CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(6 fields)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0
Radios
79,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones
31,000 (1990 est.)
Television broadcast stations
3 (in addition, there are eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
22,000 (1992 est.)
◆ ECONOMY(31 fields)
Agriculture--products
sugar, rice, corn, manioc (tapioca), cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Budget
revenues: $191 million expenditures: $332 million, including capital expenditures of $88 million (1996)
Currency
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Debt--external
$1.2 billion (1988)
Economic aid--recipient
$NA
Economy--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 which provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; sugar cane is the major cash crop. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Electricity--consumption
425 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
425 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1--5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994)
Exports
$148 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities
shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports--partners
France 60%, EU 7% (1994)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$6,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$600 million (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities
food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports--partners
France 62%, Germany 4%, Belgium-Luxembourg 4%, US 2% (1994)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (1992)
Labor force
58,800 (1997)
Labor force--by occupation
services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
25.7% (1997 est.)
◆ GEOGRAPHY(18 fields)
Area
total: 91,000 sq km land: 89,150 sq km water: 1,850 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Indiana
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
378 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Environment--current issues
NA
Environment--international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography--note
mostly an unsettled wilderness
Irrigated land
20 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 83% other: 17% (1993 est.)
Location
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references
South America
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Terrain
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
◆ GOVERNMENT(19 fields)
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
Cayenne
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name
conventional long form: Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane
Data code
FG
Dependency status
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas department of France)
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since NA January 1997) head of government: President of the General Council Stephan PHINERA (since NA March 1994); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since NA March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Flag description
the flag of France is used
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Judicial branch
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Legal system
French legal system
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council--last held 20-27 March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Council--last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PSG 8, FDG 4, RPR 1, other left 2, other right 2, other 2; Regional Council--percent of vote by party--PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari 6%; seats by party--PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari 2 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May--1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results--percent of vote by party --NA; seats by party--RPR 1, PSG 1
National holiday
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties and leaders
Guianese Socialist Party or PSG subset of PSG); Nationalist Popular Party of Guyana (Parti LECANTE]; Democratic and European Rally of the Senate or RDSE
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
◆ MILITARY(6 fields)
Military branches
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
NA%
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 47,354 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service
males age 15-49: 30,656 (1999 est.)
Military--note
defense is the responsibility of France
◆ PEOPLE(15 fields)
Age structure
0-14 years: 31% (male 26,713; female 25,514) 15-64 years: 64% (male 57,935; female 48,959) 65 years and over: 5% (male 4,479; female 4,382) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
23.27 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
4.52 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Infant mortality rate
12.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
French
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.61 years male: 73.41 years female: 79.97 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.)
Nationality
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese
Net migration rate
13.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
167,982 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
3.19% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.31 children born/woman (1999 est.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(2 fields)
Disputes--international
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Illicit drugs
small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
◆ TRANSPORTATION(8 fields)
Airports
11 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways
total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 1,817 km (national 432 km, departmental 385 km, community 1,000 km) paved: 727 km unpaved: 1,090 km (1995 est.)
Merchant marine
none
Ports and harbors
Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Railways
0 km (1995)
Waterways
460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft