ARCHIVE // GF // 1996
French Guiana
1996 Edition — territory
Communications
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures
(Defense expenditures)
[time series]
$NA, NA% of GDP
Military - note
(Defense note)
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
Manpower availability
[time series]
males age 15-49: 43,412 males fit for military service: 28,171 (1996 est.)
Broadcast media
(Radio broadcast stations)
[time series]
AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0
Radios
[time series]
79,000 (1992 est.)
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines
(Telephones)
[time series]
31,000 (1990 est.)
Broadcast media
(Television broadcast stations)
[time series]
9
Televisions
[time series]
22,000 (1992 est.) Defense
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, vegetables, bananas, sugar; cattle, pigs, poultry
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $133 million expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
[time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA
Economic 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 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.
Electricity
[time series]
capacity: 180,000 kW production: 450 million kWh consumption per capita: 3,149 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
[time series]
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)
Exports
[time series]
$110 million (f.o.b., 1993) 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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP)
[time series]
purchasing power parity - $800 million (1993 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
(GDP composition by sector)
[time series]
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Real GDP per capita
(GDP per capita)
[time series]
$6,000 (1993 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP real growth rate)
[time series]
NA%
Illicit drugs
[time series]
small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports
[time series]
$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)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
NA%
Industries
[time series]
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
2.5% (1992)
Labor force
[time series]
36,597 (1993) by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
24.1% (1993 est.)
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: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding international agreements: NA
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography - note
(Geographic note)
[time series]
mostly an unsettled wilderness
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 border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: NEGL% meadows and pastures: NEGL% forest and woodland: 88% other: 12% (1992)
Location
[time series]
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references
[time series]
South America
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
Terrain
[time series]
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Capital
[time series]
Cayenne
Constitution
[time series]
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Data code
[time series]
FG
Diplomatic representation in the US
(Diplomatic representation in US)
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Executive branch
[time series]
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)
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 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
Independence
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation
[time series]
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Judicial branch
[time series]
Court of Appeals (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Legal system
[time series]
French legal system
Legislative branch
[time series]
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council
Country name
(Name of country)
[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)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
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
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, FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Government type
(Type of government)
[time series]
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
(US diplomatic representation)
[time series]
none (overseas department of France)
People
Age structure
[time series]
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.)
Birth rate
[time series]
24.68 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
4.59 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Ethnic groups
(Ethnic divisions)
[time series]
black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
14.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Languages
[time series]
French
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 75.79 years male: 72.55 years female: 79.19 years (1996 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.) total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82%
Nationality
[time series]
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese
Net migration rate
[time series]
18.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Population
[time series]
151,187 (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
3.86% (1996 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic
Sex ratio
[time series]
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.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
3.42 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
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.)
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
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
[time series]
none
Ports
[time series]
Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Railways
[time series]
0 km (1995)
Waterways
[time series]
460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft