Mauritius - Geography

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Réunion is situated in the western Indian Ocean, 700km east of Madagascar. Mauritius, the nearest of the Mascarenes, lies 200km to its northeast.

Réunion’s volcanic birth is estimated to have started some 2½ million years ago. First to rise up from the Indian Ocean floor was its oldest and highest peak, the formidable Piton-des-Neiges (Snow Peak – 3,069m), said to have become extinct about 500,000 years ago. It is the highest mountain in the western Indian Ocean but, despite its name, snow is very rarely seen on its peak.

More recently (about 380,000 years ago), the aptly named Piton-de-la-Fournaise (Furnace Peak) evolved. It stands at 2,631m and is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Since 1998, the volcano has erupted almost every year. The lava tends to flow down the eastern slope of the volcano, spilling into the sea and modifying the coastline with every eruption. The 2007 eruption, one of the largest recorded, added some 200ha to the island’s area.

The two mountain ranges and three vast natural amphitheatres known as ‘cirques’ (Cilaos, Mafate and Salazie) account for much of the island’s rugged interior. Converging at the 2,991m summit of Le Gros Morne, the amphitheatres give Réunion its wildly dramatic appearance, as well as breathtaking hiking trails, waterfalls, forests and gorges. Its landscapes are remarkable and over 40% of the island has been designated a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

Réunion retains more original forest than do the other Mascarenes. Where there are accessible tracts of arable land, fields of geranium, vetyver and sugarcane are cultivated. Tucked away between the ravines, on small patches of level ground called ilets, are vineyards and lentil fields.

The inhospitable interior means that the majority of the population is concentrated in towns along the narrow coastal plains. Réunion does not have the abundance of wide sandy beaches that Mauritius enjoys but there are both black- and white-sand beaches along the west and south coasts. Coral reefs and lagoons are also dotted along the west and south of the island.

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Mauritius - Geography

Reunion

Mauritius - Geography