Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Switzerland (2006) - French Guiana (2006)

Compare Switzerland (2006) z French Guiana (2006)

 Switzerland (2006)French Guiana (2006)
 SwitzerlandFrench Guiana
Administrative divisions 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich none (overseas department of France)
Age structure 0-14 years: 16.3% (male 637,585/female 591,297)


15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,585,062/female 2,539,345)


65 years and over: 15.6% (male 480,198/female 690,447) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 28.9% (male 29,540/female 28,210)


15-64 years: 64.8% (male 69,302/female 59,980)


65 years and over: 6.3% (male 6,350/female 6,127) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Airports 65 (2006) 11 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 42


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 16 (2006)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 23


under 914 m: 23 (2006)
total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Area total: 41,290 sq km


land: 39,770 sq km


water: 1,520 sq km
total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey slightly smaller than Indiana
Background The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. 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 9.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 20.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $138.1 billion


expenditures: $143.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
revenues: $135.5 million


expenditures: $135.5 million; including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Capital name: Bern


geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
name: Cayenne


geographic coordinates: 4 56 N, 52 20 W


time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 378 km
Constitution revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name conventional long form: Swiss Confederation


conventional short form: Switzerland


local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)


local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian)
conventional long form: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
Death rate 8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $856 billion (30 June 2005) $800.3 million (2003)
Dependency status - overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY


embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11


FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER


chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900


FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco


consulate(s): Boston
none (overseas department of France)
Disputes - international none Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) -
Economic aid - recipient - $NA
Economy - overview Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003, with a small rise to 1.8% in 2004-05. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. 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.
Electricity - consumption 55.86 billion kWh (2003) 432.6 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 33.2 billion kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 30.1 billion kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 63.4 billion kWh (2003) 465.2 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m


highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity NA
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
-
Ethnic groups German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Exchange rates Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001) euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 8 January 2006); Vice President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 8 January 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 8 January 2006); Vice President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 8 January 2006)


cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term


elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held December 2006)


election results: Moritz LUENBERGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - NA; Micheline CALMY-REY elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - NA
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre LAFLAQUIERE (since 19 July 2006)


head of government: President of the General Council Pierre DESERT (since 26 March 2004); 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 10,420 bbl/day (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners Germany 19.4%, US 10.9%, Italy 9.1%, France 8.7%, UK 5.4%, Spain 4.1% (2005) France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag the flag of France is used
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.5%


industry: 34%


services: 64.5% (2003 est.)
agriculture: NA% 6.6%


industry: NA% 15.6%


services: NA% 77.8%
GDP - real growth rate 1.9% (2005 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 47 00 N, 8 00 E 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography - note landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Heliports 2 (2006) -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports 289,500 bbl/day (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners Germany 31.6%, Italy 10.5%, France 10%, US 5.6%, Netherlands 4.8%, Austria 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2005) France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2004)
Independence 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate 3% (2005 est.) NA%
Industries machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Infant mortality rate total: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 11.76 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 12.58 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.2% (2005 est.) 1% (2003)
International organization participation ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC UPU, WCL, WFTU
Irrigated land 250 sq km (2003) 20 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force 3.8 million (2005 est.) 62,630 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 4.6%


industry: 26.3%


services: 69.1% (1998)
agriculture: 18.2%


industry: 21.2%


services: 60.6% (1980)
Land boundaries total: 1,852 km


border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
total: 1,240.4 km


border countries: Brazil 730.4 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use arable land: 9.91%


permanent crops: 0.58%


other: 89.51% (2005)
arable land: 0.13%


permanent crops: 0.04%


other: 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other) (2005)
Languages German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)


note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national languages, but only the first three are official languages
French
Legal system civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations French legal system
Legislative branch bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - consists of two representatives from each canton and one from each half canton; members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held October 2007)


election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 14
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 in March 2000 (next to be held March 2006); Regional Council - last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2010)


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 - (second election results) percent of vote by party - PS 37.24%, UMP 31.58%, FDG/Walwari 31.18%; seats by party - PS 17, UMP 7, FDG/Walwari 7


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 in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.51 years


male: 77.69 years


female: 83.48 years (2006 est.)
total population: 77.27 years


male: 73.95 years


female: 80.75 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
Location Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references Europe South America
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 27 ships (1000 GRT or over) 492,434 GRT/810,559 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 10, chemical tanker 3, container 4, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 2 (Monaco 2)


registered in other countries: 320 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 2, Belize 1, Bermuda 2, Cyprus 4, France 2, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 1, Germany 1, Indonesia 3, Liberia 7, Malta 21, Marshall Islands 13, Mauritius 2, Morocco 1, Panama 226, Portugal 3, Russia 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Tonga 1, Turkey 1, UK 3, Vanuatu 2) (2006)
-
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe); Switzerland has no navy, but maintains a fleet of military patrol boats to patrol Swiss borders (2006) no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $2.548 billion (FY01) NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (FY01) NA
National holiday Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Swiss (singular and plural)


adjective: Swiss
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
Natural hazards avalanches, landslides, flash floods high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources hydropower potential, timber, salt bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay
Net migration rate 3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2006) -
Political parties and leaders Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Alix LABBE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Georges HABRAN-MERY]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Remi Louis DUBOC]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 7,523,934 (July 2006 est.) 199,509 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.43% (2006 est.) 1.96% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Railways total: 4,583 km


standard gauge: 3,234 km 1.435-m gauge (3,223 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 1,339 km 1.000-m gauge (1,338 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2005)
-
Religions Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census) Roman Catholic
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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 (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: excellent domestic and international services


domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks


international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system


international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 5.123 million (2005) 51,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6.847 million (2005) 98,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Total fertility rate 1.43 children born/woman (2006 est.) 2.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.8% (2005 est.) 19.2% (December 2003)
Waterways 65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003) 3,760 km


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2003)
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.