ont or FN [Alix MOREL, leader]

International organization participation: FZ, InOC, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas department of
France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas department of
France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

@Reunion:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy has traditionally been based on
agriculture. 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 recently amounted 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 indigenous 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.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$4,300 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rate-consumer price index: NA%

Labor force:
total: 242,169 (1993)
by occupation: agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 35% (1994)

Budget:
revenues: $856.7 million
expenditures: $2.2437 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(1993)

Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil
extraction

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: 299,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 1.105 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 1,659 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits,
vegetables, corn

Exports:
total value: $171.776 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%,
lobster 3%, (1993)
partners: France, Mauritius, Bahrain, South Africa, Italy, Madagascar

Imports:
total value: $2.354 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery
and transpo