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, 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 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.

GDP purchasing power parity - $800 million (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate NA%

GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index 2.5% (1992)

Labor force
total: 46,300 (1993)
by occupation: services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)

Unemployment rate 24.1% (1993 est.)

Budget
revenues: $176 million
expenditures: $350 million, including capital expenditures of $92 million (1994)

Industries construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate NA%

Electricity - capacity 165,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production 420 million kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita 2,890 kWh (1995)

Agriculture - products rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, vegetables, bananas, sugar; cattle, pigs, poultry

Exports
total value: $81 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
partners: France 60%, EU 7%

Imports
total value: $605 million (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
partners: France 62%, Germany 4%, Belgium-Luxembourg 4%, US 2%

Debt - external $1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates French francs (F) per US$1 - 6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993)

Fiscal year calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding French Guiana on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of French Guiana Economy 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about French Guiana Economy 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.