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Reunion - People

The 845 000 inhabitants of this island of 2512 km ² make live an original culture crossed by the multiple influences of Europe, Africa, India, China, the Indian Ocean, to 9500 km of the metropolis. These influences can be found at many religious festivals and ceremonies throughout the year (Christian holidays, Tamil and Chinese New Year, dipavali, fire marches, Aid el-Kebir, etc.) The population of Chinese origin in Reunion represents just over 40,000 people. The People of Indian Origin (PIOs) constitute a little over 30 percent of the population of the island, about 250,000 people.

Reunion has no indigenous population. About 20 percent of the estimated 363,000 inhabitants [as of 1962] were of French origin; the remainder are africans, Chinese, Indochinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians. A large majority (about 80 percent) of the population were Roman Catholics, and most of the others practice Islam. The official language is French. School attendance was compulsory and education was free of charge. In l963, Reunion had 344 public and 200 private schools providing primary education for a total of 82,24l pupils; l,662 students were enrolled in the lycee (public secondary school). The illiteracy rate was very low. There are technical schools, an apprenticeship center, and a School of Agriculture. The Chamber of Commerce concerned itself with, and may be consulted on, legislative and statutory measures which deal with economic matters.

The artistic landscape is dominated by contemporary music with 200 to 300 groups ranging from confirmed professionals to semi-amateurs, many expressing themselves from traditional music modernized by amplified music. The literature developed strongly in the 1980s and early 1990s. Young authors today participate in the development of Reunionese literature, with local publishing houses and several major bookshops. The dance experienced a significant creative dynamic with several professional choreographic companies. The theatrical creation gained momentum in the 1980s with the Vollard Theater and Talipot in the 1990s; A dozen companies are currently working, including the Théâtre des Albert and Act 3.

The island boasts some twenty well-equipped showrooms, with a regional drama center (Drama Center of the Indian Ocean in Saint-Denis), two Conventional Scenes, two scenes of current music, a Departmental Office of Culture Which manages two theaters, the remainder consisting of communal halls. There is also a resource center, the Regional Center for Contemporary Music (PRMA). The presence of public libraries is strongly marked in the cultural landscape with two libraries of the Department, twenty municipal libraries supplemented by fifteen annexes and eight libraries.

The cinematographic creation is represented mainly by the short film. Audiovisual production is significant thanks to a voluntarist support policy initiated by the Region and supported by the State. Exploitation has recently grown significantly due to the creation of two multiplexes. The island is well equipped in dark rooms and counts about twenty. Four structures work in the field of contemporary art: the Regional Contemporary Art Fund (FRAC), the Artothèque départementale, the Place d'art contemporain in Saint-Pierre and the Galerie Gounod in Saint-Denis.

The island has a number of museums. Many retrace its history or present some parts of the Reunionese culture, such as the Léon Dierx museum or the sugar cane museum Stella Matutina. They also showcase the fauna and flora of the island, such as the Kélonia center for turtles or the Museum of Natural History. One can also mention the recently renovated volcano house, which studies the Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. And has many fun and educational activities.

Reunion is also known for its music. If the maloya and the sega are at the heart of Reunion's music culture, the department hosts each year numerous festivals with eclectic musical styles (Manapany festival, Leu Tempo, Sakifo or Electropicales).

Schooling is the same as in metropolitan France, except for the school calendar which includes holidays for the southern summer (mid-December to mid-January) and others at the end of the school year (early July to mid-August).

At the start of the school year 2015-6, Reunion Island had 226,511 schoolchildren, high school students and high-school students (including post-secondary school students). At the primary level, there were 118,780 pupils in 532 schools. There are 101,480 pupils in 130 secondary schools (83 secondary schools, 47 secondary schools).

The health facilities in Reunion Island are comparable to those in metropolitan France. All municipalities have a dispensary including a maternal and child protection unit. No major tropical diseases are reported in Reunion Island. No specific vaccination is required.

With a population growth of 1.8% per year over the last 20 years, the Reunion Island has the fastest rate of demographic growth of all regions of the European Union.