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 which provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; sugar cane is the major cash crop. 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—real growth rate: NA%

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$6,000 (1998 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

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: 25.7% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $191 million
expenditures: $332 million, including capital expenditures of $88 million (1996)

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity—production: 425 million kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 425 million kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: sugar, rice, corn, manioc (tapioca), cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

Exports: $148 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports—commodities: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

Exports—partners: France 60%, EU 7% (1994)

Imports: $600 million (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports—commodities: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals

Imports—partners: France 62%, Germany 4%, Belgium-Luxembourg 4%, US 2% (1994)

Debt—external: $1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid—recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1—5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year