Population:
639,622 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.07% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
25.64 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
4.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
8.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
73.68 years
male:
70.61 years
female:
76.91 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.81 children born/woman (1993 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)
*Reunion, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Department of Reunion
conventional short form:
Reunion
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)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French law
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeals (Cour d'Appel)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
*Reunion, Government
Head of Government:
Commissioner of the Republic Jacques DEWATRE (since NA July 1991)
Member of:
FZ
Diplomatic representation in US:
as an overseas department of France, Reunionese interests are represented in
the US by France
Flag:
the flag of France is used
*Reunion, 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 - exchange rate conversion - $3.37 billion (1987 est.)
National product real growth rate:
9% (1987 est.)
National product per capita:
$6,000 (1987 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)
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:
245,000 kW capacity; 750 million kWh produced, 1,230 kWh per capita (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:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$14.8 billion
Currency:
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
*Reunion, Economy
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4812 (January 1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421
(1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
*Reunion, Communications