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Compare French Guiana (2005) - Venezuela (2007)

Compare French Guiana (2005) z Venezuela (2007)

 French Guiana (2005)Venezuela (2007)
 French GuianaVenezuela
Administrative divisions none (overseas department of France) 23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia


note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands
Age structure 0-14 years: 29.3% (male 29,262/female 27,947)


15-64 years: 64.7% (male 67,895/female 58,534)


65 years and over: 6.1% (male 6,038/female 5,830) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 31.6% (male 4,169,979/female 4,046,170)


15-64 years: 63.4% (male 8,120,661/female 8,369,065)


65 years and over: 5.1% (male 586,863/female 730,790) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports 11 (2004 est.) 390 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 128


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 10


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 61


under 914 m: 18 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
total: 262


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 97


under 914 m: 149 (2007)
Area total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
total: 912,050 sq km


land: 882,050 sq km


water: 30,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Indiana slightly more than twice the size of California
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. Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, has promoted a controversial policy of "democratic socialism," which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization and undermining regional stability. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.
Birth rate 20.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 21.22 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
revenues: $54.65 billion


expenditures: $54.61 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Cayenne name: Caracas


geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Coastline 378 km 2,800 km
Constitution 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) 30 December 1999
Country name conventional long form: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela


conventional short form: Venezuela


local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela


local short form: Venezuela
Death rate 4.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $1.2 billion (1988) $41.4 billion (2006 est.)
Dependency status overseas department of France -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas department of France) chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD


embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080


mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037


telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411


FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas department of France) chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera


chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007


telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214


FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; in 2006, an estimated 139,000 Colombians sought protection in 150 communities along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's full effect claim
Economic aid - recipient NA $48.66 million (2005)
Economy - overview The economy is tied closely to the much 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. Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for roughly 90% of export earnings, more than 50% of the federal budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. Tax collection - Venezuela's primary source of non-oil revenue - is expected to surpass $23 billion in 2006, exceeding the yearend collection goal by more than 20%. A nationwide strike between December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic consequences - real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003 - but economic output since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by higher oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP growth in 2004 and 2005 to approximately 18% and 11%, respectively. Economic growth in 2006 reached about 9%. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has fueled a consumption boom - car sales in 2006 increased by around 70% - but has come at the cost of higher inflation. Despite government attempts to withdraw liquidity from the economy, Venezuela's money supply set a record in June 2006, approximately 70% higher than the previous year. Imports have also jumped significantly.
Electricity - consumption 427.9 million kWh (2002) 73.36 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 460.1 million kWh (2002) 99.2 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
Environment - current issues NA sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations
Environment - international agreements - party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10% Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people
Exchange rates Euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) bolivares per US dollar - 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)


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


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
chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2012)


note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of this constitution


election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%
Exports NA 2.293 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
Exports - partners France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001) US 46.3%, Netherlands Antilles 13.5%, China 3.2% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description the flag of France is used three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 3.7%


industry: 40.5%


services: 55.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2003 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate NA% 10.3% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 4 00 N, 53 00 W 8 00 N, 66 00 W
Geography - note mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall
Heliports - 2 (2007)
Highways total: 817 km (1998) -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 0.7%


highest 10%: 35.2% (2003)
Illicit drugs small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border
Imports NA NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials
Imports - partners France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.) US 30.6%, Colombia 10.2%, Brazil 10.1%, Mexico 5.9%, China 4.9%, Panama 4.8% (2006)
Independence none (overseas department of France) 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 7% (2006 est.)
Industries construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles; iron ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly
Infant mortality rate total: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 12.91 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 22.52 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 26.14 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2002 est.) 13.7% (2006 est.)
International organization participation UPU, WCL, WFTU CAN, Caricom (observer), CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 20 sq km (1998 est.) 5,750 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana) Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)
Labor force 58,800 (1997) 12.19 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980) agriculture: 13%


industry: 23%


services: 64% (1997 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,183 km


border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
total: 4,993 km


border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
Land use arable land: 0.14%


permanent crops: 0.05%


other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)
arable land: 2.85%


permanent crops: 0.88%


other: 96.27% (2005)
Languages French Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Legal system French legal system open, adversarial court system
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 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
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)


elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), opposition 0
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.09 years


male: 73.77 years


female: 80.58 years (2005 est.)
total population: 73.28 years


male: 70.24 years


female: 76.48 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 93%


male: 93.3%


female: 92.7% (2001 census)
Location Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Map references South America South America
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 15 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine registered in other countries: 3 total: 59 ships (1000 GRT or over) 808,721 GRT/1,285,783 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 14, chemical tanker 3, container 1, liquefied gas 6, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 1


foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 3, Greece 3, Mexico 3, Panama 1, Russia 1, Spain 1)


registered in other countries: 11 (Bahamas 1, Panama 10) (2007)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular military forces; Gendarmerie National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN): Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada; includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 1.2% (2005 est.)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Nationality noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
noun: Venezuelan(s)


adjective: Venezuelan
Natural hazards high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
Natural resources bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower, diamonds
Net migration rate 5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - extra heavy crude oil 992 km; gas 5,369 km; oil 7,607 km; refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2006)
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]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON] A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or COPEI [Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fatherland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action)
Population 195,506 (July 2005 est.) 26,023,528 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 37.9% (end 2005 est.)
Population growth rate 2.1% (2005 est.) 1.486% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Degrad des Cannes -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998) AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)
Railways - total: 682 km


standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Religions Roman Catholic nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female


total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.031 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.803 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: modern and expanding


domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services


international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network
Telephones - main lines in use 51,000 (2001) 4.217 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 138,200 (2002) 18.79 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Total fertility rate 3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.55 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 22% (2001) 8.9% (2006 est.)
Waterways 3,760 km


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)
7,100 km


note: Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels (2005)
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