Reunion

Department of Reunion

overseas department of FranceIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Reunion as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 17 editions from 1990 to 2006.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSaint-Denis

Area2,510 km2

LocationSouthern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 750 km east of Madagascar

1993

Every edition of Reunion

Populationas each edition published it

639,622 people July 1993 est. · 595,583 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.07% 1993 est. · 1.34% in 2006

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.68 years 1993 est. · 74.18 yrs in 2006

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.81 children per woman 1993 est. · 2.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

8.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 9 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$6,000 1987 est. · $6,200 in 2006

GDP real growth% a year

9% 1987 est. · 2.5% in 2006

Geography

Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 750 km east of Madagascar

13 fields

Land useshare of 2,510 km2

arable land 20%permanent crops 2%meadows and pastures 4%forest and woodland 35%other 39%irrigated 60 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

2,510km2

land area: 2,500 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Coastline

201km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 750 km east of Madagascar

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

People

14 fields

Population

639,622

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 2.07% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

25.64Death

4.94Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73.68

70.61 · 76.91

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy69%

67% · 74%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1982)

Infant mortality rate

8.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective:: Reunionese

Ethnic divisions

French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Labor force

NA; by occupation: agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981) note: 63% of population of working age (1983)

Government

Overseas department of France

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

25.6%

UDF 25.6%PRC 17.9%PS 10.5%Independent 30.7%other 15.3%

Names

conventional long form:: Department of Reunion
conventional short form:: Reunion
local long form:: none
local short form:: Ile de la Reunion

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

Elections

General Council:: last held 22 March 1991 (next to be held March 1997);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (44 total)
Regional Council:: last held 28 March 1992 (next to be held NA March 1998);
results - UDF 25.6%, PRC 17.9%, PS 10.5%, Independent 30.7%, other 15.3%;
seats - (45 total) Independent 17, UDF 14, PRC 9, PS 5
French Senate:: last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1993);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (3 total) RPR-UDF 1, PS 1, independent 1
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

Executive branch

French president, commissioner of the Republic

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:: Commissioner of the Republic Jacques DEWATRE (since NA July 1991)

Diplomatic representation in US

as an overseas department of France, Reunionese interests are represented in the US by France

Economy

The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$6,000

(1987 est.)

Real growth rate

(1987 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate NA%; about 25% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

1.3%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

35%

(February 1991)

Budget

Revenues

$358 millionExpenditures

$914 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986)

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 - exchange rate conversion - $3.37 billion (1987 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