Geographic coordinates: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references: World

Area: total: 2,517 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,507 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 207 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.2%
permanent crops: 2%
other: 84.8% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: 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

NOTE: The information regarding Reunion on this page is re-published from the 2003 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guinea Geography 2003 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Reunion Geography 2003 should be addressed to the CIA.