n.
Island (pop., 2002 est.: 743,000) and French overseas department, Mascarene Islands, western Indian Ocean.
Located 425 mi (684 km) east of Madagascar , it is about 39 mi (63 km) long and 28 mi (45 km) wide and has an area of 970 sq mi (2,512 sq km). Its capital is Saint-Denis . It consists mainly of rugged mountains dissected by torrential rivers. Most of the population is of mixed descent, with African descent predominant. Réunion was settled in the 17th century by the French, who brought slaves from eastern Africa to work on coffee and sugar plantations. It was a French colony until 1946, when it became an overseas department of France. Its economy is based almost entirely on the export of sugar. Other products include machinery and transport equipment, rum, molasses, tobacco, geraniums, and vanilla.