Reunion

Department of Reunion

NAIndependence none (overseas department of France)

Reunion as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 103 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

Position21 06 S, 55 36 E

Area2,512 sq km

LocationSouthern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

2000

Every edition of Reunion

Populationas each edition published it

720,934 people July 2000 est. · 595,583 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.63% 2000 est. · 2.07% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

72.68 years 2000 est. · 73.68 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.61 children per woman 2000 est. · 2.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

8.67 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 9 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$4,800 1998 est. · $6,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.8% 1998 est. · 9% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route.

Geography

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

16 fields

Land useshare of 2,512 sq km

arable land 17%permanent crops 2%permanent pastures 5%forests and woodland 35%other 41% (1993 est.)irrigated 60 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

2,512sq km

land: 2,502 sq kmwater: 10 sq kmslightly smaller than Rhode Island

Coastline

207km

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

Highest point

3,069m

Piton des Neigeslowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Location

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates

21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references

World

Climate

tropical, but temperature 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

Natural resources

fish, arable land, hydropower

Natural hazards

periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Environment - current issues

People

15 fields

Population

720,934

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 1.63% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

21.84Death

5.55Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)72.68

69.28 · 76.24

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1982 est.)79%

76% · 80%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 years:: 32% (male 119,291; female 113,741)
15-64 years:: 62% (male 220,066; female 227,632)
65 years and over:: 6% (male 16,336; female 23,868) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

8.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.61 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

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

Ethnic groups

French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Religions

Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Languages

French (official), Creole widely used

Government

NA; President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996); President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)

19 fields

General Council, 45 seats, elected NA March 1994one dot, one seat

PCR 7UDF 8PS 6RPR 4various right-wing candidates 15various left-wing candidates 5

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

Dependency status

overseas department of France

Government type

Capital

Saint-Denis

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

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system

French law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Robert POMMIES (since NA 1996)
head of government:: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet:: NA
elections:: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
prefect appointed by the French president 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

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 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)
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 - PCR 7, UDF 8, PS 6, RPR 4, various right-wing candidates 15, various left-wing candidates 5

note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held 14 April 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA;

seats by party - RPR 1, PCR 2; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCR 3, PS 1, and RPR-UDF 1

Judicial branch

Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES];
France-Reunion Future or FRA [Andre THIEN AH KOON];
Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [Jean-Marie FINCK];
National Front or FN [Alix MOREL];
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE];
Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU];
Union for France or UPF (includes RPR and UDF) [leader NA];
Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD]

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)

Flag description

the flag of France is used

Economy

The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture.

31 fields

Real growth rate

3.8%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Unemployment rate

42.8%

(1998)

Labor force

261,000

(1995)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

74%

France

64%

Japan

Comoros

Bahrain

Germany

Italy

Exports $214.162 million (f.o.b., 1997)Imports $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997)(1994)

Budget

Revenues

$1.2 billionExpenditures

$2.6 billion (1995)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $260 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 54.05%hydro 45.95%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1.11 billion (1998)Electricity consumption

1.032 billion (1998)

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 amounts to more than 40% 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 minority 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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,800 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture:: NA%
industry:: NA%
services:: NA%

euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999);
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

42,000

(1998)

Fixed lines

236,500

(1997)

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)