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REUNION.CRD
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#CARD:Reunion:Geography
#WORD 43 69 396 395 0
Reunion Click Here for Country List
Header
Affiliation:
(overseas department of France)
#IMAGE 44 61 TWPCX \maps\REUNION.PCX
Geography Click Here for MAP
Location:
Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 750 km east of
Madagascar
Map references:
World
Area:
total area:
2,510 sq km
land area:
2,500 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
201 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
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
Natural resources:
fish, arable land
Land use:
arable land:
20%
permanent crops:
2%
meadows and pastures:
4%
forest and woodland:
35%
other:
39%
Irrigated land:
60 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
periodic, devastating cyclones
international agreements:
NA
#CARD:Reunion:People
People
Population:
652,857 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.03% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
25.14 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
4.87 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
74.07 years
male:
71 years
female:
77.29 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.78 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Reunionese
Ethnic divisions:
French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 94%
Languages:
French (official), Creole widely used
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
total population:
69%
male:
67%
female:
74%
Labor force:
NA
by occupation:
agriculture 30%, industry 21%, services 49% (1981)
note:
63% of population of working age (1983)
#CARD:Reunion:Government
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Department of Reunion
conventional short form:
local long form:
none
local short form:
Ile de la Reunion
Digraph:
RE
Type:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Saint-Denis
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
National holiday:
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 Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government:
Prefect of Reunion Island Hubert FOURNIER (since NA)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council and unicameral Regional Council
General Council:
elections last held 22 March 1991 (next to be held March 1997);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (44 total) seats by
party NA
Regional Council:
elections last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held by NA March 1998);
results - UPF 25.6%, PCR 17.9%, PS 10.5%, Independent 33.4%, other
12.6%; seats - (45 total) Sudre 17, UPF 14, PCR 9, PS 5
French Senate:
elections last held 24 September 1992 (next to be held NA); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (3 total) RPR 1, FRA 1,
independent 1
French National Assembly:
elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (5 total) PS 1, PCR 1,
UPF 1, RPR 1, UDF-CDS 1; note - 5 members to the French National
Assembly who are voting members
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeals (Cour d'Appel)
Political parties and leaders:
Rally for the Republic (RPR), Francois MAS; Union for French Democracy
(UDF), Gilbert GERARD; Communist Party of Reunion (PCR), Elie HOARAU;;
France-Reunion Future (FRA), Andre THIEN AH KOON; Reunion Communist
Party (PCR); Socialist Party (PS), Jean-Claude FRUTEAU; Social
Democrats (CDS); other small parties
Member of:
FZ, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (overseas department of France)
US diplomatic representation:
none (overseas department of France)
Flag:
the flag of France is used
#CARD:Reunion:Economy
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.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.5 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$3,900 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.3% (1988)
Unemployment rate:
35% (February 1991)
Budget:
revenues:
$358 million
expenditures:
$914 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986 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
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%; about 25% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
245,000 kW
production:
750 million kWh
consumption per capita:
1,230 kWh (1991)
Industries:
sugar, rum, cigarettes, several small shops producing handicraft items
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
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $14.8 billion
Currency:
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993),
5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
#CARD:Reunion:Communications
Communications
Highways:
total:
2,800 km
paved:
2,200 km
unpaved:
gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 600 km
Ports:
Pointe des Galets
Airports:
total:
2
usable:
2
with permanent-surface runways:
2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
1
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
#CARD:Reunion:Defense Forces
Defense Forces
Branches:
French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 170,810; fit for military service 88,108; reach
military age (18) annually 5,867 (1994 est.)
Note:
defense is the responsibility of France
REUNION.0