1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 2,510 sq km land: 2,500 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area-comparative
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Climate
tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
Coastline
201 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m
Environment-current issues
NA
Environment-international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
21 06 S, 55 36 E
Irrigated land
60 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 17% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 35% other: 41% (1993 est.)
Location
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Map references
World
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
Natural resources
fish, arable land
Terrain
mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 32% (male 116,705; female 111,262) 15-64 years: 62% (male 214,914; female 221,502) 65 years and over: 6% (male 16,846; female 23,824) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
22.78 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
4.67 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Infant mortality rate
7.09 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
French (official), Creole widely used
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.4 years male: 72.36 years female: 78.6 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 76% female: 80% (1982 est.)
Nationality
noun: Reunionese (singular and plural) adjective: Reunionese
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
705,053 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
1.81% (1998 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 94%, Hindu, Islam, Buddhist
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.67 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but there are four arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name
conventional long form: Department of Reunion conventional short form: Reunion local long form: none local short form: Ile de la Reunion
Data code
RE
Dependency status
overseas department of France
Executive branch
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996) head of government: President of the General Council Christophe PAYET (since 4 April 1994) and President of the Regional Council Margarite SUDRE (since 25 June 1993) cabinet: NA elections: prefect appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils, who vote on party lines
Flag description
the flag of France is used
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation
FZ, InOC, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of France)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Ibrahim DINDAN]; Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; France-Reunion Future or FRA [Andre THIEN AH KOON]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Center of Social Democrats or CDS; Union for France or UPF (includes RPR and UDF); Free-DOM Movement [Marguerite SUDRE]; National Front or FN [Alix MOREL, leader]
Legal system
French law
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council (47 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) and unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council-last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Council-last held 25 June 1993 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: General Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7; Regional Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UPF 17, Free-Dom Movement 13, PCR 9, PS 6 note: Reunion elects 3 representatives to the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 1992 (next to be held NA); results-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RPR 1, FRA 1, independent 1; Reunion also elects 5 deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA); results-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PCR 3, PS 1, and RPR-UDF 1
National capital
Saint-Denis
National holiday
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn
Budget
revenues: $856.7 million expenditures: $2.2437 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1993)
Currency
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Debt-external
$NA
Economic aid
recipient: substantial annual subsidies from France
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.
Electricity-capacity
299,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
1,659 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
1.105 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1-6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993)
Exports
total value: $171.776 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993) partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$4,300 (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
4% (1996 est.)
Imports
total value: $2.354 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction
Inflation rate-consumer price index
NA%
Labor force
total: 242,169 (1993) by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (1990)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 3, FM 13, shortwave 0
Radios
155,000 (1993)
Telephone system
adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones
191,647 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations
3 (repeaters 18)
Televisions
116,181 (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
35% (1994)
Transportation
Airports
2 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 2,784 km paved: 2,187 km unpaved: 597 km (1987 est.) Ports and harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
Merchant marine
none
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Military manpower-availability
males age 15-49: 182,620 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 93,572 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-military age
18 years of age
Military manpower-reaching military age annually
males: 5,780 (1998 est.)
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
none