CULTURE
The island
was uninhabited when it was discovered by the Portuguese navigator
Pedro de Mascarenhas during the early 16th century. In 1643 it
was claimed by the French, who named it Bourbon and established
the first colony here in 1662; slaves were brought from Africa
to work the sugar plantations. The island was renamed Réunion
in 1793. It remained a French colony, except for a brief British
occupation from 1810 to 1815. After slavery was abolished in 1848,
indentured servants were brought to the island from India and
southeastern Asia. Réunion became an overseas department
of France in 1946 and an administrative region in 1974. It sends
five directly elected deputies to the French National Assembly
and three indirectly elected representatives to the Senate. Local
government is maintained by the 47-member General Council and
the 45-member Regional Council, each elected by the voters. Area,
2,511 sq km (970 sq mi); population (2001 estimate) 732,570.
