ountries.

Reunion
The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but
services now dominate. 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 amounts 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 minority 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.

Romania
Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a
largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to
the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing
three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.
Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above
4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in 2001, has been accompanied
by slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and
the curbing of inflation. The IMF Board approved Romania's
completion of the standby agreement in October 2003, the first time
Romania has successfully concluded an IMF agreement since the 1989
revolution. In July 2004, the executive board of the IMF approved a
24-month standby agreement for $367 million. The Romanian
authorities do not intend to draw on this agreement, however,
viewing it simply as a precaution. Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic
gains have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty,
while corruption and red tape continue to handicap the business
environment.

Russia
Russia ended 2004 with its sixth straight year of growth,
averaging 6.5% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although
high oil prices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers
of this economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven
demand have played a noticeably increasing ro