Facts & Figures
Status: Overseas Department
Prefect: Pierre-Henry Maccioni (2006)
Land area: 968 sq mi (2,507 sq km); total area: 972 sq mi (2,517 sq km)
Population (2006 est.): 787,584 (growth rate: 1.3%); birth rate: 18.9/1000; infant mortality rate: 7.6/1000; life expectancy: 74.2; density per sq mi: 816
Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Saint-Denis, 142,600
Other large cities: Saint-Paul, 95,100; Saint-Pierre, 74,700; Le Tampon, 65,400
Monetary unit: Franc
Languages: French (official), Creole
Ethnicity/race: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)
Literacy rate: 89% (2003 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $4.811 billion; per capita $6,200. Real growth rate: 2.5%. Inflation: n.a. Unemployment: 36% (1999 est.). Arable land: 14%. Agriculture: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn. Labor force: 309,900 (2000); agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000). Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction. Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower. Exports: $214 million (f.o.b., 1997): sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993). Imports: $2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1997): manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products. Major trading partners: France, Japan, Comoros, Bahrain, Germany, Italy (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 300,000 est. (2001); mobile cellular: 489,800 (2002). Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001). Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001). Internet hosts: n.a. Internet users: 150,000 (2002).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 1,214 km (including 88 km of four-lane roads) (2001). Ports and harbors: Le Port. Airports: 2 (2004 est.).
International disputes: none.
