Réunion: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Also Known As	Department of Réunion • Département d’Outre-Mer de la Réunion • Santa Apollonia • Île de Bourbon
Heads Of Government	Prefect (for France): Patrice Latron; President of Departmental Council (for Réunion): Cyrille Melchior; President of Regional Council (for Réunion): Huguette Bello
Capital	Saint-Denis
Population	(2025 est.) 893,100
Head Of State	President of France: Emmanuel Macron
Official Language	French
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Département d’Outre-Mer de la Réunion (Department of Réunion)¹
Total Area (Sq Km)	2,512
Total Area (Sq Mi)	970
Monetary Unit	euro (€)
Population Rank	(2025) 164
Population Projection 2030	925,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 920.7
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 355.5
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 99.8% • Rural: (2024) 0.2%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2023) 79.4 years • Female: (2023) 85.1 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2003) 87% • Female: (2003) 90.8%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2016) 19,277
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2016) 22,456
Political Status	overseas department/overseas region (France) with two legislative houses (Departmental Council² [50]; Regional Council³ [45])
¹Réunion is simultaneously administered as an overseas region (région d’outre-mer).²Assembly for overseas department.³Assembly for overseas region.