Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and a unicameral
Regional Council
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
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,
FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3
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
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
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals (highest local court based in
Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French
Guiana)
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
Member of: FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US: none (overseas department of France)
US diplomatic representation: none (overseas department of 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 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 sugarcane - 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.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $800 million (1993 est.)