NA
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%
Religions:
Roman Catholic
Languages:
French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82% (1982 est.)
Government French Guiana
Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local short form: Guyane
local long form: none
Dependency status:
overseas department of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Cayenne
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)
Independence:
none (overseas department of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet: NA
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 2000 (next to be
held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,
other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
(next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
1, Walwari Committee 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 leaders:
Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese
Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic
Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or
PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland
HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari
Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
FZ, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy French Guiana
Economy - overview:
The economy is tied closely to the 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 - $2.26 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2002 est.)