What is the population of Réunion in 2026?
Réunion has a population of 981,796 people, which is 162nd in the world and about 0.01% of the global total.
Officially Réunion Island
Population 2026
981,796
0.01% of world population
Archive estimateAnnual Growth
+0.52%
+5,105 people a year
Archive estimateDensity
392/km²
2,511 km² land area
Archive estimateMedian Age
38.1 years
Life expectancy 82.1 years
Our World in Data, 2025About Réunion
With 981,796 residents across just 2,511 km², Réunion ranks 160th globally and maintains a population density of 392 people per km². The territory's population grows at 0.5% annually, supported by a median age of 38.1 years and life expectancy of 82.1 years. A fertility rate of 2.3 births per woman indicates sustained natural increase.
The island's entirely urban population benefits from a GDP per capita of $26,500, making it relatively prosperous. French is the official language, and the Euro serves as currency. Saint-Denis functions as the capital. Réunion attained its current administrative status in 1946.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- Saint-Denis
- Continent
- Africa
- ISO codes
- RE · REU
- Demonym
- Réunionese
- Currency
- Euro (EUR €)
- State inception
- 1946
- Time zone
- UTC+04:00
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +262
- Internet TLD
- .re
- Land neighbours
- No land borders
Languages
- French
Demographics
Not published for Réunion: Birth Rate, Death Rate.
Economy
Not published for Réunion: GDP Growth, Unemployment Rate, Inflation Rate, Poverty Rate, Gini Index.
Health
None of our sources publish these indicators for Réunion.
Education
Not published for Réunion: Literacy Rate, Education Spending, School Enrollment.
Environment
None of our sources publish these indicators for Réunion.
Infrastructure
None of our sources publish these indicators for Réunion.
Quality of Life
None of our sources publish these indicators for Réunion.
Geography
Military
None of our sources publish these indicators for Réunion.
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 20.8%
- Age 15–64
- 63.6%
- Age 65+
- 15.5%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 76 | 221 |
| 95-99 | 285 | 841 |
| 90-94 | 1,187 | 2,645 |
| 85-89 | 3,248 | 5,901 |
| 80-84 | 6,680 | 9,341 |
| 75-79 | 10,565 | 13,231 |
| 70-74 | 16,570 | 19,203 |
| 65-69 | 22,075 | 24,264 |
| 60-64 | 28,064 | 29,512 |
| 55-59 | 30,402 | 33,279 |
| 50-54 | 27,691 | 30,994 |
| 45-49 | 25,321 | 29,293 |
| 40-44 | 24,629 | 30,443 |
| 35-39 | 23,884 | 30,022 |
| 30-34 | 22,646 | 27,641 |
| 25-29 | 20,118 | 23,761 |
| 20-24 | 27,248 | 27,110 |
| 15-19 | 34,063 | 33,015 |
| 10-14 | 32,489 | 32,301 |
| 5-9 | 30,692 | 29,712 |
| 0-4 | 29,427 | 28,503 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 249,214 |
| 1960 | 359,556 |
| 1970 | 469,088 |
| 1980 | 553,134 |
| 1990 | 652,572 |
| 2000 | 763,140 |
| 2010 | 844,471 |
| 2020 | 861,446 |
| 2030 | 900,869 |
| 2040 | 929,478 |
| 2050 | 941,413 |
| 2060 | 927,740 |
| 2070 | 908,899 |
| 2080 | 895,009 |
| 2090 | 878,016 |
| 2100 | 852,214 |
How Réunion Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Réunion | 982K |
Réunion Population FAQ
Is the population of Réunion growing or shrinking?
Réunion's population is growing at +0.52% per year, a change of roughly 5,105 people annually.
What is the capital of Réunion?
The capital of Réunion is Saint-Denis.
How densely populated is Réunion?
Réunion has 392/km² across 2,511 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Réunion?
Life expectancy at birth in Réunion is 82.1 years.
What is the median age in Réunion?
The median age in Réunion is 38.1 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Réunion in?
Réunion is in Africa.