Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Spratly Islands (2008) - French Guiana (2003)

Compare Spratly Islands (2008) z French Guiana (2003)

 Spratly Islands (2008)French Guiana (2003)
 Spratly IslandsFrench Guiana
Administrative divisions - none (overseas department of France)
Age structure - 0-14 years: 29.9% (male 28,565; female 27,280)


15-64 years: 64.4% (male 64,836; female 55,498)


65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,455; female 5,283) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products - corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Airports 3 (2007) 11 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Area total: less than 5 sq km


land: less than 5 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative NA slightly smaller than Indiana
Background The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim. 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.
Birth rate - 21.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget - revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Capital - Cayenne
Climate tropical tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 926 km 378 km
Constitution - 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Spratly Islands
conventional long form: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
Currency - euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Death rate - 4.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external - $1.2 billion (1988)
Dependency status - overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US - none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US - none (overseas department of France)
Disputes - international all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Economic aid - recipient - $NA
Economy - overview Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. The economy is tied closely to the 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.
Electricity - consumption - 423.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production - 455 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Environment - current issues NA NA
Ethnic groups - black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Exchange rates - Euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
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
Exports - NA (2001)
Exports - commodities - shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners - France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)
Fiscal year - calendar year
Flag description - the flag of France is used
GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.26 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - NA%
Geographic coordinates 8 38 N, 111 55 E 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography - note strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Heliports 3 (2007) -
Highways - total: 722 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports - NA (2001)
Imports - commodities - food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners - France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002)
Independence - none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate - NA%
Industries - construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Infant mortality rate - total: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.68 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 1.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation - FZ, WCL, WFTU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 0 sq km 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force - 58,800 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation - services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,183 km


border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
arable land: 0.11% NEGL


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.)
Languages - French
Legal system - French legal 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 NA 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
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 76.69 years


male: 73.36 years


female: 80.18 years (2003 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references Southeast Asia South America
Maritime claims NA exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - none (2002 est.)
Military - note Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches - no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA%
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 51,444 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 33,345 (2003 est.)
National holiday - Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality - noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
Natural hazards typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Net migration rate - 7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
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]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states
186,917 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - 2.4% (2003 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)
Railways - 0 km
Religions - Roman Catholic
Sex ratio - at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female


total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
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)
Telephones - main lines in use - 47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular - NA
Television broadcast stations - 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain flat low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Total fertility rate - 3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate - 22% (2001)
Waterways - 3,300 km navigable by native craft


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.