Réunion is ranked 25th among French departments in terms of population, according to the latest calculation of legal populations (the figures taken into account by the regulations, especially those of local finances). Au 1er janvier 2018, nous étions 855 961 personnes à résider sur l’île, dont la population a crû en moyenne de 0,5% par an (+4 200 habitants) entre 2013 et 2018. This growth was higher (+0,7%) entre 2008 et 2013.
South (municipalities of Civis and Casud) is the most populated region (310 000 habitants), in front of the West (210 000 habitants), the North (207 000) and the east (127 000).Le nord de l’île (the three towns of Cinor) records the strongest population growth (+1%), in front of the towns of Civis (+0,7%) and Casud (+0,6%).
The population increase is more moderate in the east (+0,4%) while the number of inhabitants of the West Coast Territory is in very slight decline (-0,1%). Quatre communes de l’île ont perdu des habitants entre 2013 et 2018 : Sainte-Rose (-1,5%), The Port (-1,3%), Three-Basins (-0,5%) and Saint-Paul (-0,2%). A l’inverse, La Plaine-des-Palmistes a vu sa population augmenter de 2,7% sur la période.
