ARCHIVE // GF // 1994

French Guiana

1994 Edition — territory

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Communications
Airports [time series]
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
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 680 km paved: 510 km unpaved: improved, unimproved earth 170 km
Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]
460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft
Ports [time series]
Cayenne
Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]
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
Affiliation [time series]
(overseas territory of France)
Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]
$NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability [time series]
males age 15-49 40,506; fit for military service 26,394
Note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
some vegetables for local consumption; rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, bananas, sugar; livestock - cattle, pigs, poultry
Budget [time series]
revenues: $735 million expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.51 billion
Electricity [time series]
capacity: 92,000 kW production: 185 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,450 kWh (1992)
Exchange rates [time series]
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 [time series]
$59 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence partners: France 52%, Spain 15%, US 5% (1992)
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$1.2 billion (1988)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Imports [time series]
$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 (Industrial production) [time series]
growth rate NA%
Industries [time series]
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
4.1% (1987)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $421 million (1986)
Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]
$4,390 (1986)
Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]
NA%
Economic overview (Overview) [time series]
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 [time series]
13% (1990)
Geography
Area [time series]
total area: 91,000 sq km land area: 89,150 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana
Climate [time series]
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline [time series]
378 km
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
total 1,183 km, Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 82% other: 18%
Location [time series]
Northern South America, bordering on the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname and Brazil
Map references [time series]
South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources [time series]
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Note [time series]
mostly an unsettled wilderness
Terrain [time series]
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
People
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Birth rate [time series]
25.83 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Capital [time series]
Cayenne
Constitution [time series]
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Death rate [time series]
4.67 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Digraph [time series]
FG
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
black or mulatto 66%, Caucasian 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Executive branch [time series]
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 [time series]
the flag of France is used
Legislative branch (French National Assembly) [time series]
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
Legislative branch (French Senate) [time series]
elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PSG 1
Legislative branch (General Council) [time series]
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 [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
15.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Judicial branch [time series]
Court of Appeals (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force [time series]
23,265 by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Languages [time series]
French
Legal system [time series]
French legal system
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 75.2 years male: 71.93 years female: 78.63 years (1994 est.)
Literacy [time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1982) total population: 82% male: 81% female: 83%
International organization participation (Member of) [time series]
FZ, WCL
Country name (Names) [time series]
conventional long form: Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane
National holiday [time series]
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Nationality [time series]
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese
Net migration rate [time series]
21.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
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 [time series]
139,299 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
4.27% (1994 est.)
Legislative branch (Regional Council) [time series]
elections last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (31 total) PSG 16
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.5 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Government type (Type) [time series]
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]
none (overseas department of France)