8 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)

adjective: Reunionese

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

Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, 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.)

Reunion Government

Country name: conventional long form: Department of Reunion

conventional short form: Reunion

local long form: none

local short form: Ile de la Reunion

former: Bourbon Island

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 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47
cantons

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 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
(since NA 1996)

head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)

cabinet: NA

elections: French president elected by popular vote for a
seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those
councils

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council (47 seats; members
are elected by direct popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct
popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections: General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be
held NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004)

election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - PCR 12, PS 12, UDF 11, RPR 5, others 7; Regional
Council - percent of vote by party -