Mallorca facts and figures

Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands: about 3,640 km², roughly 100 km from east to west and around 550 km of coastline with more than 200 beaches and coves. Close to a million people live here, almost half of them in Palma, spread over 53 municipalities. The highest peak is Puig Major (1,436 m) in the Serra de Tramuntana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011; its summit is a military zone and can't be climbed. The climate is Mediterranean: around 300 sunny days a year, hot summers and mild winters.

The numbers move fast. According to the INE's provisional annual census, on 1 January 2025 Mallorca had 971,068 inhabitants and Palma 443,196, the only municipality on the island above 100,000. That year around 13.6 million tourists came to the island, 71% of the more than 19 million who visited the Balearics, according to Ibestat. That is why roads, car parks and small coves feel so busy in July and August, and why the island is a different place from November to March.

The official languages are Catalan, spoken here in its Mallorcan variety, and Spanish, which is why you will see place names in Catalan, such as Port de Sóller or Sa Calobra. Between the Serra de Tramuntana and the east coast lies a wide central plain, es Pla, with farming villages and weekly markets.

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Mallorca?

According to the INE's provisional annual census, on 1 January 2025 Mallorca had 971,068 inhabitants, 1.4% more than a year earlier. Palma, the capital, had 443,196, almost half of the island's population.

How many tourists visit Mallorca each year?

In 2025, around 13.6 million according to Ibestat data, 71% of the more than 19 million who came to the Balearics. July and August are the busiest months; from November to March the island is much quieter.

What language do they speak in Mallorca?

Catalan and Spanish, the two official languages. The island's Catalan is called Mallorquí and is the language of village, street and road sign names. In tourist areas English and German are widely spoken too.

Updated in October 2026