Reunion Population 2024 (Live)

987,082
Population Rank
Growth Rate
2024 World Percentage
Land Area
2,512
The current population of Reunion is 987,082 based on projections of the latest United Nations data. The UN estimates the July 1, 2024 population at 989,350.

Reunion Growth Rate

Reunion Population 2024 (Live)

Reunion Population Clock

Reunion Population (as of 3/11/2024)987,082
Next UN Estimate (July 1, 2024)989,350
Births per Day38
Deaths per Day16
Migrations per Day-2
Net Change per Day20
Population Change Since Jan. 11,420

Components of Population Change

One birth every 37.9 minutes
One death every 90 minutes
One emigrant every 720 minutes
Net gain of one person every 72 minutes

Reunion Population Clock

City
2024 Population
Saint-Denis137,195
Saint-Paul99,307
Saint-Pierre76,655
Le Tampon69,986
Saint-Andre48,674
Saint-Louis47,881
Le Port40,771
Saint-Benoit35,310
Saint-Joseph33,694
Sainte-Marie31,636

Reunion Population Density Map

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (/km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
2024989,3500.83%39616233
2023981,7960.85%39316233
2020957,8220.89%38316232
2019949,4190.88%38016233
2018941,1870.91%37616233
2017932,7390.66%37316234
2015922,4950.72%36916234
2010890,1301.32%35616332
2005833,6561.2%33316231
2000785,4241.59%31415934
1995725,9781.96%29016035
1990658,9921.92%26416035
1985599,2991.67%24016135
1980551,6741.36%22116135
1975515,5861.7%20616035
1970473,9252.08%19015932
1965427,6123.16%17115937
1960365,9943.96%14615840
1955301,3583.87%12116144

Reunion Population by Year (Historical)

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (/km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
2024989,3500.83%39616233
2025996,7430.8%39916233
20301,031,8220.69%41316233
20351,063,8290.61%42616233
20401,091,4030.51%43716333
20451,112,8200.39%44516434
20501,127,2520.26%45116435
20551,135,3410.14%45416435
20601,139,5330.07%45616336
20651,142,2270.05%45716237
20701,145,1070.05%45816237
20751,147,5000.04%45916237
20801,148,2150.01%45916135
20851,145,834-0.04%45816235
20901,139,338-0.11%45616035
20951,128,373-0.19%45115934

Reunion Population by Year (Projections)

Reunion Population Pyramid 2024

Reunion Median Age

5.404

Total

4.504

Male

5.486

Female

Reunion Population by Age

There are people over age 18 in Reunion.

Census Years

Year
Date
20151 January 2015
20061 January 2006
19998 March 1999
199015 March 1990

Reunion Population Pyramid

Saint-Denis is the administrative capital of Réunion, and the most populous commune among all French overseas departments with a population of 150,000. Nearby Saint-Marie has a population of around 40,000. Saint-Paul has an estimated population of 105,000, followed by Saint-Pierre at 80,000.

Réunion Demographics

Réunion has great ethnic diversity, with groups of African, Indian, Malagasy, Chinese and European descent. All ethnic groups are from immigrants who came to the island from Africa, Asia and Europe over the last three hundred years, and there are no indigenous people. These groups married together very early, and the population today is mostly of mixed race.

The number of each ethnicity is unknown, as France bans ethnic censuses. Estimates place the white population at 25%, with Indians accounting for 25% and those of Chinese ancestry accounting for 3%. Those of Gujarati and South Indian origin account for the majority of Indians on Réunion. Creoles, which refers to people born on the island, regardless of ethnic identity, account for the majority of the population.

The most common religion is Roman Catholicism, although many also practice Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Chinese folk religion.

Réunion History

Réunion has little recorded history before the Portuguese arrived in the 15th century, although it was familiar to Arab traders. The arrival of Portuguese explorers in 1507 was the first European contact with the area, and it was uninhabited at the time. The island was named Santa Apolonia and remained untouched for about 100 years. It was then occupied and claimed for France in 1642, when Jacques Pronis deported French mutineers to the island. The convicts were later returned to France and the island was named Île Bourbon in 1649.

The name of Réunion was given in 1793, although it was temporarily named in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1801, and then again renamed Bourbon until the French Revolution of 1848.

From the 17th through the 19th century, French immigration, as well as an influx of African, Chinese and Indian immigrants, gave the island an ethnic mix. Most of the immigrants from outside of Europe were slaves prior to 1848, and then many were indentured workers afterward.

Between 1968 and 1982, about 1,600 children from the island were relocated to France. Réunion exile Jean-Jacques Martial brought legal action against a politician in 2002 for kidnapping and deportation of minors.

Reunion Population Rank 2024
Area (km²)
2,511
2024 Growth Rate
GDP (IMF '23)
-
GDP (UN '22)
-

Reunion - General Info

  1. World Population Prospects (2022 Revision) - United Nations population estimates and projections.
  2. GeoNames

Sources