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

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

People

Population: 717,723 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 118,401; female 112,878)
15-64 years: 62% (male 218,952; female 225,292)
65 years and over: 6% (male 17,506; female 24,694) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.75% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 22.16 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.64 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 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: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.73 years
male: 72.69 years
female: 78.93 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.64 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

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

Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Islam, Buddhist (1995)

Languages: French (official), Creole widely used

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

Government

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: RE

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

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 (