World Country Guide

General Information

Area
2507 sq km (968 sq miles).

Population
753,600 (official estimate 2003).

Population Density
300.6 per sq km.

Capital
Saint-Denis. Population: 131,557 (1999).

Geography
Runion lies 760km (407 miles) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Running diagonally across the island is a chain of volcanic peaks, separating a green humid eastern zone (Le Vent) from a dry, sheltered south and west (Sous le Vent). The majority of the population lives along the coast. Sugar cane production accounts for over half the arable land in a country where many basic foodstuffs are imported.

Government
Runion is an Overseas Department of France and as such is an integral part of the French Republic. Head of State: President Jacques Chirac since 1995, represented locally by Prefect Gonthier Friederici since 2001. Head of Government: Nassimah Dindar, President of the General Council.

Language
French is the official language. Local Creole patois is also spoken.

Religion
The majority of the population is Roman Catholic, with a Muslim minority.

Time
GMT + 4.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications

Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 262. There are no area codes. Outgoing international code: 19.

Mobile telephone
GSM 900/1800 network available. Network operators include Orange Runion (website: www.orange.re), Outremer Telecom and Socit Runionnaise (website: www.srr.fr).

Fax
Most large hotels have facilities.

Internet
Internet cafes in towns throughout La Runion provide public access to e-mail and Internet services.

Telegram
Facilities are available in Saint-Denis.

Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes up to three weeks. Poste Restante facilities are available in Saint-Denis.

Press
The two biggest dailies are the Journal de l’Ile de la Runion and the Quotidien de la Runion. Weekly periodicals include L’Economie de la Runion and Tmoignages. There are no English-language dailies.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.