The economy of Réunion 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 labour force.

The gap in Réunion between the well-off and the poor is large and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrated the seriousness of socio-economic tensions. However, this gap has been closing in the last 15 years.

In 2007 the GDP per capita of Réunion at nominal exchange rates, not at PPP, was €17,146 (US$23,501).[1] However, while this is exceptionally high compared with its neighbours in Madagascar and the African continent, it is only 57% of the 30,140 euros per capita GDP of metropolitan France in 2007.[2] The total GDP of the island was US$18.8 billion in 2007.[1]

Other export products

Statistics

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 INSEE Réunion. "8.1 - ÉCONOMIE GÉNÉRALES" (PDF) (in French). Archived from the original (PDF) on Dec 17, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  2. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques. "Produits Intérieurs Bruts Régionaux en euros par habitant" (XLS) (in French). Retrieved 2008-12-10.

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