Part 614

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land

Land use: arable land: 16% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 5% forest and woodland: 35% other: 41% (1993)

Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano international agreements: NA

People ------

Population: 679,198 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (male 112,413; female 107,187) 15-64 years: 62% (male 207,386; female 214,308) 65 years and over: 6% (male 15,610; female 22,294) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.93% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 24.01 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 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: 0.7 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.77 years male: 71.71 years female: 77.98 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.72 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Ethnic divisions: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, Hindu, Islam, Buddhist

Languages: French (official), Creole widely used

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.) total population: 79% male: 76% female: 80%

Government ----------

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

Data code: RE

Type of government: overseas department of France

Capital: Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions: overseas department of France; there are no first-order divisions as defined by the US Government but there are four arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence: none (overseas department of France)