(overseas department of France)
Map
Location: 4 00 N, 53 00 W -- Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
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Description: the flag of France is used
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Geography
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total area:
91,000 sq km
land area:
89,150 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total:
1,183 km
border countries:
Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline:
378 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources:
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Land use:
arable land:
NEGL%
permanent crops:
NEGL%
meadows and pastures:
NEGL%
forest and woodland:
88%
other:
12% (1992)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
international agreements:
NA
Geographic note:
mostly an unsettled wilderness
People
Population:
151,187 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
32% (male 24,447; female 23,378)
15-64 years:
63% (male 52,061; female 43,726)
65 years and over:
5% (male 3,784; female 3,791) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.86% (1996 est.)
Birth rate:
24.68 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate:
4.59 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate:
18.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1 male(s)/female
all ages:
1.13 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
14.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
75.79 years
male:
72.55 years
female:
79.19 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.42 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective:
French Guianese
Ethnic divisions:
black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Religions:
Roman Catholic
Languages:
French
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)
total population:
83%
male:
84%
female:
82%
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Department of Guiana
conventional short form:
French Guiana
local long form:
none
local short form:
Guyane
Data code:
FG
Type of government:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Cayenne
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
National holiday:
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French legal system
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); represented by Prefect Pierre DARTOUT who was appointed by the French Ministry of Interior
head of government:
President of the General Council Stephan PHINERA-HORTH (since March 1994)
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council
General Council:
elections last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (19 total) PSG 8, RPR 2, UDF 1, other right 1, other 7
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, FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3
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
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
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeals (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Political parties and leaders:
Guianese Socialist Party (PSG), Raymond TRACY; 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; Socialist Party (PS), Jean BART; Union for French Democracy (UDF), R. CHOW-CHINE
International organization participation:
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (overseas department of France)
US diplomatic representation:
none (overseas department of France)
Flag:
the flag of France is used
Economy
Economic 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 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.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $800 million (1993 est.)
GDP real growth rate:
NA%
GDP per capita:
$6,000 (1993 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture:
NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (1992)
Labor force:
36,597 (1993)
by occupation:
services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Unemployment rate:
24.1% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$133 million
expenditures:
$284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Industries:
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
180,000 kW
production:
450 million kWh
consumption per capita:
3,149 kWh (1993)
Agriculture:
rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, vegetables, bananas, sugar; cattle, pigs, poultry
Illicit drugs:
small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Exports:
$110 million (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities:
shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence
partners:
France 52%, Spain 15%, US 5% (1992)
Imports:
$719 million (c.i.f., 1992)
commodities:
food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods, petroleum
partners:
France 77%, Germany 11%, US 5% (1992)
External debt:
$1.2 billion (1988)
Economic aid:
recipient:
ODA, $NA
Currency:
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Transportation
Railways:
0 km (1995)
Highways:
total:
1,817 km (national 432 km, departmental 385 km, community 1,000 km)
paved:
727 km
unpaved:
1,090 km (1995 est.)
Waterways:
460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft
Ports:
Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Merchant marine:
none
Airports:
total:
10
with paved runways over 3 047 m:
1
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
2
with paved runways under 914 m:
4
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
3 (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones:
31,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic:
fair open wire and microwave radio relay system
international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0
Radios:
79,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations:
9
Televisions:
22,000 (1992 est.)
Defense
Branches:
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49:
43,412
males fit for military service:
28,171 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
Defense note:
defense is the responsibility of France
