1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (overseas department of France)

Affiliation

(overseas department of France)

Agriculture

some vegetables for local consumption; rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, bananas, sugar; livestock - cattle, pigs, poultry

Airports

total: 10 usable: 10 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1

Area

total area: 91,000 sq km land area: 89,150 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana

Birth rate

25.83 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

French Forces, Gendarmerie

Budget

revenues: $735 million expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)

Capital

Cayenne

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

378 km

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Death rate

4.67 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Digraph

FG

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas department of France)

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)

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Ethnic divisions

black or mulatto 66%, Caucasian 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%

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)

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

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

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

Highways

total: 680 km paved: 510 km unpaved: improved, unimproved earth 170 km

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)

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Infant mortality rate

15.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.1% (1987)

Inland waterways

460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft

International disputes

Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)

Irrigated land

NA sq km

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)

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%

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%

Location

Northern South America, bordering on the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname and Brazil

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 40,506; fit for military service 26,394

Map references

South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

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)

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $421 million (1986)

National product per capita

$4,390 (1986)

National product real growth rate

NA%

Nationality

noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese

Natural resources

bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish

Net migration rate

21.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

mostly an unsettled wilderness

defense is the responsibility of France

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.

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.)

Ports

Cayenne

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

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

Terrain

low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

Total fertility rate

3.5 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

overseas department of France

Unemployment rate

13% (1990)

US diplomatic representation

none (overseas department of France)