Réunion 🇷🇪

Réunion is a territory in Eastern Africa, and it is not a sovereign state in its own right. Treaties and official documents call it Réunion Island. Government sits in Saint-Denis.

The land area is 2,511 km², which ranks it 182nd of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Luxembourg and just ahead of Mauritius. Put next to a territory most people can picture, it is almost exactly the same size as Luxembourg.

The population is about 873,000, placing it 163rd of 250 by population — between Fiji above it and the Comoros below. Measured only against its own subregion, it is 15th of 20 in size and 16th in population.

Réunion on the map

Its reference point sits at 21.1° south and 55.5° east, which puts it in the southern hemisphere, roughly 2,354 km from the equator, in what geographers would call tropical latitudes.

Countries on the same parallel, far away in longitude, include Namibia, Paraguay and New Caledonia.

There is no land frontier at all — every boundary it has is a coastline. That puts it among the 85 entries of 250 here with no land neighbours, so everything and everyone arrives by sea or by air.

The people of Réunion

Spread across 2,511 km², that works out at about 348 people per square kilometre, which makes it densely populated. The median across all 250 entries here is about 90 per square kilometre.

Someone from Réunion is a Réunionese.

Officially it is monolingual: French. Another 45 entries list French too — among them Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso and Burundi.

Against Africa as a whole it is the 51st most populous of 59 entries, and it accounts for under 1% of everyone living in Eastern Africa.

Money, codes and practical details

The currency is the Euro (€, EUR). Another 37 entries use the same currency — Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria and Croatia among them — so exchange rates move for reasons that have nothing to do with Réunion.

Its internet country code is .re. To phone it from abroad you dial +262. Standard country codes: re and REU.

Saint-Denis is the city to remember for this territory.

Réunion is not a UN member state. The dataset does not record which state administers it, so this page does not guess. Of the 250 entries here, 57 are territories or observers rather than member states.

Fun facts about Réunion

• French is official here and in 45 other entries worldwide.
• It has no land border with any other country — one of 85 such entries in this dataset.
• Namibia and Paraguay sit at almost the same latitude, on the far side of the globe.
• Ranked by land area, Réunion is 182nd out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
• People from Réunion are known as Réunionese.
• Its currency, the Euro, is shared with 37 other entries.
• In land area it is almost exactly the same size as Luxembourg.
• Its full official name is Réunion Island.

Réunion — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Réunion?

The capital of Réunion is Saint-Denis.

How big is Réunion?

Réunion covers 2,511 km², ranking 182nd of 250 by land area. That makes it almost exactly the same size as Luxembourg.

Where is Réunion located?

Réunion is in Eastern Africa, part of Africa. Its reference coordinates are 21.1° south and 55.5° east, roughly 2,354 km from the equator in tropical latitudes.

Is Réunion a country?

Not in the political sense. Réunion is a dependent territory rather than a sovereign state, and it is not a UN member. It appears on this site because it has its own flag, codes and statistics, but it does not have a seat at the United Nations.

What currency does Réunion use?

Réunion uses the Euro, written € (currency code EUR). It is shared with 37 other entries.

What is the population of Réunion?

Réunion has a population of about 873,000, which makes it the 163rd most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Fiji sits just above it and the Comoros just below.

Does Réunion border any other country?

No. Réunion has no land border with any other country, so every route in or out is by sea or air. 85 of the 250 entries on this site are in the same position.

What language is spoken in Réunion?

The official language of Réunion is French. It is also official in 45 other entries on this list.