REUNION
Geography People Government Economy Transportation Communications Defense Forces
REUNION
(overseas department of France)
@Reunion:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar
Map references: World
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REUNION - MAJOR CITIES
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Latitude, Internat'l Time
Population Longitude Phone Code Zone
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SAINT-DENIS 121,000 20.52S, 55.28E 262- GMT+4
Saint-Paul 72,000 21.00S, 55.17E 262- GMT+4
Saint-Pierre 59,000 21.19S, 55.29E 262- GMT+4
Le Tampon 48,000 21.16S, 55.32E 262- GMT+4
Saint-Louis 37,000 21.16S, 55.25E 262- GMT+4
Le Port 34,000 20.55S, 55.18E 262- GMT+4
Saint-Benoit N/A 21.02S, 55.43E 262- GMT+4
Saint-Andre N/A 20.57S, 55.39E 262- GMT+4
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Area:
total area: 2,510 sq km
land area: 2,500 sq km
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 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April);
Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
international agreements: NA
@Reunion:People
Population: 666,067 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (female 104,924; male 109,972)
15-64 years: 62% (female 210,762; male 203,774)
65 years and over: 6% (female 21,606; male 15,029) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.98% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 24.59 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 4.79 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.46 years
male: 71.39 years
female: 77.67 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (1995 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: 79%
male: 76%
female: 80%
Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981)
@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)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government: Prefect of Reunion Island Hubert FOURNIER (since
NA)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional
Council
General Council: elections last held March 1994 (next to be held NA);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) PCR 12, PS
12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7
Regional Council: elections last held 25 June 1993 (next to be held
NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (45 total) UPF 17,
Free-Dom Movement 13, PCR 9, PS 6
French Senate: elections last held 24 September 1992 (next to be held
NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (3 total) RPR 1,
FRA 1, independent 1
French National Assembly: elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993
(next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (5 total) PS 1, PCR 1, UPF 1, RPR 1, UDF-CDS 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals (Cour d'Appel)
Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR), Alain
DEFAUD; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Gilbert GERARD; Communist
Party of Reunion (PCR), Elie HOARAU;; France-Reunion Future (FRA),
Andre THIEN AH KOON; Socialist Party (PS), Jean-Claude FRUTEAU; Social
Democrats (CDS), leader NA; Union for France (UPF - including RPR and
UDF); Free-Dom Movement, Marguerite SUDRE
Member of: FZ, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US: none (overseas department of France)
US diplomatic representation: none (overseas department of France)
Flag: the flag of France is used
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 - purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1993
est.)
National product real growth rate: NA%
National product per capita: $3,900 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: 35% (February 1991)
Budget:
revenues: $358 million
expenditures: $914 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1986 est.)
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:
capacity: 180,000 kW
production: 1 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,454 kWh (1993)
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:
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
commitments (1970-89), $14.8 billion
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.2943 (January 1995),
5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453
(1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Reunion:Transportation
Railroads: 0 km
Highways:
total: 2,800 km
paved: 2,200 km
unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 600 km
Ports: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine: none
Airports:
total: 2
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@Reunion:Communications
Telephone system: 85,900 telephones; adequate system; principal center
Saint-Denis
local: NA
intercity: modern open-wire and microwave network
international: radiocommunication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new
microwave route to Mauritius; 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 13, shortwave 0
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 1 (repeaters 18)
televisions: NA
@Reunion:Defense Forces
Branches: French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 173,693; males fit for military
service 89,438; males reach military age (18) annually 5,781 (1995
est.)
Note: defense is the responsibility of France
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