Economy French Guiana
Economy - overview:
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.551 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% 6.6% industry: NA% 15.6% services: NA% 77.8%
Labor force: 62,630 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 18.2% industry: 21.2% services: 60.6% (1980)
Unemployment rate:
19.2% (December 2003)