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.

purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.)

NA%

purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.)

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

2.5% (1992)

58,800 (1997)

services, government, and commerce 60.6%,
industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)

21.4% (1998 est.)

revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

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

NA%

430 million kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

400 million kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa,
vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

$155 million (f.o.b., 1997)

shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence,
clothing

France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997)

$625 million (c.i.f., 1997)

food (grains, processed meat), machinery and
transport equipment, fuels and chemicals

France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997)

$1.2 billion (1988)

$NA

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999);
French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998),
5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995)

calendar year