Loads of the usual Dutch, Germans and large ex-pat communities it seems of Brits in the busier Algarve.
There seem to be quite alot of Asian men working in various capacities on building sites, and in the fruit & vegetable sector which although in the Alentejano is nothing on the scale of Spain, including ‘plasticos’ coverings of the crops, it seems to be the only other main sector in addition to tourism in this area. According to Diogo (see post ‘Every Cloud’) there is very little work other than seasonal tourism outside of the main bigger cities – population of Lisbon only seems to be around 250000 – and the average wage is 700eu per month. Whilst the northern europeans have brought investment to the Algarve, they’ve pushed up property prices, and indeed the food prices in the supermarkets in the southern coastal areas are the same as in the UK. Diogo manages a campsite, but lives in an apartment, as can’t afford a house.