1985 Edition

Agriculture

farming and grazing on small scale; commercial fishing increasing in importance; most food imported; rice and dates staple diet

cash crops — almost entirely sugarcane, small amounts of vanilla and perfume plants; food crops — tropical fruit and vegetables, manioc, bananas, corn, market garden produce, some tea, tobacco, and coffee; food crop inadequate, most food needs imported

Aid

economic commitments — Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF (197081), $4.0 billion

Airfields

3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanentsurface runways, 1 with runways over 3,659 m, 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

4 total, 3 usable; 3 with permanentsurface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m, 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanentsurface runways; 1 with runways 2, 440-3,659 m, 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Branches

executive — Amir and Council of Ministers; legislature — State Advisory Coun-

Army, Sea Arm, Air Force, Police Department

Reunion is administered by a Prefect appointed by the French Minister of Interior, assisted by a Secretary General and an elected 36-man General Council; in 1974 France created an elected 45member Regional Assembly to coordinate economic and social development policies; in 1981 both the General Council and the Regional Assembly received greater authority for fiscal policy

Budget

(FY83) revenues, $3.8 billion; expenditures, $3.7 billion

Capital

Doha

Saint-Denis

Civil air

3 major transport aircraft

1 major transport aircraft

CNP

not available

Coastline

201 km People

Communists

Communist Party small but has support among sugarcane cutters and the minuscule Popular Movement for the Liberation of Reunion (MPLR) and in Le Port District

Elections

constitution calls for elections for part of State Advisory Council, a consultative body, but no elections have been held Political parties and leaders: none

last municipal and General Council elections in 1983; parliamentary election June 1981; Regional Assembly election February 1983 Political parties and leaders: Reunion Communist Party (RCP), Paul Verges; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Reunion, Georges Sinamale; other political candidates affiliated with metropolitan French parties, which do not maintain permanent organizations on Reunion

Electric power

capacity 1,316,000 kW (1984); 4.149 billion kWh produced (1984), 14,250 kWh per capita

180,000 kW capacity (1984); 570 million kWh produced (1984), 1,065 kWh per capita

Ethnic divisions

most of the population is of thoroughly intermixed ancestry of French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, and Indian origin

Exports

$3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1983), of which petroleum accounted for $3.0 billion

$128 million (f.o.b., 1980); 90% sugar, 5% rum and molasses, 4% perfumes essences, 1% vanilla and tea

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

probably calendar year Communications

GNP

$7.6 billion (1983); $27,000 per capita (1983)

Government leader

Khalifa bin Hamad Al THANI, Amir and Prime Minister (since February 1972)

Michel BLANGY, Commissioner of the Republic (since February 1984)

Highways

840 km total; 490 km bituminous; 350 km gravel; undetermined mileage of earth tracks

2,745 km total; 2,168 km paved, 300 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized earth

Imports

$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1983)

$871 million (c.i.f., 1980); manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials and petroleum products

Labor force

primarily agricultural workers; high seasonal unemployment Government

Language

French (official); Creole widely used

Legal system

discretionary system of law controlled by the ruler, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters; a constitution was promulgated in 1970

French law

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

12 nm

Literacy

over 80% among younger generation

Major industries

oil production and refining; crude oil production averaged 295,000 b/d (1983); oil revenues accrued $1.8 billion (est.) in FY83, representing 75% of government revenue

12 sugar processing mills, rum distilling plants, cigarette factory, 2 tea plants, fruit juice plant, canning factory, a slaughterhouse, and several small shops producing handicraft items

Major trade partners

France and Mauritius

Member of

Arab League, FAO, G-77, GATT(de facto), GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDB— Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, QIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Economy

Member of '

WFTU Economy

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 31 December 1978, $157 million; 7.3% of central government budget SAINT DENIS Land 2,512 km2; about three times the size of New York City; two-thirds of island extremely rugged, consisting of volcanic mountains; 48,600 hectares (less than one-fifth of the land) under cultivation Water

Military manpower

males 15-49, 128,000; 69,000 fit for military service

males 15-49, 155,000; 81,000 fit for military service; 7,000 reach military age (18) annually

Monetary conversion rate

3.64 Qatar riyals=US$l (October 1984)

7.974 French francs=US$l (31 October 1983)

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 September

Nationality

noun — Reunionese (sing, and pi.); adjective — Reunionese

Official name

Department of Reunion

Other political or pressure groups

a few small clandestine organizations are active

Pipelines

crude oil, 235 km; natural gas, 360 km

Population

537,000 (July 1985), average annual growth rate 1.1%

Ports

2 major (Ad Dawhah, Umm Said), 1 minor

1 major (Port des Galets)

Railroads

none

none

Religion

94% Roman Catholic

Suffrage

no specific provisions for suffrage laid down

universal adult

Telecommunications

modern system center in Doha; 70,000 telephones (26.1 per 100 popl.); 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean satellite station; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; radio-relay to Saudi Arabia; 2 AM, 1 FM, 3 TV stations Defense Forces

adequate system for needs; modern open-wire line and radiorelay network; principal center Saint-Denis; radiocommunication to Comoros Islands, France, Madagascar; new radio relay route to Mauritius; 71,500 telephones (14.0 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, 9 FM stations; 1 TV station with 17 relay transmitters; 1 Indian Ocean satellite station Defense Forces

Type

overseas department of France; represented in French Parliament by three deputies and two senators

Voting strength

(parliamentary election 1981) Union for French Democracy Rally for the Republic coalition elected two deputies; the Socialists elected one deputy; in the 1983 Regional Assembly election, leftist parties received 45.7% of the vote