Background: 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.

Map reference: South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: total area: 91,000 km²; land:89,150 km²

Land boundaries: total 1,183 km, 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

Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish

Land use: arable land:0%; permanent crops:0%; meadows and pastures:0%; forest and woodland:82%; other:18%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of France

Population: 139,299 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 4.27% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:French Guianese (singular and plural)

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, Caucasian 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%

Languages: French

Religions: Roman Catholic

Population growth rate: 4.27% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 25.83 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 4.67 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 21.54 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements: NA

Infant mortality rate: 15.9 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population:75.2 years; male:71.93 years; female:78.63 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1982); total population:82%; male:81%; female:83%

Country name: conventional long form: Department of Guiana; conventional short form: local long form: none; local short form; Guyane

Government type: overseas department of France

Capital: Cayenne

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: 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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state:President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); head of government:Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA 1992); President of the General Council Elie CASTOR (since NA); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (22 March 1993)

Legislative branch: French Forces, Gendarmerie

Judicial branch: Court of Appeals (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)

International organization participation: FZ, WCL

Flag description: the flag of France is used

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 sugar cane - 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 growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $4,390 (1986)

Agriculture products: some vegetables for local consumption; rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, bananas, sugar; livestock - cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 23,265
By occupation services government and commerce: 60.6%
By occupation industry: 21.2%
By occupation agriculture: 18.2% (1980)

Unemployment rate: 13% (1990)

Budget: revenues:$735 million

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $59 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence
Partners: France 52%, Spain 15%, US 5% (1992)

Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
Commodities: food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods, petroleum
Partners: France 77%, Germany 11%, US 5% (1992)

Debt external: $1.2 billion (1988)

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.9205 (January 1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990), 6.3801 (1989)

Electricity
Capacity: 92,000 kW
Production: 185 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 1,450 kWh (1992)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $N/A, NA% of GDP

Airports: total:10; usable:10; with permanent-surface runways:4; with runways over 3,659 m:0; with runways 2,440-3,659 m:1; with runways 1,220-2,439 m:1

Waterways: 460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft

Disputes international: Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)