*Reunion, Geography

Location:
  Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 750 km east of Madagascar
Map references:
  World
Area:
 total area:
  2,510 km2
 land area:
  2,500 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  201 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  none
Climate:
  tropical, but moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November,
  hot and rainy from November to April
Terrain:
  mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Natural resources:
  fish, arable land
Land use:
 arable land:
  20%
 permanent crops:
  2%
 meadows and pastures:
  4%
 forest and woodland:
  35%
 other:
  39%
Irrigated land:
  60 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  periodic devastating cyclones

*Reunion, People

Population:
  639,622 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.07% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  25.64 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  4.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  8.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  73.68 years
 male:
  70.61 years
 female:
  76.91 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  2.81 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Reunionese (singular and plural)
 adjective:
  Reunionese
Ethnic divisions:
  French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions:
  Roman Catholic 94%
Languages:
  French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
 total population:
  69%
 male:
  67%
 female:
  74%
Labor force:
  NA
 by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981)
 note:
  63% of population of working age (1983)

*Reunion, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Department of Reunion
 conventional short form:
  Reunion
 local long form:
  none
 local short form:
  Ile de la Reunion
Digraph:
  RE
Type:
  overseas department of France
Capital:
  Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)
Constitution:
  28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
  French law
National holiday:
  Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties and leaders:
  Rally for the Republic (RPR), Francois MAS; Union for French Democracy
  (UDF), Gilbert GERARD; Communist Party of Reunion (PCR), Paul VERGES;
  France-Reunion Future (FRA), Andre THIEN AH KOON; Socialist Party (PS),
  Jean-Claude FRUTEAU; Social Democrats (CDS); other small parties
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 General Council:
  last held 22 March 1991 (next to be held March 1997); results - percent of
  vote by party NA; seats - (44 total)
 Regional Council:
  last held 28 March 1992 (next to be held NA March 1998); results - UDF
  25.6%, PRC 17.9%, PS 10.5%, Independent 30.7%, other 15.3%; seats - (45
  total) Independent 17, UDF 14, PRC 9, PS 5
 French Senate:
  last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1993); results -
  percent of vote by party NA; seats - (3 total) RPR-UDF 1, PS 1, independent
  1
 French National Assembly:
  last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held NA June 1993); results -
  percent of vote by party NA; seats - (5 total) PCR 2, RPR 1, UDF-CDS 1, FRA
  1; note - Reunion elects 3 members to the French Senate and 5 members to the
  French National Assembly who are voting members
Executive branch:
  French president, commissioner of the Republic
Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council
Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeals (Cour d'Appel)
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)

*Reunion, Government

 Head of Government:
  Commissioner of the Republic Jacques DEWATRE (since NA July 1991)
Member of:
  FZ
Diplomatic representation in US:
  as an overseas department of France, Reunionese interests are represented in
  the US by France
Flag:
  the flag of France is used

*Reunion, Economy

Overview:
  The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been
  the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for
  85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist
  industry to relieve high unemployment, which recently amounted to one-third
  of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is
  extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and
  Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the
  population, often approaching European standards, whereas indigenous groups
  suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the
  African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991
  illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic
  well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
  France.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3.37 billion (1987 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  9% (1987 est.)
National product per capita:
  $6,000 (1987 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.3% (1988)
Unemployment rate:
  35% (February 1991)
Budget:
  revenues $358 million; expenditures $914 million, including capital
  expenditures of $NA (1986)
Exports:
  $166 million (f.o.b., 1988)
 commodities:
  sugar 75%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 4%, lobster 3%, vanilla and
  tea 1%
 partners:
  France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy
Imports:
  $1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
 commodities:
  manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation
  equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products
 partners:
  France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy
External debt:
  $NA
Industrial production:   growth rate NA%; about 25% of GDP
Electricity:
  245,000 kW capacity; 750 million kWh produced, 1,230 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  sugar, rum, cigarettes, several small shops producing handicraft items
Agriculture:
  accounts for 30% of labor force; dominant sector of economy; cash crops -
  sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco; food crops - tropical fruits, vegetables, corn;
  imports large share of food needs
Economic aid:
  Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
  $14.8 billion
Currency:
  1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

*Reunion, Economy

Exchange rates:
  French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4812 (January 1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421
  (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year

*Reunion, Communications

Highways:
  2,800 km total; 2,200 km paved, 600 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized
  earth
Ports:
  Pointe des Galets
Airports:
 total:
  2
 usable:
  2
 with permanent-surface runways:
  2
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runway 2,440-3,659 m:
  1
 with runway 1,220-2,439 m:
  1
Telecommunications:
  adequate system; modern open-wire and microwave network; principal center
  Saint-Denis; radiocommunication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new
  microwave route to Mauritius; 85,900 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 AM,
  13 FM, 1 (18 repeaters) TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Reunion, Defense Forces

Branches:
  French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie)
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 167,925; fit for military service 86,764; reach military age
  (18) annually 5,975 (1993 est.)
Note:
  defense is the responsibility of France