| 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. GDP: purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1992)
Labor force: 58,800 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry
21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Unemployment rate: 21.4% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Electricity - production: 440 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
Agriculture - products: rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables,
bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Exports: $155 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports - commodities: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners: France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997)
Imports: $625 million (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports - commodities: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport
equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners: France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997)
Debt - external: $1.2 billion (1988)
Currency: French franc (FRF); euro (EUR)
SOURCE: The World Factbook |