Economy (French Guiana)
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     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 1987. 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 - are 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:
         exchange rate conversion - $186 million, per capita $2,240; real growth rate
         NA% (1985)
     Inflation rate (consumer prices):
         4.1% (1987)
     Unemployment rate:
         15% (1987)
     Budget:
         revenues $735 million; expenditures $735 million, including capital
         expenditures of NA (1987)
     Exports:
         $54.0 million (f.o.b., 1987)
       commodities:
         shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence
       partners:
         France 31%, US 22%, Japan 10% (1987)
     Imports:
         $394.0 million (c.i.f., 1987)
       commodities:
         food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods,
         petroleum
       partners:
         France 62%, Trinidad and Tobago 9%, US 4%, FRG 3% (1987)
     External debt:
         $1.2 billion (1988)
     Industrial production:
         growth rate NA%
     Electricity:
         92,000 kW capacity; 185 million kWh produced, 1,821 kWh per capita (1991)
     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
     Economic aid:
         Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
         $1.51 billion
     Currency:
         French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
     Exchange rates:
         French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.3801 (January 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453
         (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
     Fiscal year:
         calendar year