Largest Cities in Reunion

Facts about Réunion

Official languages: French
Capital: Saint-Denis
Area: 2,517 km²
Population: 776,948 residents
Population density: 308.68 residents per km²
Currency: EUR
Internet TLD: .re
ISO codes: RE, REU, 638
Die The prefix for Reunion is +262

La Réunion or Réunion for short (full French name Île de la Réunion, German about “Island of Gathering”) is an island in the Indian Ocean that politically forms an overseas department and a region of France and thus belongs to the European Union. Since 1972, Réunion has gained greater independence from France through further rights. Since 1997, the island has also been a so-called région ultrapériphérique, an outermost area of ​​the European Union.

The island is located almost 800 km east of Madagascar and, along with Mauritius (200 km away) and Rodrigues, belongs to the Mascarene Islands. The island has an area of ​​2503.7 km². It is almost oval in outline and has a diameter of 50 to 70 km. This corresponds roughly to the area of ​​the Saarland.

On January 1, 2013, there were 835,103 residents on Réunion, which corresponds to a population density of 333.5 residents per km². Rapid population growth is expected over the next few decades. Réunion was uninhabited until the middle of the 17th century. In the course of French colonization, French settlers came to the island, who dragged slaves there from Madagascar, East Africa and India for the plantation industry. After the end of slavery on Réunion in 1848 cheap labor was recruited for agriculture from India, Africa and China. The descendants of the former colonial settlers and slaves form a relatively homogeneous society and are collectively called Creoles (créoles) designated. The mingling called métissage and the peaceful coexistence of all population groups are seen today as creating identity for all Réuniona travelers. The vast majority of the population professes Christianity, predominantly the Roman Catholic faith, among the residents of Indian descent there are Hindus and Muslims, among the residents of Chinese descent there are Buddhists.

The majority of the island’s population speaks a native Creole language lexically based on French, Réunion Creole. The only official language and the predominant written language is French.

The most important branch of the economy is still agriculture, especially the production of cane sugar and rum, as well as various fruits such as bananas, pineapples, lychees and vanilla. However, La Réunion is economically heavily dependent on France and the EU: imports to Réunion exceeded exports by fifteen times in 2007.

Tourism is developing slowly, but is still overshadowed by Mauritius, which has more beaches and is preferred by non-French tourists because of the more widespread English language.

Réunion wants to cover all of its energy needs by itself by 2025. The island already covers 36% of its energy needs from renewable energy sources.

Since Réunion is a French overseas department, the euro is the official currency there. Due to the location of Réunion in the time zone CET +3, the island was the first point on earth where on January 1, 2002 it was possible to officially buy with the euro.

Population

Biggest Cities of Reunion by Population

Reunion is a French island located in the Indian Ocean and is home to two of the largest cities in the region, Saint-Denis and Saint-Pierre. Saint-Denis is the capital of Reunion and has a population of around 150,000 people as of 2020. It is a vibrant city that offers tourists an array of attractions such as La Place de l’Indépendance, a square in the center of town where visitors can find local crafts and souvenirs; or Musée Léon Dierx, which showcases works from local artists. The city also hosts several festivals throughout the year such as Fête du Travail which celebrates workers’ rights with performances from local musicians.

Saint-Pierre is located on Reunion’s southwest coast and has a population of around 135,000 people as of 2020. It used to be an important port for trading ships traveling between Europe and Africa but now serves mostly as an industrial center for sugar production and refining. Saint-Pierre has several attractions such as Musée Volcanologique which showcases volcanic artifacts; or La Maison du Gouverneur, a museum dedicated to Reunion’s history. The city also hosts several festivals throughout the year including Festival International des Arts Pyrotechniques which celebrates fireworks with performances from local and international artists alike!