ReunionReunion lies in the Indian Ocean , approx 220km south-west of Mauritius and 800 km east of Madagascar. The island is volcanic in origin and mountainous, and covers an area of 2,512 sq km (970 sq miles) This is a volcanic island with two major mountain zones, the Cirques of Cilanos, Salazie and Mafate, and the active volcano Piton-de-la-fornaise, which errupts fairly regularly...More Information on Reunion. Full country name: Department of Reunion History of ReunionThe island of Réunion has a history similar to that of Mauritius and was visited, but not settled, by early Malay, Arab and European mariners. The archipelago, comprised of Mauritius, Rodrigues and Réunion, was christened the Mascarenes by Portuguese navigator Pedro de Mascarenhas, following its European discovery in 1512. In 1642 the French settled the island when La Compagnie des Indes Orientales (the French East India Company) sent its ship, the St-Louis, and the King of France named it Île Bourbon. There was no great rush to populate and develop the island and, from around 1685, Indian Ocean pirates began using Île Bourbon as a trading base...More on Reunion's History. Overview of Reunion's EconomyGDP:US$3.4 billion Also Read: A short note on Economy of Reunion Political System of AlgeriaClimate, Vegetation and FaunaRéunion was once covered by a thick tropical forest that has since been ruthlessly cleared to make place for the plantations of sugarcane, coffee, tobacco and tropical fruits. This, combined with the introduction of new species and new plant diseases brought in by the settlers led to the extinction of many of the native species of flora and fauna. The 20,000 hectares Bébourg-Bélouve forest is one of the last remaining primary forests. The endemic species include many cacti and succulents, ferns and tree ferns, native flowers and orchids as well as tamarind and wild fig trees. Species introduced by the Europeans includes sugarcane, coffee, tea, vanilla bean, geranium and vetivier and a whole range of tropical fruits.There are no natural predators in Réunion and only a few species of reptiles. The chameleon attracts attention in an effort not to do so as it changes its colour and appearance to blend into the background. Turtles are being re-introduced into the island through breeding programmes and for commercial purposes. The aquatic fauna present in the Réunion waters is exotic in both color and variety with over 15 species found in the reefs around the island. Trout, present in the water bodies on Réunion were introduced 1940 from Madagascar. There are many birds in La Réunion has many species of birds like the virgin’s bird, martins, puffins, petrels, cardinals and the most famous paille-en-queue. Envoirnment: The island of Réunion lies in the Indian Ocean, about 800km (500mi) east...more. Languages: French is the official language and very few people speak English...more. Education: Réunion has high literacy levels with over 79% of the population above 15 years of age literate. 76% of men are literate compared to an unusually higher figure of 805 for females. Culture: Over the years French cultural influences have had such an overwhelming impact...more. People And Society of Reunion: Reunion has people of many different ethnic origins, descendents...more. Facts for the TravelerVisas: Visa requirements are the same as for France. Citizens of the US, Canada, New Zealand, the European Union and a handful of other countries may enter Réunion for up to 3 months without a visa, but Australians and others must have a visa.
Health risks: None Time: GMT/UTC plus 4 hours Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz Weights & measures: Metric Also Read: Money & Costs | Events Of Reunion When to GoClimate should be your first consideration if you want to experience Réunion at its best. The only time to seriously consider trekking through Réunion’s spectacular mountain country is during the dry season from April to September. The downside of climate-related trip planning is that everyone else has the same idea. You’re strongly advised to book well in advance, especially during the peak tourist times. April, May and the French school holidays from late July to early September are the busiest times, and in August you risk being left high and dry without accommodation unless you book in advance. This is also high trekking season. The quietest times are during cyclone-prone February and March. The seasons normally change in April and that isn’t too bad for a time for a visit; but, for maximum spatial and climatic enjoyment, May and June are probably the best months of all. Also Read: Getting Around in Reunion | Getting There & Away What to See in ReunionOther Tourist Attractions in Reunion more...What to do in ReunionIn true French style, the recreational emphasis in Réunion is on sweat, adventure, and pushing beyond conventional limits. There are established clubs for just about every sort of activity you can imagine. However, more than anything, Réunion’s geological history has made it a haven for the serious and occasional trekker. There are dozens of day hikes and multi-day hikes throughout the island. The volcano and high-rugged cirques of Cilaos, Salazie and Mafate are superb. The terrain has also led to an explosion of interest in mountain biking and the appropriate vélo tout terrain or VTT is easy to rent for half or full-day excursions. Diving is concentrated around St-Gilles-les-Bains, as is snorkelling, swimming and other water activities. The only surf spots are also around St-Gilles-les-Bains. For adventure seekers, there’s the exhilaration of canyoning, challenging you to abseil down rugged gorges and cliffs into water holes or lagoons below. The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during a series of migrations. The southern part of the country was named Matabeleland after the Ndebele tribe who occupied the area in the early 1800’s under a loose confederation of Ndebele-speaking tribes headed by the Khumalo tribe under [...]
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Religion in Africa
Africans profess a wide variety of religious beliefs, with Christianity and Islam being the most widespread. Approximately 40% of all Africans are Christians and another 40% Muslims. Roughly 20% of Africans primarily follow indigenous African religions. A small number of Africans also have beliefs from the Judaic tradition, such as the Beta Israel [...]
Culture of Africa
Africa has a number of overlapping cultures. The most conventional distinction is that between sub-Saharan Africa and the northern countries from Egypt to Morocco, who largely associate themselves with Arabic culture. In this comparison, the nations to the south of the Sahara are considered to consist of many cultural areas, in particular [...]
Demographics of Africa
Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively. Afro-Asiatic speaking peoples predominate in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by a number of disparate populations grouped according to their diverse languages–Niger-Congo predominantly in West [...]
Economy of Africa
Africa is the world’s poorest inhabited continent: the United Nations’ Human Development Report 2003 (of 175 countries) found that positions 151 (Gambia) to 175 (Sierra Leone) were taken up entirely by African nations.
It has had (and in some ways is still having) a shaky and uncertain transition from colonialism, with increases in corruption [...]
Politics in Africa
Colonial Africa
Colonialism had a destabilizing effect on what had been a number of ethnic groups that is still being felt in African politics. Prior to European influence, national borders were not much of a concern, with Africans generally following the practice of other areas of the world, such as the Arabian peninsula, where [...]
History of Africa
Africa is home to the oldest inhabited territory on earth, with the human race originating from this continent. During the mid 20th century, anthropologists discovered many fossils and evidence of human occupation perhaps as early as 7 million years ago. The famous Leakey family, with ties to both Britain and Africa, discovered fossil [...]
Geography of Africa
Africa is the largest of the three great southward projections from the main mass of the Earth’s surface. It includes within its remarkably regular outline an area, of c. 30,360,288 km² (11,722,173 mi²), including the islands.
Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, it is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the [...]
Etymology of Africa
The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra - “land of the Afri” (plural, or “Afer” singular) - for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day Tunisia.
The Afri were a tribe - possibly Berber [...]
Travel Mantra: Africa Destination Guide
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