Statistical information French Guiana 1997

French Guiana in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map reference:
South AmericaAreaTotal: total:91,000 km²; land:89,150 km²; water:1,850 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total:1,183 km; border countries:Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline: 378 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone:200 nm; territorial sea:12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
ElevationExtremes: lowest point:Atlantic Ocean 0 m; highest point:Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Land use: arable land:0%; permanent crops:0%; permanent pastures:0%; forests and woodland:83%; other:17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
GeographyNote: mostly an unsettled wilderness
top of pagePopulation: 156,946 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 3.62% (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun:French Guianese (singular and plural); adjective:French Guianese
Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Languages: French
Religions: Roman Catholic
Demographic profileAge structure: 0-14 years:32% (male 25,267; female 24,146); 15-64 years:63% (male 54,051; female 45,489); 65 years and over:5% (male 4,014; female 3,979) (July 1997 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.62% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 24.19 births/1000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.56 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 16.57 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: NA
Air pollutantsSex ratio: 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:1.01 male(s)/female; total population:1.13 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 14 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population:76.06 years; male:72.84 years; female:79.45 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.38 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: definition:age 15 and over can read and write; total population:83%; male:84%; female:82% (1982 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Department of Guiana; conventional short form: French Guiana; local long form: none; local short form: Guyane
Government type: NA
Capital: Cayenne
Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)
Dependent areasIndependence: none (overseas department of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state:President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Pierre DARTOUT (since NA); head of government:President of the General Council Stephan PHINERA (since NA March 1994); cabinet:NA; elections:representative of the French Government appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils, who vote on party lines
Legislative branch: 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 NA March 1994 (next to be held NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held NA 1998); election results:General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 8, FDP 4, RPR 1, other left 2, other right 2, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 16, FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3; note:one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDG 1; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, independent (left) 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representationIn the us: none (overseas department of France)
From the us: none (overseas department of France)
Flag description
: the flag of France is used
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1993 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, vegetables, bananas, sugar; cattle, pigs, poultry
Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: total:46,300 (1993); by occupation:services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Unemployment rate: 24.1% (1993 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues:$180 million; expenditures:$350 million, including capital expenditures of $95 million (1994)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$80 million (f.o.b., 1994); commodities:shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence; partners:France 52%, Spain 15%, US 5% (1992)
Imports: total value:$610 million (c.i.f., 1994); commodities:food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods, petroleum; partners:France 77%, Germany 11%, US 5% (1992)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1.2 billion (1988)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.4169 (January 1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 228,000 kW (1995)
Production: 185 million kWh (1993 est.)
Consumption per capita: NA kWh
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 31,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: domestic:fair open wire and microwave radio relay system; international:satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $N/A
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 10 (1996 est.)
With paved runways: total:7; over 3,047 m:1; 914 to 1,523 m:2; under 914 m:4 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways: total:3; 914 to 1,523 m:3 (1996 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km (1995)
RoadwaysWaterways: 460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft
Merchant marine: none
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe