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Background: The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route.
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Common Name: Reunion
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Local Official Name: Ile de la Reunion
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Abbreviated Name: Department of Reunion
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Official Name: Reunion
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Official Script Name: Reunion
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Local Common Name: Reunion
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Former Name: Bourbon Island
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Territory of: France
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Head of State: President Jacques CHIRAC
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Government Type: NA
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Independence: none (overseas department of France)
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Constitution: 1958 September 28 (French Constitution)
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National Holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July
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International Organization Participation: FZ, InOC, WFTU
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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
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: French law
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Suffrage: 18 years of age years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: 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
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Party 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]
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International Disputes: NA
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Illicit Drugs: NA
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Location of Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
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Continent: Africa
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Land Area Total: 2,512 sq km
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Region: Eastern African |
Land Area Land: 2,502 sq km
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Capitol City: Saint-Denis
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Land Area Water: 10 sq km
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Current:
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Latitude: 021 06 S
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Border Boundary Land: 0 km
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Longitude: 055 36 E
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Border Boundary Coastline: 207 km
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Arable Land: 13.00 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 2.00 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 3,069 m
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Location: Piton des Neiges
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Lowest Elevation: 0 m
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Location: Indian Ocean
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Largest City in Reunion:
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Largest City Population: 0
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Threatened Species: 0
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Environmental Issues: NA
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Environmental Agreements: NA
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Irrigated Land: 120
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Bordering Countries: NA
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Natural Resources: fish, arable land, hydropower
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Geographical Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
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Comparative Area of Reunion: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
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Reunion's Geography: this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean
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Click Here for detailed information about the weather conditions in Reunion.
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General Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April
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Natural Hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
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Economic 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 amounts to more than 40% 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 minority 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.
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GDP: $3,400,000,000 USD
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Currency: euro; French franc
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GDP per Capita: $4,800 USD
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Currency Code: EUR;
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GDP Growth Rate: 3.80 %
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One $USD Equals: %fincurrencyequals% EUR;
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Currency Exchange Rate History: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)
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GDP of Agriculture: 0.00 %
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GDP of Industry: 0.00 %
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GDP of Services: 0.00 % |
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Inflation Rate: 0.00 % |
Population in Poverty: 0.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 42.80 %
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Tourism: 0.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $0 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $0 USD
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Electricity Production: 1,090,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 1,014,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 55.05%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 44.95%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m
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Oil Exports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 0 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 0 cu m
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External Debt: $0 USD |
Received in economic aid: $0 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn
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Primary Industries: sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction
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Industrial Growth Rate: 0.00 %
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Import Amount in USD: $2,500,000,000 USD - manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products
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Import Partners: France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3%
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Export Amount in USD: $214,000,000 USD - sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%
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Export Partners: France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4%
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GINI Index: 0.00%
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Labor Force Number of People: 261,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 57 |
Number of People with Radios: 173,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 35 |
Number of People with Televisions: 127,000 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 268,500 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 197,000 |
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Internet Service Providers: 1 |
Internet Users: 10,000 |
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Internet Country Code: .re |
Newspapers: 0 |
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Two Letter Country Code: RE |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: +262 |
Electricity Voltage: Volts |
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Telephone Systems: general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network
international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
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Highways: 1,300 km |
Railways: 0 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 0 km |
Waterways: 0 km
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Airports: 2 |
Heliports: 0
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Motor Vehicles: 0 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 0 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 0.00 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2002 est.)
ships by type: chemical tanker 1
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Ports and Harbors: Le Port, Pointe des Galets
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Population: 743,981 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 20.70 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 0.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 5.51 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 1.52% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 2.55 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 120,864 |
Population Female 0-14: 115,251 |
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Population Male 15-64: 228,864 |
Population Female 15-64: 235,991 |
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Population Male 65+: 17,459 |
Population Female 65+: 25,552 |
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Population 0-14: 31.70% |
Literacy Rate: 79.00% |
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Population 15-64: 62.50% |
Literacy rate of Males: 76.00% |
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Population 65+: 5.80% |
Literacy rate of Females: 80.00% |
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Population that is Male: 49.00
% |
Population that is Female: 51.00% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 73.18 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 8.31 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 69.78 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 76.74 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 0.00%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 0
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 0 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: 0.00
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Nationality: REUNIONESE
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Ethnic Groups: French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian
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Primary Language: French
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Other Languages: French (official), Creole widely used
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Primary Religion: Roman Catholic
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Other Religions: Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist
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Branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 18 years of age years
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Manpower Available: 194,485 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 99,251 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 6,243 People per year
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Expenditures: $0 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 0.00
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Reunion Spa and Resort Directory
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Reunion Home Exchanges and Home Swaps
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Reunion Vacation Rentals And Holiday Villas
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Reunion City Information Game Earn Real Money
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