Environment - current issues:some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrialand vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-VolatileOrganic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of theSea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:largest West European nation
People France
Population:60,424,213 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18.5% (male 5,724,185; female 5,446,716)15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,698,497; female 19,663,776)65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,049,970; female 5,841,069) (2004est.)
Median age: total: 38.6 years male: 37 years female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.39% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:12.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.44 yearsmale: 75.8 yearsfemale: 83.27 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:120,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)adjective: French
Ethnic groups:Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,Basque minorities
Religions:Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,unaffiliated 4%
Languages:French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (1980 est.)
Government France
Country name:conventional long form: French Republicconventional short form: Francelocal long form: Republique Francaiselocal short form: France
Government type:republic
Capital:Paris
Administrative divisions:22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpesnote: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdividedinto 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseasdepartments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and theoverseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre andMiquelon)
Dependent areas:Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, FrenchPolynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis andFutunanote: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence:486 (unified by Clovis)
National holiday:Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in1962, amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC MaastrichtTreaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended totighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change theseven-year presidential term to a five-year term
Legal system:civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrativebut not legislative acts
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May2002)elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007,second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the NationalAssembly majority and appointed by the presidentelection results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent ofvote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN(FN) 18.04%cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on thesuggestion of the prime minister
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat(321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseasdepartments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to servenine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -between now and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for atotal of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseasdepartments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierreand Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for Frenchnationals abroad; members will be indirectly elected by an electoralcollege to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats beingrenewed every three years; and the National Assembly or AssembleeNationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under asingle-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; NationalAssembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355,PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be heldSeptember 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (nextto be held not later than June 2007)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointedby the president from nominations of the High Council of theJudiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (threemembers appointed by the president, three appointed by the presidentof the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president ofthe Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Political parties and leaders:Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD. and PRG)[Jacques PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-GeorgeBUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical SocialistParty or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-MichelBAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Rallyfor France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [FrancoisHOLLANDE]; Greens [Gilles LEMAIRE, Francine BAVAY, Jean DESESSARD,Christophe PORQUIER, Maud LELIEVRE]; Union for French Democracy orUDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP(including RPR, DL, and a part of UDF) [Nicolas SARKOZY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale duTravail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique duTravail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - ForceOuvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collarunion (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) orMEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC(observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5,G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNSecurity Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB(nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTEchancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, LosAngeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Franciscotelephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACHembassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris Cedex 08mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red;known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin ofthe flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/orcolors are similar to a number of other flags, including those ofBelgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands;the official flag for all French dependent areas
Economy France
Economy - overview:France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do moderneconomy that has featured extensive government ownership andintervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. TheSocialist-led government partially or fully privatized many largecompanies, banks, and insurers, but the government retainscontrolling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France,France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is dominant in somesectors, particularly power, public transport, and defenseindustries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being openedto competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism inwhich they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies,and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact offree markets on public health and welfare. The current governmenthas lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boostemployment. The government is focusing on the problems of the highcost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government isalso pushing for pension reforms and simplification ofadministrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highestin Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The current economic slowdown andinflexible budget items have pushed the 2003 deficit to 4% of GDP,above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listlessbecause of low rates of capital utilization, sluggish demand, highdebt, and the steep cost of capital.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $1.661 trillion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:0.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 24.4% services: 72.9% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.2% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:6.5% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:32.7 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.1% (2003 est.)
Labor force:27.39 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999)
Unemployment rate:9.7% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $882.8 billionexpenditures: $955.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $23billion (2003 est.)
Public debt:68.8% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairyproducts; fish
Industries:machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate:-0.3% (2003)
Electricity - production:520.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:415.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:72.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:4.2 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:409,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:2.281 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$13.8 billion (2003)
Exports:$346.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners:Germany 14.9%, Spain 9.6%, UK 9.4%, Italy 9.3%, Belgium 7.2%, US6.8% (2003)
Imports:$339.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,chemicals
Imports - partners:Germany 19.1%, Belgium 9.4%, Italy 9%, Spain 7.4%, Netherlands 7%,UK 7%, US 5.4% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$70.76 billion (2003)
Debt - external:NA
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)
Currency:euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions ofmember countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications France
Telephones - main lines in use:33,905,400 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:41,683,100 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: highly developeddomestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensiveintroduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite systeminternational: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 forAtlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HFradiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
Radio broadcast stations:AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includesmany repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:55.3 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:34.8 million (1997)
Internet country code:.fr
Internet hosts:2,396,761 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):62 (2000)
Internet users:21.9 million (2003)
Transportation France
Railways:total: 32,175 kmstandard gauge: 32,008 km 1.435-m gauge (14,320 km electrified)narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Highways:total: 894,000 kmpaved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Waterways:8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000)
Pipelines:gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, LeHavre, Lyon, Marseille, Mulhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, SaintNazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg (2003)
Merchant marine:total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWTby type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 2, liquefied gas 4,passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2,short-sea/passenger 4registered in other countries: 118 (2004 est.)foreign-owned: Germany 1, Monaco 2, New Caledonia 1, Sweden 5
Airports:477 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 283 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 95
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 195 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)
Military France
Military branches:Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy(including naval air), Air Force (including Air Defense), NationalGendarmerie
Military manpower - military age and obligation:17 years of age with consent for voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 14,487,165 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 12,044,827 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 394,413 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$45,238.1 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.6% (2003)
Transnational Issues France
Disputes - international:Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claimsTromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and FrenchGuiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew andHunter Islands, east of New Caledonia, claimed by France and Vanuatu
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine,Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@French Guiana
Introduction French Guiana
Background:First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site ofnotorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agencylaunches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Geography French Guiana
Location:Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenBrazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates:4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 91,000 sq kmwater: 1,850 sq kmland: 89,150 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline: 378 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources:bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish,niobium, tantalum, clay
Land use: arable land: 0.14% permanent crops: 0.05% other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)
Irrigated land:20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion ofthe South American continent
People French Guiana
Population:191,309 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 29.6% (male 28,959; female 27,657)15-64 years: 64.5% (male 66,388; female 57,020)65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,736; female 5,549) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 28.3 yearsmale: 29.4 yearsfemale: 27.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.25% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:4.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 12.46 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.89 yearsmale: 73.57 yearsfemale: 80.38 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)adjective: French Guianese
Ethnic groups:black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian12%, other 10%
Religions:Roman Catholic
Languages:French
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 83%male: 84%female: 82% (1982 est.)
Government French Guiana
Country name:conventional long form: Department of Guianaconventional short form: French Guianalocal short form: Guyanelocal long form: none
Dependency status:overseas department of France
Government type:NA
Capital:Cayenne
Administrative divisions:none (overseas department of France)
Independence:none (overseas department of France)
National holiday:Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:French legal system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-yearterm; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of theFrench Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and RegionalCouncils are appointed by the members of those councilshead of government: President of the General Council JosephHO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional CouncilAntoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; membersare elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and aunicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; membersare elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to beheld NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next tobe 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%, WalwariCommittee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,independents 3, Walwari Committee 2note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998(next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the FrenchNational 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
Judicial branch:Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based inMartinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and FrenchGuiana)
Political parties and leaders:Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; GuyaneseSocialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana DemocraticForces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party orPNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union fora Popular Movement or UMP [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari Committee (alignedwith the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:UPU, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas department of France)
Flag description:the flag of France is used
Economy French Guiana
Economy - overview:The economy is tied closely to the larger French economy throughsubsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou(which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the mostimportant economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of thecountry. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fullyexploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawnlogs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastalarea, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and maniocare the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on importsof food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularlyamong younger workers.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $1.551 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:NA
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NAindustry: NAservices: NA (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:58,800 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)
Unemployment rate:22% (2001)
Budget:revenues: $225 millionexpenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105million (1996)
Agriculture - products: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Industries:construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:455 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:423.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners:France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)
Imports:$625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment,fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners:France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)
Debt - external:$1.2 billion (1988)
Economic aid - recipient:NA (1995)
Currency:euro (EUR)
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:Euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications French Guiana
Telephones - main lines in use:51,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:138,200 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay systeminternational: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5repeaters) (1998)
Radios:104,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:30,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gf
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:3,200 (2002)
Transportation French Guiana
Highways:total: 722 kmpaved: NA kmunpaved: NA km (1996)
Waterways:3,760 kmnote: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal andriver steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)
Ports and harbors:Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Airports:11 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 7914 to 1,523 m: 2under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Military French Guiana
Military branches:no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 52,294 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 33,914 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues French Guiana
Disputes - international:Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini(both headwaters of the Lawa)
Illicit drugs:small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minortransshipment point to Europe
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@French Polynesia
Introduction French Polynesia
Background:The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19thcentury. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests byresuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-yearmoratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.
Geography French Polynesia
Location:Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half ofthe way from South America to Australia
Geographic coordinates:15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)water: 507 sq kmland: 3,660 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:2,525 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical, but moderate
Terrain:mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 0.82% permanent crops: 5.46% other: 93.72% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea inFrench Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands inthe Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribatiand Nauru
People French Polynesia
Population:266,339 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 27.5% (male 37,372; female 35,818)15-64 years: 66.9% (male 92,594; female 85,455)65 years and over: 5.7% (male 7,616; female 7,484) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 27.1 yearsmale: 27.4 yearsfemale: 26.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.57% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:17.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 7.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 9.92 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 75.67 yearsmale: 73.29 yearsfemale: 78.18 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.09 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: French Polynesian(s)adjective: French Polynesian
Ethnic groups:Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions:Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
Languages:French (official), Tahitian (official)
Literacy:definition: age 14 and over can read and writetotal population: 98%male: 98%female: 98% (1977 est.)
Government French Polynesia
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesiaconventional short form: French Polynesialocal short form: Polynesie Francaiselocal long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaiseformer: French Colony of Oceania
Dependency status:overseas territory of France since 1946
Government type:NA
Capital:Papeete
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-orderadministrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but thereare 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipeldes Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Ventnote: Clipperton Island is administered by France from FrenchPolynesia
Independence:none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday:Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:based on French system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic MichelMATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)head of government: President of the Territorial Government ofFrench Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 9 October 2004); President ofthe Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of membersof the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve asministerselections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-yearterm; high commissioner appointed by the French president on theadvice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of theTerritorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assemblyare elected by the members of the assembly
Legislative branch:unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats- changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are electedby popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998(next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote byparty - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to theFrench National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance orTribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law orTribunal Administratif
Political parties and leaders:Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (TaviniHuiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [EmileVERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR(Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api)[Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [NicleBOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centeredon the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on thelower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; astylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; theFrench flag is used for official occasions
Economy French Polynesia
Economy - overview:Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region,French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economyto one in which a high proportion of the work force is eitheremployed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With thehalt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution tothe economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth ofGDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sourcesof income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. Thesmall manufacturing sector primarily processes agriculturalproducts. The territory benefits substantially from developmentagreements with France aimed principally at creating new businessesand strengthening social services.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $4.58 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 6%industry: 18%services: 76% (1997)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:70,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)
Unemployment rate:11.8% (1994)
Budget:revenues: $1 billionexpenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185million (1996)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee
Industries:tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:428.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:398.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Exports:$244 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, sharkmeat
Exports - partners:France 66.3%, Japan 16.1%, US 9.1% (2003)
Imports:$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners:France 59.9%, Australia 11.9%, New Zealand 6%, US 6% (2003)
Debt - external:NA (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$367 million (1997)
Currency:Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code:XPF
Exchange rates:Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73(2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999)note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications French Polynesia
Telephones - main lines in use:52,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:90,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:128,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:40,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.pf
Internet hosts:5,123 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:35,000 (2002)
Transportation French Polynesia
Highways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)
Ports and harbors:Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Merchant marine:total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWTby type: cargo 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo1, roll on/roll off 1 (2004 est.)
Airports:49 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 23
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)
Military French Polynesia
Military branches:no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues French Polynesia
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Introduction French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Background:The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet andIles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and IleSaint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visitedonly by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portionconsists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continentdiscovered and claimed by the French in 1840.
Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Location:southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, aboutequidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - FrenchSouthern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, alongwith the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the USdoes not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"
Geographic coordinates:43 00 S, 67 00 E
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 7,829 sq kmnote: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and IlesKerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km inAntarctica that is not recognized by the USwater: 0 sq kmland: 7,829 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:1,232 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does notinclude the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)
Climate:antarctic
Terrain:volcanic
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m
Natural resources: fish, crayfish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:islands component is widely scattered across remote locations inthe southern Indian Ocean
People French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Population:no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002 est.)note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary fromwinter (July) to summer (January) (July 2004 est.)
Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern andAntarctic Landsconventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Landslocal long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et AntarctiquesFrancaiseslocal short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises
Dependency status:overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris byAdministrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004),assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-orderadministrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but thereare 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and IlesSaint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarcticathat is not recognized by the US
Legal system:the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:the flag of France is used
Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Economy - overview:Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological andgeophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships areexported to France and Reunion.
Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Internet country code: .tf
Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine:total: 70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWTby type: bulk 4, cargo 2, chemical tanker 19, container 11,liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 11, vehiclecarrier 2foreign-owned: Denmark 2, France 49, Japan 4, Monaco 5, Norway 5,Sweden 5 (2004 est.)
Airports:none
Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Disputes - international: French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
======================================================================
@Gabon
Introduction Gabon
Background:Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independencefrom France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO -one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - hasdominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades. PresidentBONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitutionin the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and allegations ofelectoral fraud during the most recent local elections in 2002-03have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon.In addition, recent strikes have underscored the populardisenchantment with the political system. Presidential electionsscheduled for 2005 are unlikely to bring change since the oppositionremains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the currentregime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundantnatural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped makeGabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.
Geography Gabon
Location:Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea