Consulates

The first consulate in Madeira was the Belgian one, or that of the Flemings, established in 1608. It was followed by the French, English and Spanish consulates, established in 1626, 1658 and 1667 respectively. The consulate of the United States of North America was established in 1791, that of Sweden in 1796, that of Denmark in 1804, that of Russia in 1812 and that of Sardinia in 1826 or 1827. All the other consulates that now exist in Madeira were, we believe, established after 1834, although we cannot give the dates on which they were set up. As early as 1783 the Republic of Venice already had a consulate in Funchal.

In the mid-19th century the following had consular representation in Madeira: the United States of America, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Hanseatic Cities, Denmark, England, France, Greece, the Papal States, Holland, Naples, Turkey, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, Spain, Sweden and Tuscany. The consulates of Italy and Germany were created later to replace those of the states incorporated into these two countries. In 1885 there was a consulate of the Hawaiian Islands, now abolished.

The consulates of the republics of Central and South America, with the exception of that of Brazil, were all created after 1882; by 1888 Uruguay and the Argentine Republic already had consular representation in Funchal.

In 1827 a vice-consulate of Brazil was created in Madeira, and the following year a vice-consulate of the Two Sicilies.