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Coordinates: 20°52′44″S 55°26′53″E / 20.8789°S 55.4481°E / -20.8789; 55.4481

Commune of Saint-Denis
Panoramic view of the city from the heights of Bellepierre.
Location
Administration
Country	France
Region	Réunion
Department	Réunion (préfecture)
Arrondissement	Saint-Denis, Réunion
Canton	chef-lieu of 9 cantons
Intercommunality	CINOR
Mayor	Gilbert Annette (PS) (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	0–2,276 m (0–7,500 ft) (avg. 23 m/75 ft)
Land area1	142.79 km2 (55.13 sq mi)
Population2	133,700  (2004 [1])
- Density	936 /km2 (2,420 /sq mi)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	97411/ 97400
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Saint-Denis (or unofficially Saint-Denis de la Réunion for disambiguation) is the préfecture (administrative capital) of the French overseas région and overseas département of Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. It is located at the island's northernmost point, close to the mouth of the Rivière Saint-Denis.

Saint-Denis is the most populous commune in the French overseas departments. At the 1999 census, there were 158,139 inhabitants in the urban area of Saint-Denis, 131,557 of whom lived in the city (commune) of Saint-Denis proper and the remainder in the neighbouring commune of Sainte-Marie.

History

Saint-Denis from the SPOT satellite

Saint-Denis's former city hall and the Column of Victory.

Saint-Denis was founded by Étienne Régnault in 1669 and became the capital of Réunion island in 1738.

Transport

The closest airport is Roland Garros Airport which is also the main international airport of Réunion. The Réunion Tram Train, scheduled to start construction in 2008, will link the city to the airport and to Réunion's second city, Saint-Paul.

Politics

Mayors

• since 2008: Gilbert Annette, PS
• 2001-2008: René-Paul Victoria, UMP
• 1994-2001: Michel Tamaya, PS
• 1989-1994: Gilbert Annette, PS
• 1969-1989: Auguste Legros, RPR

Attractions

• Léon Dierx Museum (art gallery and museum)
• Jardin de l'Etat (public gardens - includes a natural history museum)
• Le Barachois, seafront park
• La Roche Écrite (15 km south of the city), summit overlooking Saint-Denis, with impressive views over the city

Economy

IBM has an office in Saint-Denis.^[2]

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Saint-Denis, Réunion is twinned with:

• Metz (France)
• Nice (France)

Miscellaneous

The hotels in Saint-Denis include Mercure Creolia Hotel, Austral Hotel and Best Western.

Prince Bao Vang of Vietnam (also known as Yves Claude Vinh San) the son of Emperor Duy Tan, was born and currently resides in Saint-Denis, Réunion with his family.

References

1. ^ 2004 estimate, 131,557 at the 1999 census
2. ^ "IBM Réunion." IBM. Retrieved on 21 October 2009.

External links

• Official website (In French)

Communes of the Réunion department Les Avirons · Bras-Panon · Cilaos · Entre-Deux · L'Étang-Salé · Petite-Île · La Plaine-des-Palmistes · Le Port · La Possession · Saint-André · Saint-Benoît · Saint-Denis (prefecture) · Sainte-Marie · Sainte-Rose · Sainte-Suzanne · Saint-Joseph · Saint-Leu · Saint-Louis · Saint-Paul · Saint-Philippe · Saint-Pierre · Salazie · Le Tampon · Trois-Bassins