Country name
conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
local long form: none
former: Bourbon Island

Dependency status overseas department of France

Government type NA

Capital Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence none (overseas department of France)

National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system French law

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Gonthier FRIEDERICI (since NA)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 27, PCR 10, PS 10, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 7, UDF 8, PS 6, RPR 4, various right-wing candidates 15, various left-wing candidates 5
note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD]

Political pressure groups and leaders NA

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

NOTE: The information regarding Reunion on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Reunion Government 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Reunion Government 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.