French Guiana (2001) | Niue (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas department of France) | none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order |
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 | coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle |
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: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Indiana | 1.5 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. | Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to about 2,100 in 2002) with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest. |
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 | Alofi |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds |
Coastline | 378 km | 64 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act) |
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: Niue former: Savage Island |
Currency | French franc (FRF); euro (EUR) | New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
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 | self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas department of France) | none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas department of France) | none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002) |
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. | The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 will be about $2.6 million. |
Electricity - consumption | 409.2 million kWh (1999) | 2.79 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 440 million kWh (1999) | 3 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10% | Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans) |
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) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.3535 (January 2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8629 (1998), 1.5082 (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); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2005) election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama HUNUKI (AI)30% |
Exports | $155 million (f.o.b., 1997) | $137,200 (1999) |
Exports - commodities | shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing | canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997) | NZ mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: 55% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | -0.3% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 4 00 N, 53 00 W | 19 02 S, 169 52 W |
Geography - note | mostly an unsettled wilderness | one of world's largest coral islands |
Highways | total:
1,817 km paved: 817 km unpaved: 1,000 km (1998) |
total: 234 km
paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (106 km of which is access and plantation road) (2001) |
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) | $2.38 million (1999) |
Imports - commodities | food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals | food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs |
Imports - partners | France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997) | NZ mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US |
Independence | none (overseas department of France) | on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining | tourism, handicrafts, food processing |
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) | 1% (1995) (1995) |
International organization participation | FZ, WCL, WFTU | ACP, ESCAP (associate), FAO, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, WHO, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 1 (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 of New Zealand; High Court of Niue |
Labor force | 58,800 (1997) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980) | most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board |
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: 19.23%
permanent crops: 7.69% other: 73.08% (1998 est.) |
Languages | French | Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English |
Legal system | French legal system | English common law
note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws |
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 Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives)
elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected |
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.) |
definition: NA
total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga |
Map references | South America | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic 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 New Zealand |
Military branches | French Forces, Gendarmerie | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force |
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) | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
Nationality | noun:
French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese |
noun: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean |
Natural hazards | high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding | typhoons |
Natural resources | bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish | fish, arable land |
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] | Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of Independents or AI [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 177,562 (July 2001 est.) | 2,134 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.74% (2001 est.) | 0.5% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni | none; offshore anchorage only |
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) | 0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic | Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist) |
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 | 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) |
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island
international: NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | 47,000 (1997) | 376 (1991) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 0 (1991) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains | steep limestone cliffs along coast, 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 |