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French Guiana
Area: 83 534 sq km
Population: 281 612 inhab. (estimate 2018)
Density: 3.37 inhab./sq km
Coordinates: lat. 6° - 2° N; long. 55° - 52° W
Capital: Cayenne (chief town) 57 614 inhab. (2015); Cayenne 131 922 inhab. (2015), urban agglomeration
Currency: euro (100 cents)
French Guiana
Useful informationGMT -3
DST not applied
Annual average temperature (°C) Cayenne 26.2
Average temperature in January/July (°C) Cayenne 26/26
Daily sunshine hours in June/December (average) Cayenne 6/6
Annual average precipitation (mm) Cayenne 2685
Days of rainfall (annual average) Cayenne 169
Politics and current affairsA unique overseas territorial collectivity, since 2015 it has been administrated by the Assembly of Guiana, which has united the jurisdiction of the General and Regional Council, and consists of 51 members, elected by direct suffrage for a six-year term. Central government is represented by a Prefect. The department sends two deputies and two senators to the French Parliament in Paris. The infamous penal colony of “Devil’s Island” was closed in 1946. Some political groups are fighting for greater independence.
Geography.
French Guiana is bordered by Suriname to the west, Brazil to the east and south; the Atlantic Ocean lies off its north and north-eastern coast. The coast is fringed with mangrove swamps, while inland there is a plateau covered with thick forest.
Administrative division
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cayenne | 57 614 | inhab. | 2015 |
| Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni | 43 600 | inhab. | 2015 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cayenne | 131 922 | inhab. | 2015 |
Population
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth rate | 26.9 | ‰ | 2016 |
| Death rate | 3.3 | ‰ | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 76.9 | % | 2010 |
| other religions | 12.2 | % | 2010 |
| DESCRIPTION |
|---|
| French (official) |
| French Creole |
Economy
Economy.
The forests produce a great deal of timber of different kinds, as well as oils, essences and resins. The main crops are rice, cassava and sugar cane.
The expansion of the European Space Agency (ESA) base at Kourou has had a positive effect on the local economy.
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural prod. index (2004-06=100) | 126.57 | index | 2016 |
| GDP | 1 308 | M US$ | 2001 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 23.2 | % | 2016 |
| Unemployment rate, Females | 51.6 | % | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| agriculture | 11.7 | % | 2014 |
| industry and services | 88.3 | % | 2014 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| agriculture | 3.9 | % | 2013 |
| industry | 16.9 | % | 2013 |
Agriculture
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| arable land | 0.23 | % | 2015 |
| forests | 98.91 | % | 2015 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cereals, total | 10.884 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| maize | 3.108 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cassava | 25.712 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| roots and tubers, total | 29.789 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cabbages | 5.398 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| cucumbers | 1.139 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| beans, green | 0.342 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| coconuts | 0.281 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| sugar cane | 6.095 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| fruits, total | 35.661 | 1000 t | 2014 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| citrus fruits | 4.348 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| citrus fruits, nes | 0 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| avocados | 2.199 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| bananas | 9.095 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| maize | 0.312 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| rice | 1.659 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cassava | 5.142 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| taro | 1.251 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cabbages | 0.31 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| cucumbers | 0.159 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| beans, green | 0.031 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| coconuts | 0.082 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| sugar cane | 0.104 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| citrus fruits | 1.338 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| citrus fruits, nes | 0 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| avocados | 0.06 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
| bananas | 0.835 | 1000 ha | 2016 |
Forests-Livestock-Fishing
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| timber | 239 320 | m³ | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cattle | 18.945 | 1000 heads | 2016 |
| cattle and buffaloes | 18.945 | 1000 heads | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| pigs | 4.634 | 1000 heads | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| sheep | 1.315 | 1000 heads | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| goats | 2.43 | 1000 heads | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| equines, total | 0.95 | 1000 heads | 2016 |
| horses | 0.95 | 1000 heads | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| birds | 138 | 1000 heads | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| eggs | 0.68 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| hides and skins | 0.049 | 1000 t | 2013 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| crustaceans and molluscs | 700 | t | 2016 |
| freshwater fishes | 48 | t | 2016 |
Minerals
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| columbite-tantalite | 1.5 | t | 2013 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| gold | 1 500 | kg | 2015 |
Energy
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| - hydro | 490 | M kWh | 2015 |
| - thermal | 340 | M kWh | 2015 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| - thermal | 140 | 1000 kW | 2015 |
| - hydro | 119 | 1000 kW | 2015 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| total net generation | 830 | M kWh | 2015 |
| total installed capacity | 300 | 1000 kW | 2015 |
Industry
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| rum | 3.786 | 1000 hl | 2004 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cement | 83.4 | 1000 t | 2015 |
Tourism
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of arrivals | 83 000 | units | 2009 |
| Receipts | 49 | M US$ | 2007 |
Social and welfare
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital beds | 4.9 | per 1000 pop. | 2003 |
| Physicians | 1.9 | per 1000 pop. | 2003 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaria | 258 | cases | 2016 |
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol consumption per capita | 10.8 | litres | 2009 |
| CO2 emissions | 0.852 | M t | 2015 |
