1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical, but moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Coastline
201 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Disputes
none
Environment
periodic devastating cyclones
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
2,500 km2
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 20%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 35%; other 39%; includes irrigated 2%
Natural resources
fish, arable land
Note
located 750 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean
Terrain
mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
2,510 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
26 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
most of the population is of intermixed French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, and Indian ancestry
Infant mortality rate
8 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
NA; agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981); 63% of population of working age (1983)
Languages
French (official); Creole widely used
Life expectancy at birth
70 years male, 77 years female (1992)
Literacy
69% (male 67%, female 74%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
Nationality
noun - Reunionese (singular and plural); adjective - Reunionese
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
General Confederation of Workers of Reunion (CGTR)
Population
626,414 (July 1992), growth rate 2.1% (1992)
Religions
Roman Catholic 94%
Total fertility rate
2.8 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
Saint-Denis
Chief of State
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Communists
Communist party small but has support among sugarcane cutters, the minuscule Popular Movement for the Liberation of Reunion (MPLR), and in the district of Le Port
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Diplomatic representation
as an overseas department of France, Reunionese interests are represented in the US by France
Executive branch
French president, commissioner of the Republic
Flag
the flag of France is used
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
French Senate
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (3 total) RPR-UDF 1, PS 1, independent 1
General Council
last held September/October 1988 (next to be held NA 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total) PCR 9, PS 4, UDF 6, other left-wing 2, RPR 4, right-wing 19
Head of Government
Commissioner of the Republic Jacques DEWATRE (since July 1991)
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeals (Cour d'Appel)
Legal system
French law
Legislative branch
General Council, Regional Council
Long-form name
Department of Reunion
Member of
FZ, WFTU
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
Regional Council
last held 16 March 1986 (next to be held NA March 1992); results - RPR/UDF 36.8%, PCR 28.2%, FRA and other right wing 17.3%, PS 14.1%, other 3.6%; seats - (45 total) RPR/UDF 18, PCR 13, FRA and other right wing 8, PS 6
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
overseas department of France
Economy
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
Budget
revenues $358 million; expenditures $914 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986)
Currency
French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $14.8 billion
Electricity
245,000 kW capacity; 546 million kWh produced, 965 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.6397 (March 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
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
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $3.37 billion, per capita $6,000 (1987 est.); real growth rate 9% (1987 est.)
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
Industrial production
growth rate NA%; about 25% of GDP
Industries
sugar, rum, cigarettes, several small shops producing handicraft items
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.3% (1988)
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.
Unemployment rate
35% (February 1991)
Communications
Airports
2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runway 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runway 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
3 major transport aircraft
Highways
2,800 km total; 2,200 km paved, 600 km gravel, crushed stone, or stabilized earth
Ports
Pointe des Galets
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
Military and Security
Branches
French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie)
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 164,974; 85,370 fit for military service; 6,083 reach military age (18) annually
Note
defense is the responsibility of France