1988 Edition

Labor force

primarily agricultural workers; high seasonal unemployment

Language

French (official); Creole widely used

Literacy

over 80% among younger generation

Religion

94% Roman Catholic

Branches

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

Capital

Saint-Denis

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

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

Government leader

Jean Anciaux, Commissioner of the Republic

Legal system

French law

Member of

WFTU

Official name

Department of Reunion

Suffrage

universal adult

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; in the 1983 Regional Assembly election, leftist parties received 45.7% of the vote

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

Budget

revenues, $2.8 billion; expenditures, $3.1 billion (FY86)

Electric power

1,305,000 kW capacity; 4,000 million kWh produced, 13,180 kWh per capita (1986)

180,000 kW capacity; 394 million kWh produced, 730 kWh per capita (1986)

Exports

$2.6 billion (f.o.b., 1986), of which petroleum accounted for $2.1 billion

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

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March

GNP

$6.4 billion; $22,940 per capita (1984)

Imports

$1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1986)

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

Major industries

oil production and refining; crude oil production averaged 360,000 b/d (1986); oil revenues accrued $2.6 billion, representing 85% of government revenue (FY86 est.)

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

Monetary conversion rate

3.64 Qatar riyals=US$l (October 1986)

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, fish

Airfields

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

Branches

Army, Sea Arm, Air Force, Police Department

Civil air

3 major transport aircraft

Highways

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

Military manpower

males 15-49, 122,000; 66,000 fit for military service SAINT DENIS UPort 8.im-Aiwlr*. N^ Ocean

Pipelines

crude oil, 235 km; natural gas, 400km

Ports

2 major (Doha, Musay'ld), 1 minor

Railroads

none

Telecommunications

modern system centered in Doha; 96,000 telephones (37 per 100 popl.); 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean satellite station; 1 Arab satellite station under construction; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; radio-relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; 2 AM, 1 FM, 3 TV stations Defense Forces