Reunion

  REUNION

A. THE DEPARTMENT

Reunion is the largest of the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean,
east of Madagascar, and is rugged, mountainous and volcanic.  As an
overseas department of France, the level of dependency means there is
little incentive to seek greater autonomy.  The economy is based on
agriculture and tourism.  Sugar, rum, vanilla, pineapple and light
industry provide some export earnings.  Reunion is heavily dependent
upon French/EU subsidies and aid as well as income from the military
bases.

B. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~838,000 and official language French.  Common
language is French Creole (over 85%).
There are high rates of unemployment and emigration.  The gap is
widening between the disadvantaged and the sophisticated, educated youth
(also along racial lines), hence the protests/riots in 2009.
~50% are African Creole, ~24% South Asian, ~13% White Creole, ~6%
European, ~3.5% Chinese, ~3.5% African.

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

French legislation both discourages dangerous sectarian groups and
causes complications for smaller denominations.
~86.96% claim to be Christian, ~6.42% Hindu, ~4.05% Muslim, ~2.49%
Non-religious, ~0.08% Baha’i.  
Religious beliefs have mixed and blended as much as the Creole people
have.  In the Christian category:
~80.1% are Catholic, ~5.9% Protestant, ~0.1% Independent.
Evangelicals represent ~5.9% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~7.7% and of those ~5.2% are Pentecostals.
Donna Siemens

References:

Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.