Saint-Denis was founded by Étienne Regnault in 1669 and became the capital of Réunion in 1738.
Geography
The city is located on the north end of the island, and was a port. Saint Denis was "originally the main port of Réunion, but an artificial harbour at Le Port, on the northwest coast, replaced it in the 1880s, because of unpredictable winds and tides at Saint-Denis." The city includes some of the island's mountains, with a peak elevation of within the metro area, which begins at sea level at the coast line. The city has many neighbourhoods: Le Barachois, Bellepierre, Bois-de-Nèfles, La Bretagne, Le Brûlé, Les Camélias, Centre-ville, Champ-Fleuri, La Montagne, Montgaillard, La Providence, La Rivière Saint-Denis, Ruisseau des Noirs, Saint-François, Saint-Jacques, Sainte-Clotilde, La Source, La Trinité, Vauban
Climate
Saint-Denis features a tropical monsoon climate with two distinct seasons: a hot and humid wet season from December to April and a very warm, less humid drier season for the remaining seven months of the year, with July to October qualifying as true dry season months. The dry season does typically feature relatively light rain, but it is not wet enough to be a tropical rainforest climate. During the wet season, tropical cyclones often affect the city.
Demography
Saint-Denis is the most populous commune in the French overseas departments. The population of St Denis has grown substantially since 1954, both in the commune and the metropolitan area. In the 62 years from 1954 to the census in 2016, population has more than tripled. The annual rate of population growth has been lower in the 21st century than in the 20th century. ;Average population growth of the Saint-Denis metropolitan area:
1954-1961: +3,524 people per year
1961-1967: +4,067 people per year
1967-1974: +3,014 people per year
1974-1982: +1,008 people per year
1982-1990: +2,162 people per year
1990-1999: +2,164 people per year
1999-2006: +2,104 people per year
2006-2011: +1,452 people per year
2011-2016: +1,284 people per year
The places of birth of the 202,993 residents in the Saint-Denis metropolitan area at the 2015 census were the following:
7.6% in foreign countries ; half of them were immigrants and the other half were children of French citizens born abroad
Transport and accommodation
The closest airport is Roland Garros Airport, 7 km east of the city in Sainte-Marie, Réunion, which is also the main international airport of Réunion. Air Austral is the regional air carrier, with its Indian Ocean hub located at the airport. The airline has begun serving some cities in mainland France. Five or six other airlines serve the airport. There is a good road network in Saint-Denis. The hotels in Saint-Denis include Mercure Creolia Hotel, Austral Hotel and Best Western.
has an office in Saint-Denis. The island began organizing to be a digital hub for nearby African nations, relying on its two undersea cables for good internet connections. The potential for services would alter the island's economy, now reliant on sugar, an agricultural product. The University in Saint-Denis has programs to educate the young population in digital skills. New businesses are forming to serve the needs of airlines for software.
Sentenced to exile in Réunion, the Moroccan Rais Abd el-Krim lived a few years in Saint-Denis from 1926. Prince Bảo Vàng of Vietnam the son of Emperor Duy Tân, was born and currently resides in Saint Denis, Réunion with his family. Other people connected witn Saint Denis include:
