French Guiana (2001) | Isle of Man (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas department of France) | none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections |
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: 17.1% (male 6,645/female 6,330)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 25,085/female 24,840) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,232/female 7,699) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry | cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry |
Airports | 11 (2000 est.) | 1 (2007) |
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 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
91,000 sq km land: 89,150 sq km water: 1,850 sq km |
total: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Indiana | slightly more than three 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. | Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. |
Birth rate | 22.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$225 million expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996) |
revenues: $965 million
expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.) |
Capital | Cayenne | name: Douglas
geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 29 W time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation | temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time |
Coastline | 378 km | 160 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution |
Country name | conventional long form:
Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man abbreviation: I.O.M. |
Currency | French franc (FRF); euro (EUR) | - |
Death rate | 4.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 11.1 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.2 billion (1988) | $NA |
Dependency status | overseas department of France | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas department of France) | none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas department of France) | none (British crown dependency) |
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. | Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets. |
Electricity - consumption | 409.2 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 440 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m |
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution |
Ethnic groups | black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10% | Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons |
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) | Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)
note: the Manx pound is at par with the British pound |
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: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the chief minister is elected by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief minister by the Tynwald |
Exports | $155 million (f.o.b., 1997) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing | tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb |
Exports - partners | France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997) | UK (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 5.2% (2005) |
Geographic coordinates | 4 00 N, 53 00 W | 54 15 N, 4 30 W |
Geography - note | mostly an unsettled wilderness | one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary |
Highways | total:
1,817 km paved: 817 km unpaved: 1,000 km (1998) |
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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 | timber, fertilizers, fish |
Imports - partners | France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997) | UK (2006) |
Independence | none (overseas department of France) | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.2% (FY96/97) |
Industries | construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining | financial services, light manufacturing, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (1992) | 3.1% (December 2006 est.) |
International organization participation | FZ, WCL, WFTU | UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1993 est.) | 0 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) | High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor) |
Labor force | 58,800 (1997) | 39,690 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980) | agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% (2001) |
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: 9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002) |
Languages | French | English, Manx Gaelic |
Legal system | French legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and Manx statutes |
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 |
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (11 seats; members composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 23 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2011) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1, independents 21 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
76.3 years male: 72.97 years female: 79.79 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 78.64 years
male: 75.3 years female: 82.17 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname | Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland |
Map references | South America | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | total: 297 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,377,775 GRT/13,890,881 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 65, chemical tanker 54, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, liquefied gas 34, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 210 (Cyprus 4, Denmark 41, France 2, Germany 61, Greece 48, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Japan 4, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 33, Singapore 2, Sweden 3, Turkey 2, US 4) (2007) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
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.) |
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National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Tynwald Day, 5 July |
Nationality | noun:
French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese |
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx |
Natural hazards | high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding | NA |
Natural resources | bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish | none |
Net migration rate | 10.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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] | Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter KARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin) [Bernard MOFFATT]
note: most members sit as independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 177,562 (July 2001 est.) | 75,831 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.74% (2001 est.) | 0.513% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni | - |
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) | - |
Railways | 0 km (1995) | total: 65 km
standard gauge: 7 km 1.067-m gauge (7 km electrified) narrow gauge: 58 km 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006) |
Religions | Roman Catholic | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.951 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 16 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: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 47,000 (1997) | 51,000 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) | 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999) |
Terrain | low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains | hills in north and south bisected by central valley |
Total fertility rate | 3.17 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.65 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 21.4% (1998) | 1.5% (December 2006 est.) |
Waterways | 3,300 km navigable by native craft
note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers |
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