French Guiana (The Official Flag) (The Unofficial Flag)

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	Backgound Notes	Geography	History
	Government	Business Law	Commercial Guide
	Treaties	Labor Law	Environmental Law
	Banking & Finance	Visas & Immigration	Foreign Investment
	Intellectual Property	Taxes	General Economic Info
	Tourism	Legal System	General Information
	Importing & Exporting	Marketing

Background Notes For French Guiana GEOGRAPHY Location Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname Area Total area: 91,000 sq km Land area: 89,150 sq km Comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana Land Boundaries Total 1,183 km, Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km Coastline 378 km Maritime Claims Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm International Disputes Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) Climate Tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain Low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Natural Resources Bauxite Timber Gold (widely scattered) Cinnabar Kaolin Fish Land Use Arable land: 0% Permanent crops: 0% Meadows and pastures: 0% Forest and woodland: 82% Other: 18% Irrigated Land NA Environment Current issues: NA Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding International agreements: NA Note: Mostly an unsettled wilderness French Guiana History No information in file. French Guiana Government Conventional long form: Department of Guiana Conventional short form: French Guiana Local long form: none Local short form: Guyane Digraph FG Type Overseas department of France Capital Cayenne Administrative Divisions None (overseas department of France) Independence None (overseas department of France) National Holiday National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 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 Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) Head of government: Prefect Jean-Francois CORDET (since NA 1992); President of the General Council Elie CASTOR (since NA); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (22 March 1993) Cabinet: Council of Ministers Legislative Branch Unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council General Council Elections last held 25 September and 8 October 1988 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (19 total) PSG 12, URC 7 Regional Council Elections last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (31 total) PSG 16, FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3 French Senate Elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PSG 1 French National Assembly Elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) RPR 1, independent 1 Judicial Branch Court of Appeals (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana) Political Parties and Leaders Guianese Socialist Party (PSG), Elie CASTRO; Conservative Union for the Republic (UPR), Leon BERTRAND; Rally for the Center Right (URC); Rally for the Republic (RPR); Guyana Democratic Front (FDG), Georges OTHILY; Walwari Committee, Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON Member of FZ, WCL, WFTU Diplomatic Representation in U.S. None (overseas department of France) U.S. Diplomatic Representation None (overseas department of France) Flag The flag of France is used French Guiana Business Law No information in file. No information in file. Treaties to which French Guiana is a Member Not Applicable. French Guiana Labor Law No information in file. French Guiana Environmental Law No information in file. French Guiana's Banking and Finance System No information in file. French Guiana Visas and Immigration Entry Requirements: Passports are required of U.S. citizens entering both the French West Indies and French Guiana. Visitors who arrive on a regular air carrier may enter for up to 90 days with their passports. A visa is not required for a stay up to three months. For further information on French West Indies and French Guiana entry requirements, travelers can contact the Embassy of France at 4101 Reservoir Road, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007, tel. (202) 944-6000 or the nearest French consulate in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, New Orleans or San Francisco. French Guiana's Foreign Investment Law No information in file. Intellectual Property Rights In French Guiana No information in file. French Guiana Taxes No information in file. General Economic Information of French Guiana 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, with exports of fish and fish products (mostly shrimp) accounting for more than 60% of total revenue in 1992. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops - rice, cassava, bananas, and sugarcane - is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers. National Product GDP - purchasing power parity - $800 million (1993 est.) National Product Real Growth Rate NA National Product Per Capita $6,000 (1993 est.) Inflation Rate (consumer Prices) 2.5% (1992) Unemployment Rate 13% (1990) Budget Revenues: $735 million Expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1987) Exports $59 million (f.o.b., 1992) Commodities: Shrimp Timber Rum Rosewood essence Partners: France 52% Spain 15% U.S. 5% (1992) Imports $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992) Commodities: Food (grains Processed meat) Other consumer goods Producer goods Petroleum Partners: France 77% Germany 11% U.S. 5% (1992) External Debt $1.2 billion (1988) Industrial Production Growth rate NA Electricity Capacity: 180,000 kW Production: 450 million kWh Consumption per capita: 3,149 kWh (1993) Industries Construction Shrimp processing Forestry products Rum Gold mining Agriculture Some vegetables for local consumption; rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, bananas, sugar; livestock - cattle, pigs, poultry French Guiana Socio-Economic Data from the Inter-American Development Bank. This is the source for all the hard economic data you need. The particular country page is slow loading, but well worth the wait for you economic gurus. French Guiana Tourism No information in file. French Guiana's Legal System No information in file. General Information French Guiana - Consular Info Sheet Living languages of French Guiana So, you think that French is the only language spoken in French Guiana? Well, check this out! Importing and Exporting TradePort's online tutorial on importing and exporting. Reducing the Risk of Trade Disputes for Exporters U.S. Harmonized Tarrif Schedule Marketing International Trade Association (U.S. Dept. of Commerce dedicated to helping U.S. businesses compete in the global marketplace.

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