipal Day and the feast day of Nossa Senhora da Luz, its patron saint, amidst structural and social challenges, but also with natural and tourist potential capable of driving sustainable development.

Accounting for 1.2 per cent (%) of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Maio faces challenges in terms of employment, connectivity and economic momentum, with the youth unemployment rate standing at 25.4 per cent.

Data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) indicates that the island has also registered a population decrease of 8.9% in the last decade, currently having around 6,330 inhabitants, a scenario also associated with young people leaving in search of better opportunities.

Despite the challenges, the island of Maio has high levels of access to basic services, with 96.6% of the population having electricity, 92.7% having piped water, and 94.3% of homes having their own bathroom.

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