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Location : Volcanic
island with a tropical forest and sugar-cane plantations located in the Indian
Ocean to the East from Madagascar forming with Rodrigues Island and Maurice
Island the “Mascareignes”archipelago.
The name “Reunion” was given by « the Convention » (enactment
3-3-1793) to the Bourbon Island in memory of the meeting (in French, “réunion”)
of people from Marseille and national guards for the Tuileries assault (10-8-1792).
Area : 2500
km2
Population :
Around 715 000
Main cities : Saint-Denis, chief-town (131 000), Saint-Paul (88 000 ), Saint-Pierre
(69 000), Le Tampon (60 000)
Climate : tropical
Time
Zone : GMT + 4 hours
Currency : French
Franc (then Euro)
Air & Sea Connections
:
- Airport in Roland Garros-Gillot
- numerous sea connections
- 2 Marinas : Saint-Gilles-les-Bains and Saint-Pierre
French
territory since 1638 – « Département Français d'Outre-mer
» by the Law of March, 19th 1946
Prefect : 1 (located
in Saint-Denis) - “Sous-Préfets” : 3 (located in Saint-Pierre,
Saint-
Paul and Saint-Benoît)
Deputies : 5
- Senators : 3
Regional Council –
General Council
Parishes : 24
- Townships : 47
Fishing is the 4th
export product.
Several methods are used : traditional fishing and industrial fishing away from
the coasts.
Agriculture covers
approximately _ of the total surface of the territory.
Sugar-cane culture is very developed ; sugar is the export product number 1.
Rum is number 2 and oil-fragrance, number 3.
Rearing is developing thanks to development programs.
The industry sector
(Construction and Public Works excluded, which are facing with serious difficulties)
employs 10% of the working people. This sector is growing rapidly since 1992.
Food-industry dominates the industry.
Tourism is very much
developing.