Long-form name:
Department of Guiana
Type:
overseas department of France
Capital:
Cayenne
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French legal system
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
French president, commissioner of the republic
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council
Judicial branch:
highest local court is the Court of Appeals based in Martinique with
jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:
Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Francois DICHIARA (since NA 1990)
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
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
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
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
Member of:
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation:
as an overseas department of France, the interests of French Guiana are
represented in the US by France
Flag:
the flag of France is used
:French Guiana Economy
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.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $186 million, per capita $2,240; real growth rate
NA% (1985)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (1987)
Unemployment rate:
15% (1987)
Budget:
revenues $735 million; expenditures $735 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (1987)
Exports:
$54.0 million (f.o.b., 1987)
commodities:
shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence
partners:
France 31%, US 22%, Japan 10% (1987)
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)
External debt:
$1.2 billion (1988)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
92,000 kW capacity; 185 million kWh produced, 1,821 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Agriculture:
some vegetables for local consumption; rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, bananas,
sugar; livestock - cattle, pigs, poultry
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$1.51 billion
Currency:
French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
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)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:French Guiana Communications
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
Civil air:
no major transport aircraft
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
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
:French Guiana Defense Forces
Branches:
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
males 15-49 37,467; 24,534 fit for military service
Note:
defense is the responsibility of France
:French Polynesia Geography
Total area:
3,941 km2
Land area:
3,660 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
2,525 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical, but moderate
Terrain:
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Natural resources:
timber, fish, cobalt
Land use:
arable land 1%; permanent crops 19%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and
woodland 31%; other 44%
Environment:
occasional cyclonic storm in January; includes five archipelagoes
Note:
Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands
in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Nauru
:French Polynesia People