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--$3.4 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3.8% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,800 (1998 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: 261,000 (1995)

Labor force--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--production: 1.1 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 54.55%
hydro: 45.45%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 1.1 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

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

Exports: $171.78 million (f.o.b., 1994)

Exports--commodities: sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume
essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993)

Exports--partners: France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (1994)

Imports: $2.35 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

Imports--commodities: manufactured goods, food, beverages,
tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and
petroleum products

Imports--partners: France 67%, Bahrain 4%, Italy 3% (1994)

Debt--external: $NA

Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?substantial annual subsidies
from France

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999),
5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520
(1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 219,000 (1995)

Telephone system: a