total: 207
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 76
under 914 m: 127 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1999 est.)
@France:Military
Military branches: Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes Naval Air),
Air Force (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,619,317 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,167,421 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 402,987 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $39.831 billion (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.5% (FY97)
@France:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa
Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island;
Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial
dispute between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial claim in
Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New
Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of South American
cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
______________________________________________________________________
FRENCH GUIANA
@French Guiana:Introduction
Background: First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the
site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space
Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
@French Guiana:Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Brazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map references: South America
Area:
total: 91,000 sq km
land: 89,150 sq km
water: 1,850 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:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar,
kaolin, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 90%
other: 10% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe
thunderstorms; flooding
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: mostly an unsettled wilderness
@French Guiana:People
Population: 172,605 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 27,116; female 25,902)
15-64 years: 64% (male 59,690; female 50,621)
65 years and over: 5% (male 4,694; female 4,582) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.93% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 22.44 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 11.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.1 years
male: 72.77 years
female: 79.6 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.21 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese
Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese,
Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Religions: Roman Catholic
Languages: French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82% (1982 est.)
@French Guiana:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local long form: none
local short form: Guyane
Data code: FG
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: 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since NA January 1997)
head of government: President of the General Council Andre LECANTE
(since NA March 1998); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM
(since 22 March 1992)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 20-27 March 1994 (next to be
held NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be
held NA 2004)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PSG 8, FDG 4, RPR 1, other left 2, other right 2,
other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
(next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, PSG 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court
based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and
French Guiana)
Political parties and leaders: Action Democrate Guiana or ADG [Andre
LECANTE]; Democratic and European Rally of the Senate or RDSE [leader
NA]; Guianese Socialist Party or PSG ; Guyana
Democratic Forces or FDG ; Nationalist Popular Party
of Guyana (Parti Nationaliste Populaire Guiana) or PNPG ;
Rally for the Republic or RPR ; Socialist Party or
PS (may be a subset of PSG); Union for French
Democracy or UDF ; Union of Social Democrats (Union des
Socialistes Democates) or USD (umbrella group of
RPR and UDF); Walwari Committee
International organization participation: FZ, 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
@French Guiana:Economy
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. 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.
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: 21.4% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)
Industries: construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum,
gold mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 430 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 400 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa,
vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Exports: $155 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports - commodities: shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence,
clothing
Exports - partners: France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997)
Imports: $625 million (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports - commodities: food (grains, processed meat), machinery and
transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners: France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997)
Debt - external: $1.2 billion (1988)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: 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)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@French Guiana:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 47,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters),
shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Radios: 104,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters)
(1997)
Televisions: 30,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@French Guiana:Transportation
Railways: 0 km (1995)
Highways:
total: 1,817 km
paved: 727 km
unpaved: 1,090 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and
coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft
Ports and harbors: Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 11 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (1999 est.)
@French Guiana:Military
Military branches: French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 48,445 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 31,367 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
@French Guiana:Transnational Issues
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;
minor transshipment point to Europe
______________________________________________________________________
FRENCH POLYNESIA
@French Polynesia:Introduction
Background: The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during
the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread
protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a
three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.
@French Polynesia:Geography
Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the 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)
land: 3,660 sq km
water: 507 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than one-third the size of
Connecticut
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2,525 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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: 1%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 57% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: includes five archipelagoes; Makatea in French
Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Nauru
@French Polynesia:People
Population: 249,110 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30% (male 38,736; female 37,197)
15-64 years: 65% (male 83,986; female 76,973)
65 years and over: 5% (male 6,127; female 6,091) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.78% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 19.01 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 4.41 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.79 years
male: 72.47 years
female: 77.22 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.28 children born/woman (2000 est.)
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 16%
Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)
@French Polynesia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
Data code: FP
Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1946
Government type: NA
Capital: Papeete
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there
are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des
Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent,
and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
Polynesia
Independence: none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 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 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE
(since NA 1994)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French
Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the
Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of
the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
are elected by the members of the assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Independent Front for
the Liberation of Polynesia 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989
(next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - UC 1; two seats were elected to the
French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA
2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First
Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law
or Tribunal Administratif
Political parties and leaders: Centrist Union or UC ;
Entente Polynesian ; Haere i Mua ;
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira)
; Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa) [Jacques
DROLLET]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) ; People's
Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) ;
Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Pupu Here Ai'a Party)
; Pupu Taina ; Te Aratia Ote Nunaa
(Tinomana Ebb); Te e'a No Maohi Nui
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ,
ICFTU, SPC, 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; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave
pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper
half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern;
the French flag is used for official occasions
@French Polynesia:Economy
Economy - overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military
personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a
subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work
force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist
industry. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a
primary source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing
sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory
benefited from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France
aimed principally at creating new jobs.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1997 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,800 (1997 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1994)
Labor force: 118,744 (of which 70,044 are employed) (1988)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services
68% (1997)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
million (1996)
Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 360 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 59.72%
hydro: 40.28%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 335 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits;
poultry, beef, dairy products
Exports: $212 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports - commodities: cultured pearls 50%, coconut products,
mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)
Exports - partners: US 11%, France 6% (1997)
Imports: $860 million (c.i.f., 1996)
Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
Imports - partners: France 44.7%, US 13.9% (1994)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $450.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (CFPF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1
- 117.67 (January 2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997),
93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 CFPFs
to the French franc
Fiscal year: calendar year
@French Polynesia:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 32,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,000 (1995)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (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 Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@French Polynesia:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 792 km
paved: 792 km
unpaved: 0 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1999
est.)
Airports: 45 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 30
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)
@French Polynesia:Military
Military branches: French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
Gendarmerie
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
@French Polynesia:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
FRENCH SOUTHERN AND
______________________________________________________________________
GABON
@Gabon:Introduction
Background: Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from
France in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new
constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent
electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A
small population, abundant natural resources, and foreign private
investment have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black
African countries.
@Gabon:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 11 45 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado
Land boundaries:
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
Equatorial Guinea 350 km
Coastline: 885 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and
south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron
ore, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 77%
other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Gabon:People