French Guiana (2001) | Christmas Island (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas department of France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
30.47% (male 27,669; female 26,428) 15-64 years: 64.05% (male 61,457; female 52,266) 65 years and over: 5.48% (male 4,937; female 4,805) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry | NA |
Airports | 11 (2000 est.) | 1 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
91,000 sq km land: 89,150 sq km water: 1,850 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Indiana | about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | 22.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA births/1,000 population |
Budget | revenues:
$225 million expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
Capital | Cayenne | The Settlement |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation | tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 378 km | 80 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | NA |
Country name | conventional long form:
Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | French franc (FRF); euro (EUR) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 4.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | $1.2 billion (1988) | $NA |
Dependency status | overseas department of France | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas department of France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas department of France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $NA |
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. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry which 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. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. |
Electricity - consumption | 409.2 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 440 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10% | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | Euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since NA January 1997) head of government: President of the General Council Andre LECANTE (since NA March 1998); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $155 million (f.o.b., 1997) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing | phosphate |
Exports - partners | France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997) | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $NA |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 4 00 N, 53 00 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | mostly an unsettled wilderness | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | total:
1,817 km paved: 817 km unpaved: 1,000 km (1998) |
total: 140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry)
paved: 30 km unpaved: 110 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe | - |
Imports | $625 million (c.i.f., 1997) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997) | principally Australia |
Independence | none (overseas department of France) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 live births |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (1992) | NA% |
International organization participation | FZ, WCL, WFTU | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana) | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 58,800 (1997) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980) | tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) |
Land boundaries | total:
1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 90% other: 10% (1996 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.) |
Languages | French | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | French legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
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 - NA; 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 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, PSG 1 |
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)
elections: last held NA December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
76.3 years male: 72.97 years female: 79.79 years (2001 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.) |
NA |
Location | Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | South America | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Military branches | French Forces, Gendarmerie | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
49,495 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
32,052 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | NA |
Nationality | noun:
French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | 10.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | Guianese Socialist Party or PSG [Antoine KARAM]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE] (may be a subset of PSG); Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 177,562 (July 2001 est.) | 474 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.74% (2001 est.) | -9% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 104,000 (1997) | 1,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km (1995) | 24 km to serve phosphate mines |
Religions | Roman Catholic | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 47,000 (1997) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) | NA |
Terrain | low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 3.17 children born/woman (2001 est.) | NA children born/woman |
Unemployment rate | 21.4% (1998) | NA% |
Waterways | 3,300 km navigable by native craft
note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers |
none |