Réunion population pyramid 2026
886,298 people in 2026 (projected). Réunion’s pyramid is pinched in the late twenties and thirties, where many young adults, especially men, have left for study and work in mainland France.
- 2026 population
- 886.3Krank 164 of 237
- Median age
- 38.4 yearsoldest rank 82
- Fertility rate
- 2.12births per woman · close to replacement
- Structure
- Transitional16.9% age 65+
Réunion population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Réunion age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 20.2% of the population, while 16.9% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 63.0% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Réunion’s age structure as transitional; the guide to population pyramid types explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 58.7: about 59 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (32.0 children and 26.8 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Réunion’s population pyramid
A fast transition in an overseas department
Réunion, an overseas department of France in the Indian Ocean, went through a rapid fertility decline. The total fertility rate was about 7 in 1950 and still about 6 in 1960, but it fell to about 2.9 by 1980, a fall often linked to the expansion of French health, education and social policies on the island. Fertility has since declined only slowly, to about 2.2 in 2023, close to replacement level.
The large cohorts born before that fall now form a bulge at ages 60–64, born about 1962–66, about 11% larger than the bands around them. A second, smaller bulge at 15–19, born about 2007–11, marks a period of slightly higher births.
Where the young adults go
The most distinctive feature is the narrow section at ages 25–34. In 2026 these bands are about a third smaller than the 15–19 band and well below the bands at 50–64, and the shortfall is mostly male: there are about 89 men per 100 women at 25–29 and 82 at 30–34. Migration to mainland France for higher education, training and jobs has been common for decades, encouraged in the 1960s and 1970s by an official migration programme, and the UN estimates net emigration of about 110,000 between 2000 and 2023. A similar notch at 25–34 was already visible in 2000, so the pattern is persistent rather than new. The guide to sex ratios by age explains how sex-selective migration shows up in a pyramid.
Réunion’s 2026 age structure is closest to those of Saint Barthélemy, the Faroe Islands and Montenegro. Under the medium scenario the population peaks in 2049 at about 940,000, with deaths first exceeding births in 2054.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60–64 | 1962–1966 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +11% |
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2054. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2030.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Réunion is projected to record 11,325 births (about 31 births a day) and 5,270 deaths, a natural increase of 6,055. Net migration adds −2,079 people, ranking #186 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 332,470 births, 101,792 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −112,578. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −32,734 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 86.7 years50.2 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 80.9 years44.6 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 22.5 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 4.0per 1,000 births · 151 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 5.1per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 30.7 yearssex ratio at birth 102.9
Women in Réunion are projected to live 5.8 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 151 to 4.0 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #190 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 30.7 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Réunion
The median age of 38.4 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 2.12 births per woman is close to the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 83.9 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 886,298 | #164 | Largest first |
| Median age | 38.4 years | #82 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 2.12 | #101 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.5% | #138 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 83.9 years | #15 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 16.9% | #70 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Réunion
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15–19 | 66,708 | 7.5% | 33.7K / 33K |
| 2 | 10–14 | 63,188 | 7.1% | 31.7K / 31.4K |
| 3 | 60–64 | 61,276 | 6.9% | 29.7K / 31.6K |
| 4 | 55–59 | 61,183 | 6.9% | 29K / 32.2K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 59,820 | 6.7% | 30.5K / 29.3K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Réunion has 420,861 males and 465,437 females. That is 90.4 males per 100 females, ranking #217 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 47.5% of the population and females for 52.5%. There are 44,576 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 80.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 102.9 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Réunion has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 249,214 in 1950 to 886,298 in 2026, a change of 256%. Over the same span, median age moved from 19.0 to 38.4 years.
The under-15 share changed from 40.3% to 20.2%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 3.8% to 16.9%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Réunion’s population is projected to grow by about 6%, reaching 941,413 in 2050. The median age changes from 38.4 to 41.5 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 9.8 percentage points to 26.7%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 17.5%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 941,558 in 2049. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 249,214 | 19.0 | 6.96 | 47.6 | 12,571 | 4,927 | +1,730 | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 359,556 | 16.3 | 6.11 | 57.7 | 14,581 | 4,054 | +2,256 | +3.6% |
| 1970 | 469,088 | 16.8 | 4.30 | 63.2 | 13,945 | 3,561 | −1,762 | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 553,134 | 19.8 | 2.87 | 69.4 | 13,006 | 3,132 | −2,463 | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 652,572 | 24.7 | 2.57 | 74.2 | 13,469 | 3,257 | +1,624 | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 763,140 | 26.9 | 2.50 | 77.0 | 14,812 | 3,924 | −1,750 | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 844,472 | 30.1 | 2.19 | 80.5 | 13,749 | 3,807 | −4,567 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 861,446 | 36.3 | 2.15 | 82.6 | 11,836 | 4,666 | +2,272 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 874,883 | 37.4 | 2.17 | 83.5 | 12,003 | 4,797 | −3,625 | +0.4% |
| 2024* | 878,590 | 37.8 | 2.15 | 83.7 | 11,711 | 4,946 | −2,931 | +0.4% |
| 2026* | 886,298 | 38.4 | 2.12 | 83.9 | 11,325 | 5,270 | −2,079 | +0.5% |
| 2030* | 900,869 | 39.6 | 2.05 | 84.4 | 10,959 | 5,975 | −1,731 | +0.4% |
| 2040* | 929,478 | 40.2 | 1.96 | 85.6 | 11,400 | 7,944 | −1,233 | +0.2% |
| 2050* | 941,413 | 41.5 | 1.91 | 86.8 | 10,624 | 9,801 | −1,208 | -0.0% |
| 2060* | 927,740 | 43.5 | 1.87 | 87.9 | 9,562 | 10,531 | −1,148 | -0.2% |
| 2070* | 908,898 | 44.7 | 1.83 | 89.0 | 9,332 | 9,966 | −1,111 | -0.2% |
| 2080* | 895,009 | 45.8 | 1.81 | 90.0 | 8,958 | 9,345 | −1,118 | -0.2% |
| 2090* | 878,016 | 47.6 | 1.79 | 91.0 | 8,021 | 9,087 | −961 | -0.2% |
| 2100* | 852,214 | 49.6 | 1.78 | 92.0 | 7,577 | 9,701 | −1,032 | -0.4% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 28,987 | 28,234 | 57,221 | 6.5% |
| 5–9 | 29,681 | 28,544 | 58,225 | 6.6% |
| 10–14 | 31,741 | 31,447 | 63,188 | 7.1% |
| 15–19 | 33,743 | 32,965 | 66,708 | 7.5% |
| 20–24 | 30,480 | 29,340 | 59,820 | 6.7% |
| 25–29 | 21,500 | 24,197 | 45,697 | 5.2% |
| 30–34 | 20,500 | 25,131 | 45,631 | 5.1% |
| 35–39 | 23,701 | 29,201 | 52,902 | 6.0% |
| 40–44 | 23,790 | 30,066 | 53,856 | 6.1% |
| 45–49 | 24,828 | 29,544 | 54,372 | 6.1% |
| 50–54 | 26,494 | 30,367 | 56,861 | 6.4% |
| 55–59 | 28,958 | 32,225 | 61,183 | 6.9% |
| 60–64 | 29,688 | 31,588 | 61,276 | 6.9% |
| 65–69 | 23,387 | 25,546 | 48,933 | 5.5% |
| 70–74 | 18,563 | 21,325 | 39,888 | 4.5% |
| 75–79 | 11,921 | 15,018 | 26,939 | 3.0% |
| 80–84 | 7,186 | 10,022 | 17,208 | 1.9% |
| 85–89 | 3,836 | 6,436 | 10,272 | 1.2% |
| 90–94 | 1,485 | 3,063 | 4,548 | 0.5% |
| 95–99 | 318 | 928 | 1,246 | 0.1% |
| 100+ | 77 | 248 | 325 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Réunion’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Saint Barthélemy96% overlap · median age 39.1
- Faroe Islands95% overlap · median age 37.1
- Montenegro94% overlap · median age 40.4
- Georgia94% overlap · median age 37.6
- Barbados94% overlap · median age 39.7
- Ireland94% overlap · median age 39.2
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Réunion.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Réunion Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/reunion/
MLA
“Réunion Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/reunion/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Réunion Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/reunion/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Réunion in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Réunion's population in 2026 is projected at 886,298.
What is the median age in Réunion?
The projected median age in Réunion in 2026 is 38.4 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Réunion?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 2.12 births per woman, close to the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Réunion's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 6%, from 886.3K to 941.4K.
What share of Réunion is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 16.9% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 26.7%.
How many babies are born in Réunion each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 11,325 births and 5,270 deaths in 2026, about 31 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 6,055.
What is life expectancy in Réunion for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 86.7 years for women and 80.9 years for men, a gap of 5.8 years in favour of women.
Does Réunion have more immigrants or emigrants?
Réunion is projected to lose about 2,079 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −112,578.
What is the sex ratio in Réunion?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 90.4 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.