◆ COMMUNICATIONS(5 fields)
Airports
total: 10 usable: 10 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Highways
total: 680 km paved: 510 km unpaved: improved, unimproved earth 170 km
Inland waterways
460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft
Ports
Cayenne
Telecommunications
fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system; 18,100 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 7 FM, 9 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
◆ DEFENSE FORCES(5 fields)
Affiliation
(overseas territory of France)
Branches
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 40,506; fit for military service 26,394
Note
defense is the responsibility of France
◆ ECONOMY(18 fields)
Agriculture
some vegetables for local consumption; rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, bananas, sugar; livestock - cattle, pigs, poultry
Budget
revenues: $735 million expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)
Currency
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.51 billion
Electricity
capacity: 92,000 kW production: 185 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,450 kWh (1992)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989)
Exports
$59 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence partners: France 52%, Spain 15%, US 5% (1992)
External debt
$1.2 billion (1988)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods, petroleum partners: France 77%, Germany 11%, US 5% (1992)
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.1% (1987)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $421 million (1986)
National product per capita
$4,390 (1986)
National product real growth rate
NA%
Overview
The economy is tied closely to that of France through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities, with exports of fish and fish products (mostly shrimp) accounting for more than 60% of total revenue in 1992. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops - rice, cassava, bananas, and sugar cane - is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Unemployment rate
13% (1990)
◆ GEOGRAPHY(14 fields)
Area
total area: 91,000 sq km land area: 89,150 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
378 km
Environment
current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA
International disputes
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
total 1,183 km, Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 82% other: 18%
Location
Northern South America, bordering on the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname and Brazil
Map references
South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Note
mostly an unsettled wilderness
Terrain
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
◆ PEOPLE(36 fields)
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Birth rate
25.83 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Capital
Cayenne
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Death rate
4.67 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Digraph
FG
Diplomatic representation in US
none (overseas department of France)
Ethnic divisions
black or mulatto 66%, Caucasian 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Executive branch
chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) head of government: Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA 1992); President of the General Council Elie CASTOR (since NA); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (22 March 1993) cabinet: Council of Ministers
Flag
the flag of France is used
French National Assembly
elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) RPR 1, independent 1
French Senate
elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PSG 1
General Council
elections last held 25 September and 8 October 1988 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (19 total) PSG 12, URC 7
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
Infant mortality rate
15.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeals (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force
23,265 by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Languages
French
Legal system
French legal system
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.2 years male: 71.93 years female: 78.63 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1982) total population: 82% male: 81% female: 83%
Member of
FZ, WCL
Names
conventional long form: Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane
National holiday
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Nationality
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese
Net migration rate
21.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Political parties and leaders
Guianese Socialist Party (PSG), Elie CASTRO; Conservative Union for the Republic (UPR), Leon BERTRAND; Rally for the Center Right (URC); Rally for the Republic (RPR); Guyana Democratic Front (FDG), Georges OTHILY; Walwari Committee, Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON
Population
139,299 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
4.27% (1994 est.)
Regional Council
elections last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (31 total) PSG 16
Religions
Roman Catholic
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Total fertility rate
3.5 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
overseas department of France
US diplomatic representation
none (overseas department of France)