NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Department of Guiana
French Guiana
Guyane
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname |
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Geographic coordinates:
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4 00 N, 53 00 W |
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Map references:
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South America |
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Area:
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total: 91,000 sq km
water: 1,850 sq km land: 89,150 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Indiana |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km |
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Coastline:
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378 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.11% NEGL
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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20 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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182,333 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 30.2% (male 28,140; female 26,876)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 63,183; female 53,902) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 5,192; female 5,040) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.57% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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21.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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13.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 76.49 years
female: 79.99 years (2002 est.) male: 73.16 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.13 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese |
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Ethnic groups:
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black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic |
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Languages:
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French |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.) |