1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
378 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Indiana
Disputes
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Environment
mostly an unsettled wilderness
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
89,150 km2
Land boundaries
1,183 km; Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use
arable land NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and woodland 82%; other 18%
Natural resources
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Terrain
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
91,000 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
27 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
black or mulatto 66%; Caucasian 12%; East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%; other 10%
Infant mortality rate
17 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
23,265; services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Languages
French
Life expectancy at birth
71 years male, 78 years female (1992)
Literacy
82% (male 81%, female 83%) age 15 and over can read and write (1982)
Nationality
noun - French Guianese (singular and plural); adjective - French Guianese; note - they are a colony/department; they hold French passports
Net migration rate
24 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
7% of labor force
Population
127,505 (July 1992), growth rate 4.6% (1992)
Religions
predominantly Roman Catholic
Total fertility rate
3.6 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
Cayenne
Chief of State
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Diplomatic representation
as an overseas department of France, the interests of French Guiana are represented in the US by France
Executive branch
French president, commissioner of the republic
Flag
the flag of France is used
French National Assembly
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) PSG 1, RPR 1
French Senate
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PSG 1
Head of Government
Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Francois DICHIARA (since NA 1990)
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
Judicial branch
highest local court is the Court of Appeals based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana
Legal system
French legal system
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council
Long-form name
Department of Guiana
Member of
FZ, WCL, WFTU
National holiday
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties and leaders
Guianese Socialist Party (PSG), Gerard HOLDER; Rally for the Republic (RPR), Paulin BRUNE; Guianese Democratic Action (ADG), Andre LECANTE; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Claude Ho A CHUCK; National Front (FN), Guy MALON; Popular and National Party of Guiana (PNPG), Claude ROBO; National Anti-Colonist Guianese Party (PANGA), Michel KAPEL
Regional Council
last held 16 March 1986 (next to be held NA 1991); results - PSG 43%, RPR 27.7%, ADG 12.2%, UDF 8. 9%, FN 3.7%, PNPG 1.4%, other 3.1%; seats - (31 total) PSG 15, RPR 9, ADG 4, UDF 3
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
overseas department of France
Economy
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
French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.51 billion
Electricity
92,000 kW capacity; 185 million kWh produced, 1,821 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.3801 (January 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Exports
$54.0 million (f.o.b., 1987) commodities: shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence partners: France 31%, US 22%, Japan 10% (1987)
External debt
$1.2 billion (1988)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $186 million, per capita $2,240; real growth rate NA% (1985)
Imports
$394.0 million (c.i.f., 1987) commodities: food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods, petroleum partners: France 62%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, US 4%, FRG 3% (1987)
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.1% (1987)
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 1987. 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 sugarcane - are 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
15% (1987)
Communications
Airports
10 total, 10 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
680 km total; 510 km paved, 170 km improved and unimproved earth
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 radio relay system; 18,100 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 7 FM, 9 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability
males 15-49 37,467; 24,534 fit for military service
Note
defense is the responsibility of France