ARCHIVE // GF // 2006

French Guiana

2006 Edition — territory

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2006 CSV Excel Print All Years
Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.gf
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
106 (2006)
Internet users [time series]
38,000 (2005)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: NA domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
51,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
98,000 (2004)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Budget [time series]
revenues: $135.5 million expenditures: $135.5 million; including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Debt - external [time series]
$800.3 million (2003)
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
$NA
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
The economy is tied closely to the much larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. 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; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
432.6 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production [time series]
465.2 million kWh (2003)
Exchange rates [time series]
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Exports [time series]
$137.5 million f.o.b. (2003)
Exports - commodities [time series]
shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners [time series]
France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2004)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
NA
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$1.551 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: NA% 6.6% industry: NA% 15.6% services: NA% 77.8%
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$8,300 (2003 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners [time series]
France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2004)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
1% (2003)
Labor force [time series]
62,630 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 18.2% industry: 21.2% services: 60.6% (1980)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption [time series]
6,600 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports [time series]
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports [time series]
NA bbl/day
Oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
19.2% (December 2003)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 91,000 sq km land: 89,150 sq km water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than Indiana
Climate [time series]
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline [time series]
378 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography - note [time series]
mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Irrigated land [time series]
20 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 1,240.4 km border countries: Brazil 730.4 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0.13% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other) (2005)
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]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources [time series]
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay
Terrain [time series]
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Capital [time series]
name: Cayenne geographic coordinates: 4 56 N, 52 20 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane
Dependency status [time series]
overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre LAFLAQUIERE (since 19 July 2006) head of government: President of the General Council Pierre DESERT (since 26 March 2004); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
the flag of France is used
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (overseas department of France)
International organization participation [time series]
UPU, WCL, WFTU
Judicial branch [time series]
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (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 or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held in March 2000 (next to be held March 2006); Regional Council - last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2010) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - (second election results) percent of vote by party - PS 37.24%, UMP 31.58%, FDG/Walwari 31.18%; seats by party - PS 17, UMP 7, FDG/Walwari 7 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
National holiday [time series]
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Alix LABBE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Georges HABRAN-MERY]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Remi Louis DUBOC]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
NA
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 18-49: 47,809 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 18-49: 38,676 (2005 est.)
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]
NA
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 28.9% (male 29,540/female 28,210) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 69,302/female 59,980) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 6,350/female 6,127) (2006 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
20.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate [time series]
4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 11.76 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Languages [time series]
French
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 77.27 years male: 73.95 years female: 80.75 years (2006 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 28.6 years male: 29.6 years female: 27.4 years (2006 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese
Net migration rate [time series]
4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Population [time series]
199,509 (July 2006 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
1.96% (2006 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: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana
Illicit drugs [time series]
small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Transportation
Airports [time series]
11 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Degrad des Cannes
Roadways [time series]
total: 817 km (1998)
Waterways [time series]
3,760 km note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2003)